Pictures from the Italy

Saints and Their Stories

A pilgrimage to Italy exploring the world of Peter and Paul, Saint Francis and Clare, Catherine of Siena, and Saint Benedict

Led by:

The Rev. Jeffrey MacKnight
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
Bethesda, MD

April 16 – 27, 2012

Trip map

DAY 1: Monday, April 16, 2012 - Depart Washington’s Dulles Airport on Lufthansa Airlines for our flight to Frankfurt, Germany where we connect to our flight to Rome. M

DAY 2: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - We meet our tour manager and driver at the airport in Rome and stop on our way into the city to visit St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, the monumental basilica dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle.  There will be a brief orientation tour as we travel into Rome.  We will have some leisure time this afternoon before we join together for a “welcome to Italy” dinner.  Overnight Rome. MD

DAY 3: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - An early morning visit to the early Christian Catacombs where we shall celebrate Eucharist.  Next we visit the Vatican, the smallest city/state in the world.  We will visit St. Peter’s Basilica and see Michelangelo’s famous Pieta’ and then visit the Vatican Museum where we shall see Michelangelo’s famous fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Overnight Rome. B

DAY 4: Thursday, April 19, 2012 - Today, those who wish can enjoy a day trip out of the city to Monte Cassino where Benedict wrote the Benedictine Rule, the founding principle for Western Monasticism.  Those who wish to remain in Rome may explore the city further on your own.  Overnight Rome. B

DAY 5: Friday, April 20, 2012 - We head toward Umbria today to Assisi, birthplace of Francis and a city whose walls have hardly changed since the Middle Ages.  We will stop on the “Highway of the Sun” at Greccio to see the Greccio Monastery.  It is here that St. Francis celebrated Christmas in 1223 by placing a manger and live animals before the altar.  This started the custom of making crèches at Christmas. Upon arrival in Assisi, we will visit the Basilica to view the magnificent frescoes.  Our lodging in Assisi will be in a beautiful monastery to deeper our spiritual experience.  Overnight Assisi. BD

DAY 6: Saturday, April 21, 2012 - We visit Francis’ birthplace, the Church of San Ruffino where he was baptized, the Carceri, the little Hermitage where Francis was often drawn for prayer and solitude, San Damiano, where Clare lived and where Francis received his vision to “rebuild the church’, the church of Santa Chiara, The church of Santa Maria degli Angeli which is built over the Porziuncola, the little chapel St. Francis restored.  It is here in the Transito Chapel where Francis died on October 3, 1226.  Overnight Assisi. B

DAY 7: Sunday, April 22, 2012 - Today is our retreat day - a spiritual time of corporate prayer services, silence, reflection, and meditation on our Christian faith, led by Fr. MacKnight.  We celebrate Holy Eucharist in the chapel of the beautiful monastery where we are staying and enjoy this unique place of prayer and pilgrimage.  Overnight Assisi. BD

DAY 8: Monday, April 23, 2012 - Today we depart from Assisi and stop at Verna to visit La Verna Monastery, founded in 1214 by St. Francis and the place where he received the Stigmata.  Here we will see the magnificent della Robbia terracottas.  We continue to Siena, considered by many to be Italy’s most beautiful medieval city.  We will take a walking tour including a visit to the Piazza del Campo, site of the Palio, a horse race in which 17 of the cities neighborhoods compete.  We will see the Duomo, the finest Gothic cathedral in Italy and world reknown for its fine marble floors.  We continue to Florence where we will begin our discovery of this fabulous city. Overnight Florence. BD

DAY 9: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - We begin today with a walking tour of Florence and see the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its magnificent dome, Bell Tower and Baptistery.  The Baptistery has golden doors designed by Ghiberti representing scenes from the Life and Passion of Christ.  We visit the Museum of the Duomo to see Donatello’s sculpture of Magdalene and then visit the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s famous statue of David.  We visit the Museum of San Marco to see a perfectly preserved 15th century Dominican Convent and the works of Fra Angelico, a Dominican monk and one of the premier artists of the Renaissance and then visit Santa Maria Novella to see the Masaccio Fresco of the Trinity.  Overnight Florence. B

DAY 10: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - A morning tour of the Uffize, one of the world’s finest museums and then we walk to the Franciscan church of Santa Croce.  Michelangelo and Galileo as well as many of the other great artists and writers of Italy are buried here.  The art contained within the church and the church complex is by far the most important in Florence.  Overnight Florence. B

DAY 11: Thursday, April 26, 2012 - Across the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge over the Arno River, we find our way to the Pitti Palace, originally a home to the Pitti family and then purchased to become the residence of the famous Medici family.  After a tour of the palace, we continue to Boboli Gardens, extending behind the palace, and where we will see elegant Italian landscaping at its very best.  We will have time to stroll through the many acres of art and beauty.  There will be some free time this afternoon before we share a “farewell to Italy” dinner this evening.  Overnight Florence. BD

DAY 12: Friday, April 27, 2012 - Breakfast and then transfer to the airport in Florence for the beginning of our journey back to the USA arriving back in Washington this afternoon. BM

Price: $3,799.00*.  Price is based without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Roundtrip air from Washington Dulles Airport on Lufthansa German Airlines.  Air transportation available from other cities.  * Excludes airline taxes and surcharges that will be added to your final payment invoice.  Taxes are currently $565.40.

** The price is not guaranteed and may change due to the fluctuation of the Euro and the US dollar.  We make every effort to avoid any increase and will only do so if the value of the dollar falls against the Euro.  Your pricing was based on the exchange rate of $1.41 to the Euro. **

$200.00 per person deposit due with registration and copy of passport.

Final payment due January 15, 2012

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until January 14, 2012:  $100.00 plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ After January 15, 2012:  NO REFUND

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, M Meals on Aircraft

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.