Saints of Italy Tour: Rome, Assisi, Spoleto, Umbria Countryside, The Canonization of Carlo Acutis & Puglia
7, 10, 11 - 14 Days
10 days/9 nights- $7725 / person (single add $1595)
14 days/13 nights- $10,300 / person (single add $2230)
7 days/6 nights- $5450 / person (single add $1125)
11 days/10 nights- $8250 / person (single add $1745)
Families, Couples, and Solos
All Breakfasts, 6 (9) Lunches, 7 (10) Dinners
April 19- April 28, 2025
April 19- May 2, 2025
April 22- April 28, 2025
April 22- May 2, 2025
Casual Hotels & Meals
The Eternal City of Rome, Magical Umbria—> Assisi, Spoleto, Montefalco, & Cascia; Puglia- > San Giovanni Rotondo, Gargano Peninsula & Coastal Vieste
Begin your magical trip with Easter 2025 in Spoleto, Umbria- the world’s only medieval city with underground walkways and mountainside escalator to its lively piazza and iconic tartufo. Visit remote Cascia, the charming town of roses & authentically Umbrian cuisine. Revel in the pilgrimage haven of Assisi, the city of the Saints atop the hill. Stroll medieval Montefalco, cut into a mountain with spectacular views, ancient buildings, and famous Sagrantino wine. Live like a Roman for 4 brilliant days of classic sites, sounds, & foods from the Eternal City that stir the imagination and fill the soul. The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Caracalla, Spanish Steps and countless pizza and gelato shops await. Marvel in the majesty of St Peter’s Square & the magnificent Basilica. Unite with thousands of jubilant pilgrims as the Pope celebrates the Canonization of a the world’s first millennial Saint, teenager Carlo Acutis. *Join us for 4 more adventurous days in the Puglia region- Vieste, Foggia and the Gargano peninsula await. Visit San Giovanni Rotondo to celebrate the life of St Padre Pio amidst Puglia’s coastal beauty.
Highlights
Fly into Rome and begin your magical journey with Easter 2025! Celebrate Easter mass and dinner in the enchanting Cathedral of Spoleto, Umbria —our homebase for 5 incredible days.
Explore the hidden treasure of Spoleto, the world’s only medieval walled city with underground walkways and mountainside escalator to the top of town and its 13th Century fortress.
Revel in Assisi, the Umbrian City of the Saints- St Francis, St Clara, and soon to be St Carlo Acutis! Visit Blessed Carlo’s glass tomb, dressed in jeans and sneakers, and feel Carlo’s presence in his treasured city of pilgrims.
Just a short drive through the Umbrian countryside is medieval Montefalco, a town cut into the side of a mountain with spectacular views, ancient buildings, and famous Sagrantino wine.
Visit Cascia, the charming town of roses, birthplace of St Rita, the patron saint of impossible causes, & site of the 1330 AD miracle.
Arrive in Rome for 4 brilliant days of classic sites, sounds, & foods from the Eternal City that stir the imagination and fill the soul. The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and countless pizza and gelato shops await.
Marvel in the majesty of St Peter’s Square & the magnificent Basilica; tour the Vatican Museum & Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Learn about Sainthood and receive special blessing from our Legionary Chaplain at the Vatican.
Spend prayer time in Vatican City, climb the Holy Stairs on your knees, visit St John in Lateran, and St Paul ‘outside the walls’- or enjoy your own walking journey on the banks of the Tiber.
Join tens of thousands of jubilant pilgrims in St Peter’s Square Sunday April 27th as the Pope celebrates mass to declare Carlo Acutis the world’s first millennial Saint.
Hug new friends and head home after a blessed journey, ….or…
Join us for 4 more adventurous days* to celebrate the life of St Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo amidst the coastal beauty of Puglia, Italy. Vieste, Foggia and the Gargano peninsula await.
Who’s Your Host?
Captain Joe Sacchetti is a U.S. Army Ranger-qualified paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and author of Guts, Smarts & Love, who served 2 tours in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in combat.
A Track & Field All-American and Welterweight Boxing Champ in the 82nd Airborne, Joe escorted the Olympic torch through his Pennsylvania hometown in 1980 on the way to Lake Placid as a kid, and from that moment knew he wanted to see the world!
After MIT’s Business Exec Ed program, Joe started Highroads Traveler to make sophisticated global travel easily accessible to small groups of 20 by “hosting” them, now via Legacy Collectibles.
It’s rare to mesh the world of combat vet and sophisticated traveler, yet Joe is on a journey to be the world’s first Army Ranger to visit every country on the globe. 160 out of 227 so far, and it’s much more than stamping a passport.
