Rome, Assisi, La Verna, Florence & Siena
12 Days / 10 Nights
Rome · Assisi · La Verna · Florence · Siena · Vatican City
About This Pilgrimage
Follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi on a Catholic pilgrimage through some of the most sacred places in Italy—a journey centered on conversion, simplicity, prayer, the Eucharist, and the extraordinary witness of the saints.
At the heart of this pilgrimage is Assisi, where St. Francis was born, experienced his conversion, embraced a life of radical discipleship, and began a spiritual movement that would profoundly renew the Church.
Rather than simply visiting Assisi for a day, this pilgrimage allows us to enter more deeply into the Franciscan story. We will pray at the tomb of St. Francis, visit San Damiano, where he heard Christ’s call to «rebuild my Church,» enter the little Porziuncola that became the cradle of the Franciscan movement, and travel into the mountains to the Eremo delle Carceri, where Francis withdrew in silence and prayer.
Our journey continues to La Verna, one of the most sacred places in Franciscan spirituality. Here, in 1224, St. Francis received the stigmata, bearing in his own body the wounds of the Crucified Christ.
The pilgrimage also brings us into the wider spiritual heritage of Italy. In Assisi, we encounter St. Clare and the remarkable modern witness of St. Carlo Acutis. In Siena and Florence, we discover cities where Christian faith inspired some of the greatest works of sacred art and architecture in history.
Finally, we arrive in Rome, the heart of the universal Church. We will pray at the tomb of St. Peter, visit the great Papal Basilicas, experience the treasures of the Vatican, and, when the Holy Father’s schedule permits, join pilgrims from throughout the world for the Angelus or a Papal Audience.
Throughout the journey, opportunities can be arranged for daily Holy Mass, communal prayer, spiritual reflection, and time for personal devotion, transforming the itinerary from a tour of Italy into a genuine pilgrimage.
A Special Opportunity: October 4 in Assisi
This pilgrimage can be organized throughout the year, but groups wishing for an especially meaningful Franciscan experience may choose dates surrounding October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Celebrating the feast in Assisi itself—among the churches, streets, and landscapes that shaped his life—is an extraordinary experience, with solemn liturgies and pilgrims arriving from throughout Italy and the world.
The pilgrimage can therefore be organized either as a year-round Franciscan pilgrimage or as a special Feast of St. Francis departure.
Pilgrimage Highlights
- Assisi — birthplace and spiritual home of St. Francis
- Basilica and Tomb of St. Francis
- Basilica of St. Clare
- St. Carlo Acutis
- San Damiano and the story of Francis’ call to rebuild the Church
- Porziuncola at Santa Maria degli Angeli
- Eremo delle Carceri
- La Verna, where St. Francis received the stigmata
- Christian heritage of Florence
- Siena and its extraordinary Catholic heritage
- St. Peter’s Basilica and the Tomb of St. Peter
- St. John Lateran
- St. Mary Major
- St. Paul Outside the Walls
- Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
- Opportunity for a Papal Audience or Angelus, according to the Pope’s schedule
- Daily Holy Mass, whenever possible
- Spiritual activities and opportunities for prayer throughout the pilgrimage
Who Is This Pilgrimage For?
This pilgrimage can be organized for parishes, dioceses, Franciscan communities, Catholic schools and universities, ministries, prayer groups, families, and other Catholic organizations.
The itinerary can also be adapted according to the spiritual interests of each group. A priest may accompany the pilgrimage as Spiritual Director, allowing for daily Mass, spiritual conferences, prayer, and other activities tailored to the community.
Groups interested in a stronger Franciscan focus can dedicate additional time to Assisi and the surrounding sanctuaries, while those wishing for a broader Italian pilgrimage can combine the Franciscan journey with additional destinations such as Orvieto, Cascia, Loreto, Padua, Venice, or other Catholic sites in Italy.
A Pilgrimage in the Spirit of St. Francis
More than eight centuries after his death, the message of St. Francis remains strikingly relevant: to return to Christ, rediscover the Gospel, embrace simplicity, seek peace, and rebuild the Church beginning with our own conversion.
