Upon arrival in Venice, we are met and greeted by our assistant, and next board our coach to transfer to the cruise pier in Venice (Venetian Lagoon) where we embark on the ship. After a welcome cocktail we enjoy our dinner on the ship. Overnight on the ship. (D)
Passengers are welcome to board the ship at 6:00 p.m.

In the morning we enjoy the walking panoramic tour that includes a visit to St. Mark’s Square, the largest square in the city and the site of many government buildings; and the Golden Basilica of San Marco, known for the great mosaics that depict the Old and New Testament of the Bible. We see the Bridge of Sigh, and the Doges’ Palace (Duke’s Palace), which served as the seat of the Government for the Republic of Venice for centuries. After lunch we take a boat tour of Murano and Burano. The first stop is Murano, where we visit a glass factory to watch artisans blow and shape glass into stunning pieces.The next destination is Burano, famous for its colorful homes and lace-making tradition. See the Casa Bepi (Bepi’s house) as this is the most colorful house in all of Burano, the Leaning Bell Tower of Burano and visit the Lace Museum. Overnight on the ship. (B/L/D)

Today we enjoy a food tour of Venice. We stop off at the Rialto Market in the San Polo District (closed on Sundays).Take your time browsing the stalls brimming with fruits, vegetables, and seafood before having a seat at a typical osteria on the edge of the Grand Canal to snack on delicious cicchetti, Italian tapas-like morsels and buranelli, butter biscuits in the shape of a ring or “S”, flavored with vanilla, rum or lemon, a specialty of the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon. The afternoon is free to pursue your own interests. Overnight on the ship. (B/L/D)

Our ship cast off early this morning for Chioggia. In the afternoon we visit Padua, the city of Saint Anthony, rich in religious and artistic heritage. We visit the Basilica of Saint Anthony, where the saint’s vault is located. And outside we admire Donatello’s 15th-century bronze statue, a masterpiece of the Renaissance. A guided walk takes us to the Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Frutti, the historic Palazzo della Ragione and the Torre dell’ Orologio, featuring a 1344 astronomical clock. Enjoy free time afterward to explore the city at your leisure. We return to Venice in the late afternoon. Tonight, we enjoy our farewell gala dinner. Overnight on the ship. (B/L/D)

After disembarkation we head for Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis. Upon arrival, we take a tour up to the Hermitage of Carceri located outside Assisi where St Francis and his followers found a secluded place for prayer and meditation. Saint Francis returned there often throughout his life. Here we truly can see why St. Francis the Patron Saint of birds was, animals, and the environment. Overnight in Assisi. (B/D)

Today we visit the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels where St. Francis spent most of his life. Here we visit the Chapel, Porziuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where he retired for prayer. We travel up to the quaint hilltop, birthplace of St Francis that still retains something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s, the period when St Francis began his ministry. We visit St. Francis’s huge 13th-century Basilica built over his crypt containing many of the saint’s possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. We continue to the Church of St Clare to see the saint’s incorrupt body. The foundress of the Order of Poor Clares followed the teachings of St Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. We may kneel before the San Damiano Cross from which Jesus spoke to St Francis asking him to rebuild His church. At the end of the tour, we visit the tomb of the blessed Carlo Acutis at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Overnight in Assisi. (B/D)

After breakfast we travel to Rome. On the way we stop in Orvieto, where a Eucharistic Miracle is preserved
in the Cathedral of Orvieto. The Cathedral also has some of the most magnificent frescoes to be found anywhere. The depicting visions of heaven and hell in the San Brizio Chapel rival those of the Sistine Chapel. After the short visit we continue to Rome. Upon arrival, we enjoy a panoramic tour of the Eternal City. The highlights include the Capitoline Hill, the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Arch of Constantine, and the Circus Maximus (all outside view). Overnight in Rome. (B/D)

After breakfast we depart for the Vatican City. We visit the Vatican Museums, home to one of the world’s greatest art collections, and Michelangelo’s breathtaking Sistine Chapel followed by a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in Christendom, built over his tomb. Then, we cross the Tiber River and we visit the three major basilicas of Rome: the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the oldest shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Basilica of St John in Lateran, the former residence of the popes prior to their return to Rome in 1377; and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall built over his tomb. Overnight in Rome. (B/D)

Transfer from the hotel to Fiumicino Airport for our flight back home arriving the same day. (B)
* (B/L/D) = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner