Midvale tour to Italy: September 14 - 24, 2026

You can find trip details and register for the trip on the tour website.

Itinerary

DAY 1, Sept 14:    Departure from USA

Depart today on board your overnight flight to Italy, arriving the following day.  enjoy dinner and personalized entertainment.

DAY 2, Sept 15:    Arrive in Venice

Our exciting adventure begins as you arrive in Venice. Transfer to your hotel for check-in, relaxation, and dinner. Overnight in Venice.

Day 3, Sept 16:    Historic Venice

Enjoy your morning walking tour of Venice Island, beginning with a visit to the Basilica San Marco. Highlights include the Palace of the Doges, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Rialto Bridge. The afternoon is at leisure to explore this captivating city on your own. Overnight in Venice.

Day 4, Sept 17:    Venice - Pisa - Florence

Today's drive takes you through the serene Tuscan countryside to Pisa for a visit to the famous leaning tower and accompanying Baptistry with its astonishing acoustics. Continue to Florence, the cradle of Renaissance Art and the former stronghold of the famous Medici family. From Botticelli to da Vinci, the city is unsurpassed in art treasures and the story of its history. Proceed to your hotel for an overnight in Florence.

Day 5, Sept 18:    Florence 

This morning’s sightseeing tour takes you to the Piazza della Signoria where you marvel at the Neptune Fountain, Loggia dei Lanzi, and the Santa Croce Church. Dare to climb the 414 steps of Giotto's Bell Tower? Instead, you may take in the beauty of the golden “Gates of Paradise” of St. John’s Baptistry. The highlight of the day is a visit to the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo's David, a true masterpiece. Your afternoon is free to wander and shop. Overnight in Florence.

Day 6, Sept 19:    Florence - Visit a Vineyard  - Wine Tasting  - Assisi

This morning’s drive along the Chianti Hills, passing by Trasimeno Lake, leads you to the green region of Umbria to reach Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. See the Basilica of St. Francis, medieval frescoes by Giotto on the life of St. Francis, and visit the Basilicas of St. Clare and Santa Maria degli Angeli. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

DAY 7, Sept 20:    Assisi - Rome - The Colosseum

Today we depart Assisi and drive approx. 3 hours to reach Rome. The ancient Romans referred to Rome as Caput Mundi – the head of the world. As the center of the Roman Republic and then the Empire, Rome witnessed 1,000 years of one of the greatest civilizations in the world. Evidence of the glory of ancient Rome and the Italian Renaissance can be seen throughout the historical center. This afternoon we will follow our local guide and explore the famous Colosseum – the largest ancient amphitheater in the world and the site of countless gladiator games. Continue to the  Roman Forum, the administrative capital of the Empire and the site of some of the most famous speeches in history by the likes of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony, and Cicero. Check-in at the hotel, dinner, and overnight 

DAY 8, Sept 21:    Rome - The Vatican Museum -  Cooking Class 

Your sightseeing tour this morning takes you to Vatican City (Optional) including visits to the Vatican Museum & Gallery and the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's restored frescoes. End your morning tour at the Basilica of St. Peter. After a break for lunch, we bus to the Ancient Appian Way. On foot, we can proceed along a segment of this Roman Road, where Paul encountered Roman Christians who heard he was coming (as recorded in Acts 28:11-16). On the way back to Rome, we visit the Catacombs (the Christian cemetery) developed in the mid-third century AD. We again board our bus and continue the program with a visit to the Tre Fontane Abbey, where Paul was beheaded by order of Emperor Nero. We will see the cell where Paul was held the night before his execution, and we will be able to walk down the road that the apostle would have taken from the cell to the site of his beheading. Continue to the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls where the body of the apostle was buried after he was beheaded. This is the man responsible for carrying the Catholic faith to the Gentiles, who wrote much of the New Testament, the man famous for having poured out his life for Christ! Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9, Sept 22:    Rome
Today, visit the "centro storico"  We start at Navona Square, then proceed to the Pantheon and to the Trevi Fountain. Afternoon, continue your exploration of Rome on your own. Time for personal devotion, sampling the famous Roman cuisine, shopping, and walking the famous Spanish Steps. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

DAY 10, Sept 23:    Rome

Morning at leisure to visit other museums, such as the Galleria Borghese, Palazzo Massimo, or Palazzo Colonna. This afternoon, go to the Trastevere neighborhood, which is across the Tiber River from Rome's historic center and is one of Rome's oldest residential areas with narrow, cobbled streets, medieval-era dwellings, as well as shops and cafes. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

DAY 11, Sept 25:    Depart Rome for USA

Bid farewell to Rome as you board your return flight to the USA, arriving the same day.

NOTE: The schedule is subject to change due to various factors and the tour guide’s discretion.