This pilgrimage invites us not merely to learn about Francis, but to ask the same question that shaped his life:
Lord, what do You want me to do?
Come to Assisi. Walk where Francis walked. Pray where he prayed. And discover why his witness continues to speak to the Church and the world.
Important Information and Terms and Conditions
The published program is a general description and may be adjusted due to availability, operational requirements, local conditions, or the group’s needs. By registering, each traveler confirms that they have reviewed and accepted our Terms and Conditions.
Confirmed trip details, payment information, official meetings and presentations, updates, and final travel documentation will be provided through the official WeTravel page, the final itinerary, and other communications from Pilgrim Groups Travel. Travelers are responsible for reviewing all documents, insurance provisions, entry requirements, and travel instructions provided.
Proposed Itinerary
Days 1 & 2 — USA – Rome – Assisi
Departure from your selected U.S. airport on an overnight flight to Italy.
Upon arrival at Rome Airport, we will meet our accompanying guide and board our private motorcoach for the journey into Umbria and Assisi, the city forever associated with St. Francis and St. Clare.
Upon arrival, we will enjoy our first introduction to Assisi and the beautiful Umbrian landscape before transferring to our hotel.
Dinner and overnight in the Assisi/Perugia area.
Day 3 — Assisi: St. Francis & St. Clare
Today we begin our pilgrimage through the places that shaped the life and spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi.
With our local guide, we will visit the magnificent Basilica of St. Francis, built over the tomb of the saint. We will descend to the crypt to pray before his tomb and discover the Upper and Lower Basilicas, decorated with extraordinary medieval frescoes recounting the life of St. Francis and the mystery of salvation.
We will continue to the Basilica of St. Clare, where we encounter the story of the woman who followed Francis in embracing a radical life of poverty and dedication to Christ. Here we can also venerate the famous San Damiano Cross, before which Francis prayed when he heard Christ’s call to rebuild His Church.
Our walk through Assisi will take us through its medieval streets and other places associated with Francis’ early life and conversion.
Time will be reserved for prayer and the celebration of Holy Mass.
Dinner and overnight in the Assisi/Perugia area.
Day 4 — Assisi: The Franciscan Heart
We continue exploring the spiritual heart of the Franciscan movement.
Our first major visit will be Santa Maria degli Angeli, the great basilica built around the tiny Porziuncola. It was here that Francis understood more clearly his evangelical vocation, founded the Order of Friars Minor, and gathered his brothers. It was also near here that he died in 1226.
We will then visit San Damiano, one of the most important places in the story of St. Francis. Here, while praying before the crucifix, Francis heard the call:
«Francis, go and rebuild my Church.»
What Francis initially understood literally would eventually become the mission of his entire life: the spiritual renewal of the Church through a radical return to the Gospel.
We will also travel into the wooded slopes of Mount Subasio to visit the Eremo delle Carceri, the peaceful hermitage where Francis and his companions withdrew for solitude, prayer, and contemplation.
Holy Mass and time for personal prayer.
Dinner and overnight in the Assisi/Perugia area.
Day 5 — Assisi: St. Francis & St. Carlo Acutis
A further day in Assisi allows us to experience the city as pilgrims rather than simply as visitors.
We will have additional time for prayer at the Franciscan holy places and an opportunity to visit the shrine associated with St. Carlo Acutis, the young Catholic whose devotion to the Eucharist has inspired a new generation of Catholics.
The day provides time for Holy Mass, personal prayer, spiritual activities, and the opportunity to return to some of the places that have particularly touched us during our pilgrimage.
Special October 4 Departures
When this pilgrimage is scheduled around October 4, this day will be adapted so the group can participate in the celebrations surrounding the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Celebrating the feast in Assisi, alongside Franciscans and pilgrims from around the world and only steps from the tomb of St. Francis, can become one of the great spiritual moments of the journey.
Dinner and overnight in the Assisi/Perugia area.
Day 6 — Assisi – La Verna – Florence
Today we leave Umbria and travel into the mountains of Tuscany to one of the most sacred places in Franciscan spirituality: the Sanctuary of La Verna.