Connecting with people around the globe in their language makes every trip more fun. From European roots, Joe is comfortable in half a dozen or so, and always learning more.
Playing music is another fantastic people connector so he & his wife Domenica always keep an eye out for a piano to gather round at happy hour. It doesn’t take much nudging from her to get Joe to play either!
Why “Hosted?”
Go with a Pro.
You’ve saved up and are ready to take the trip of a lifetime. Do you really have time to plan all the details and get it all perfect? If yes, great! Yet for most, pretty much no way. And how about when you get there making your way to the best hotels, sites and restaurants? Most say… daunting. Our solution – let’s go together and make your greatest trip ever.
“Taste, touch and see what the world has to offer” is Joe & Domenica’s mantra, and now you’re invited to come share the journey to the best places in the world with their small-group hosted tours.
Day by Day
Day 1
Rome- For our 10-day & 14-day tour guests, Meet at Rome Airport (FCO) at 10am and board a luxury van for a short 90 minute ride to Spoleto Umbria, the medieval walled town that’s home to the world famous Due Mondi Jazz festival and even more famous Umbrian truffles. Settle into the 4-star boutique luxury of Hotel San Luca inside the walls for your authentic Italian home over the next 5 days.
You’ll hardly be able to contain your excitement after stowing your gear as we head out to explore Spoleto- this town of 3 levels and piazzas on every one, each with a different flavor and set of remarkable restaurants and shops. We’ll enjoy our first taste of Umbria at lunch!
But the real marvel you’ll immediately discover is that Spoleto is the world’s only medieval mountain town with hidden underground moving sidewalks (called Marciapiedi—moving feet) and an outdoor mountainside escalator spanning 6 flights to reach the top of the town—the 13th century fortress called the Rocca (Rock) with stunning views of the still standing Roman aqueduct and surrounding Umbria countryside.
Mangia! (Eat!) at dinner—perhaps as never before, in a family run restaurant serving regional dishes and wine that often has guests in happy tears on their very first evening!
Day 2
Spoleto- Happy Easter! We will revel in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate Easter mass in Italy, at the Spoleto Cathedral. Just a short walk through the magical town waving hello to residents and sharing, “Buona Pasqua,” we’ll celebrate high Mass with local parishioners.
After mass, we’ll stroll up Spoleto’s iconic piazza steps made famous by the Italian series Don Matteo, and then into Piazza Mercato for a coffee & bite. To your left as unassuming as a local outdoor café is a Roman amphitheatre from Antiquity. Incredibly Historical. Then up we go to the top to see the Rocca Fortress. Get ready to take pictures as we’ll walk around the 1/4 mile path surrounding the Fortress, chock full of views and pictures sure to be on your next holiday card!
Enjoy some free time until we meet for Easter dinner—a memorable feast of Umbrian specialties in a small Italian restaurant amidst new friends in a town that will already be etched in your heart.
Day 3
Cascia- Easter Monday is a national holiday in Italy, and what better place to enjoy it than the remote Umbrian town of Cascia, birthplace to St Rita—the patron saint of impossible causes—and to the Eucharistic miracle of 1330 AD when a local monk hurriedly stored the communion host in his prayer book rushing to see a sick peasant to find his book bleeding upon opening it. The Town of Roses is just 90 minutes east into the heartland of Umbria and is a true delight to all mothers, past and present. You will find it has carved a special place in your memory as not many American pilgrims are fortunate enough to visit Cascia. We’ll enjoy its delicate church and religious shops - and then a great taste of famous Norcia pork and local pasta.. and of course local vino!
Return in the afternoon to Spoleto to enjoy the nooks and crannies of the city, and enjoy dinner on your own.
Day 4
For our 7-day & 11-day tour guests, you’ll arrive in Rome and board a comfy van for a smooth drive to join us in Spoleto, Umbria, the medieval walled city of underground & mountainside surprises—our home for the next 2 fantastic days. Check in, drop off your gear, & grab a coffee and light bite.
Montefalco- Enjoy a 1/2 day trip to neighboring Montefalco, a hill town in the Apennines that can be seen from miles away, as if carved directly into the rock. No trip to Umbria is entirely complete without strolling through the little town’s quaint shops and piazza. Walk to the edge of town and gaze out one direction to green as far as the eye can see, and to the other to see the rooftops of Umbria.
On a warm late April day, we’ll sit outside for pranzo (late lunch) and be treated to people watching, Sagrantino wine, local meats and Italian bread.
