where

WHERE we go, and why
(6 days Rome + 2 days Assisi)

(SEE LIST BELOW) Rome is such a special city... it's really more than a city - for Catholics it is home away from home. And just a short, beautiful train ride away is the serine hilltop city of Assisi. All of the many places we visit in these two cities have special significance. On the pilgrimage we tie the principles the pilgrims are focusing on - of the interior life, of discernment, and of the walks of life (vocations) - to places that are related to these principles. (For instance, when we are talking about family life, the meditation might be held at the basilica of St. Mary Major where the crib from the Nativity is held. Or when we're talking about the religious life, we'll go spend an afternoon at the monastery or house of a religious community.) By doing this, pilgrims are having experiences - touch, sight, smells - to tie to and enrich their discernment. This is a pilgrimage... not a tour. We don't just want to go to Rome and Assisi; we want to experience Rome and Assisi!

When in Rome and Assisi we'll also see all the major sites that any traveler would want to see, and if there is some place that one of our pilgrims/travelers wants to see that's not on the list, they have a bunch of free time to do just that. Besides all of the major sites though, we'll also see lesser known gems and local spots that are specially known to residents and former residents - like the ones who are leading the pilgrimage. We'll visit the greatest basilicas, churches, historical sites, piazzas, markets... as well as the shops, museums, restaurants, extra tours that the pilgrims choose. But don't be overwhelmed, we go at a good relaxed pace! (SEE LIST BELOW)