St. Francis received the mountain of La Verna as a place of retreat and returned here repeatedly for periods of prayer and contemplation.
In 1224, while praying and fasting on the mountain, Francis experienced the extraordinary event that would mark the final years of his life: the reception of the stigmata, the wounds of the Crucified Christ.
We will visit the sanctuary and the places associated with this profound event, with time for prayer and Holy Mass whenever possible.
We then continue through Tuscany to Florence.
Dinner and overnight in Florence.
Day 7 — Florence: Faith & the Renaissance
Today we discover Florence, one of the great artistic and cultural centers of Christian Europe.
With our local guide, we will explore its historic center and visit the monumental Basilica of Santa Croce, one of the city’s most important Franciscan churches.
Our visit will also introduce us to Florence’s magnificent Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, its Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria, and other landmarks that reveal the extraordinary relationship between Christian faith, art, architecture, and civic life during the Italian Renaissance.
Celebration of Holy Mass.
Dinner and overnight in Florence.
Day 8 — Florence – Siena – Rome
After breakfast, we depart for Siena, another of Tuscany’s great Christian cities.
We will enjoy a guided visit of its historic center and magnificent Cathedral, while discovering a city deeply associated with the Catholic faith and saints such as St. Catherine of Siena.
After our visit, we continue south toward the Eternal City — Rome.
Upon arrival, we will visit the magnificent Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, erected over the tomb of St. Paul the Apostle. Here we will have the opportunity to pray at one of Christianity’s great apostolic shrines.
Holy Mass according to availability.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 9 — Christian Rome & the Papal Basilicas
Today is dedicated to the spiritual heart of Catholic Rome.
We begin at St. Peter’s Basilica, built over the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle. We will discover this extraordinary basilica and have time to pray near the Confession of St. Peter, remembering Christ’s words: «You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.»
We then continue through Christian Rome with visits to St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, and St. Mary Major, one of the Church’s great Marian basilicas.
We will also visit the Holy Stairs (Scala Santa), traditionally associated with the Passion of Christ.
Time for prayer and celebration of Holy Mass.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 10 — The Vatican & Baroque Rome
This morning we enter the artistic and spiritual world of the Vatican Museums.
Accompanied by our local guide, we will discover masterpieces collected and preserved by the Church across the centuries, culminating in the extraordinary Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s frescoes.
Later, we discover another face of the Eternal City through Baroque Rome, walking through some of its most famous piazzas, fountains, churches, and historic streets.
Depending on timing, our route may include landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon area, and the Spanish Steps.
Celebration of Holy Mass.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 11 — Rome & the Universal Church
Our final full day in Italy is dedicated to experiencing Rome not simply as a historic city, but as the living center of the universal Catholic Church.
Depending on the day of the week and the schedule of the Holy Father, we will seek to participate in a Papal Audience or the Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square.
The remainder of the day will be intentionally more relaxed, providing time for personal prayer, individual visits, shopping, or returning to a favorite church or pilgrimage site.
We will gather for our final Holy Mass, giving thanks for the graces received throughout our pilgrimage.
In the evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner, sharing the experiences of our journey together.
Overnight in Rome.
Day 12 — Rome – USA
After breakfast, transfer to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our return flight to the United States.
We return home carrying much more than memories of Italy: the invitation of St. Francis to encounter Christ more deeply, live the Gospel more authentically, and bring that renewed faith back to our families, parishes, and communities.
Return flight to the United States. Arrival and end of our pilgrimage services.
Optional Extension: Orvieto & the Eucharistic Miracle
For groups wishing to place greater emphasis on Eucharistic spirituality, the itinerary can be adapted to include Orvieto and Bolsena, associated with the famous 13th-century Eucharistic miracle and the origins of the universal celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
This combines particularly well with the Franciscan theme: St. Francis’ radical love of Christ, his profound reverence for the Eucharist, and the call to renewal within the Church.
Productos relacionados
France
Saints & Martyrs
Saints & Martyrs
France