Experience the authenticity of this small mountainside village that’s “as Italian as you can possibly find” in Italy.
Then it’s back to Spoleto for an evening on your own to rest or enjoy the many shops on Corso Garibaldi, upper piazzas, and anywhere else you want help finding. Or hit the local Unique spa & gym at outside the walls. Enjoy.
Day 5
Assisi- Just 30 minutes north lies the mystical town of Assisi, the Umbrian City of Saints! Known for the Basilica of its 13th century patron St Francis who loved animals and renounced all his worldly possessions, the Basilica now holds the heart of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a sacred relic that has made this magical place come alive for the youth of the world. We’ll also visit the church of 13th century St Clare, who shares a sweetly-modest church in her hometown.
Now Assisi has truly come alive with the body of Blessed Carlo on display in a glass tomb, dressed in his iconic jeans and sneakers, in the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione.
We’ll take our time and see all 3 sights in the small town that’s sure to be bustling with pilgrims there to honor Carlo just 5 days before his Canonization. The town will be alive with the Holy Spirit!
Assisi is a great town for shopping, and you’ll have plenty of time for strolling and lunch on your own before heading back to Spoleto for the rest of the evening and yet another fantastic dinner...time to taste strangozzi—Spoleto’s famous pasta 2 different ways—tartufata and alla norcina!
Day 6
Rome- After a final breakfast and morning walk along Corso Garibaldi, depart Spoleto till next time and board a comfy van for a short 90 minute drive to the Eternal City of Rome!
Settle in mid morning to your 15th century castle residence in Farnese and get ready for a revitalizing walking tour to Rome’s most beloved sites. Tour the secrets of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Constantine’s Arch, Trajan’s Market, The Wedding Cake, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona... & so many chances for churches, pizza, caffe macchiato, and gelato along the way, which we won’t miss.
For our first night’s dinner in Rome, experience the Roman insider’s choice of Campo de Fiore, Rome’s famous produce-market-by-day and outdoor-piazza-full-of-restaurants by night. Enjoy classic Roman favorites like Amatriciana and Carbonara with southern recipes of chicken and fish. Amble back through the Farnese neighborhood for a well deserved rest.
Day 7
Rome- After breakfast, we’ll start the morning with a walk across the Tiber River to The Holy See for a skip-the-line-tour of the Vatican, the Museum rooms, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. After a coffee out in the immense Piazza, we’ll head inside for our trip’s first glimpse of St Peter’s Basilica. Take your time to pray by Bernini’s Tabernacle and Michelangelo’s Pieta and soak up the grandeur of the largest Church on the planet.
Meet our Vatican Chaplain and receive a special blessing. Then, enjoy an afternoon on your own, or continue with us south of the city walls to climb the 28 steps of the Holy Stairs on your knees and into the 2nd Papal Basilica of the tour, St John in Lateran, the oldest church in Rome. Visit inside this beautiful historic church that many pilgrims overlook.
Leave time in the afternoon to shop or roam about town. Meet for a sunset happy hour and share the wonderful experiences of the day before heading off to an enchanting dinner in Rome’s Jewish Quarter on Via Portico del’Ottavio, past the Great Synagogue, and Santa Cecilia church
Day 8
Rome- Take the entire day to yourself and enjoy whatever is on your bucket list—Santa Maria Maggiore, St Paul Outside the Walls, Borghese Park, Piazza del Populo, shopping on Corso D’Italia or the Via Veneto, or myriad other things!
Or... join us for a 1/2 day tour of 3 of our favorites—the Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus and the ancient Catacombs. On this tour you’ll be transported back to antiquity to see how the ancient Romans and early Christians intersected in history in the time of immediately before and after Christ.
Along the way, stop for a bite of Rome’s famous street food in between our sites.
Attend Mass celebrated by Archbishop Perez of Philadelphia along with all the Pilgrims who’ve traveled to Rome to see Blessed Carlo, and enjoy dinner on your own.
Day 9
Rome- Canonization Day! Wake up early for breakfast and head to St Peter’s Square to secure a great seat for outdoor mass at 10:30 am as we join thousands of pilgrims who’ve also traveled across the world for this very rare and blessed event to see Pope Francis celebrate mass and canonize the Catholic Church’s first ever millennial Saint, Saint Carlo Acutis.
Take a break for caffe and light lunch as you spend time in the early afternoon in Vatican City for the festivities after mass concludes and connect with fellow travelers, spend time in prayer, or walk with purpose around the Vatican.
Meet for a classic Roman dinner at sunset, and reflect on the best trip to Rome ever—overflowing with spirituality, renewed relationships and wonderful new friends.
Day 10
Rome- For our 7-day & 10-day tour guests, End your trip after breakfast & checkout with a fond hug till next time, and board a van which will drop you off at Rome International airport. OK, maybe a couple hugs!
Till we see each other again... Ci vediamo presto, amici!
We look forward to our next adventure together.
Please wait to book your airfare until your trip is confirmed. Seasonal changes may occur for any of our hotel and restaurant choices.
Or… For our 11-day & 14-day tour guests,
Enjoy your breakfast and get ready to travel east to the Adriatic coast-
Settle in for a nifty 4 hour ride which will transport us from the Mediterranean side of Italy to the Adriatic side. First stop- lunch in San Vito, in the region of Abruzzo, where they are famous for the Trabocco- a fishing shack turned into family restaurant at the end of a pier. Leave it to the Italians to serve fish so fresh they’ve actually just caught and have Mamma cook it on the spot with fresh bread & pasta...and vino!
After lunch, prepare for a visit to sacred Lanciano, Abruzzo, site of the world’s first Eucharistic Miracle in 750 AD. Consecrated bread & wine that turned to actual flesh & blood 1200 years ago is here for veneration at St Francis in Lanciano, one the prettiest little Italian towns in the world.
Then it’s on to the biggest rising destination in Italy- the region of Puglia (pronounced Poolya)! We’ll settle in for a view of the water in the Gargano Peninsula- our home for the next 3 nights.
After a nice rest at the hotel, meet for dinner and sample your first taste of Pugliese cooking- rich peasant dishes and hearty Nebbiolo wine- che saporito!
Day 11
Puglia- Enjoy a leisurely morning and perhaps take a walk along the Adriatic Sea to get the blood flowing after a delicious Pugliese breakfast at the hotel.
Today’s incredible highlight will take us just a short drive away to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of St Padre Pio. World renowned for his scientifically documented stigmata (visible wounds of Christ), Padre Pio, a Capuchin Friar who died in 1968 became a Saint in 2002, and his magnificent shrine is located here.
Visit the shrine, the church, crypt, and museum and soak in the afternoon sun outside. Grab a bite at La Piccola Baita or walk the grounds and marvel inside at the fantastic life of St Padre Pio.
Head back near the waves of the Adriatic Sea and enjoy free time to read, pray or shop. Meet for happy hour and a seaside dinner fit for a king.
Day 12
Vieste- You will never forget what you experience on this memorable day. After a leisurely morning by the Adriatic, board a comfy van for a short 50 minute ride east along the Gargano peninsula coast till we reach the hidden resort town of Vieste.
Italians consider Vieste in Puglia both one the hardest to reach and most beautiful beach towns in the entire world. Up on a cliff with the beach below, the small town traces its roots back to 1000 BC with the Greeks. Today it is a destination for only the most discerning travelers seeking unspoiled emerald blue beauty—and after today you will be one of those.
Our day in Vieste will be dedicated to shopping and strolling. Enjoy the sun and the beach. Plenty of people-watching. At the end of April will anyone be hardy enough to jump into the water? If they are, good for them! Relaxation will be the mantra of the day!
Work up an appetite for a late lunch as we find a spot overlooking God’s grand ocean. Seafood and local wine is on the menu, to accompany water for as far as the eye can see.
After this leisurely day on the coast, head back to the hotel for a relaxing evening on your own.
Day 13
Puglia- Enjoy one final morning in Puglia before heading back west towards Rome.
This time we’ll take the southerly route for our midway stop in Benevento. Roman, Medieval, and Gothic structures all located in this town, nestled in the heartland of the Italian interior, are not to be missed! The Gothic Cathedral (1279 AD) Medieval Santa Sofia (760 AD) and iconic Arch of Trajan (114 AD) are all incredible mementos from the times since Caesar. We’ll have a tasty lunch, Campania-style, before heading westward to Rome.
Depending on time and energy level on our final day, we’ll stop along the route to Rome in the town of Cassino, home to the World War 2 Battle of Monte Cassino at the Abbey atop the hill, where the US Army Rangers scaled their way to the top fighting through Nazi gunfire raining down on them. The Abbey and serene cemetery are a vigorous walk up the hill to the top, but the serenity that awaits is worth it.
Onward we’ll head to reach Rome and snug in for the night - one more hoorah with a fabulous dinner and fellowship with the great new friends you made in the Jubilee Celebration of 2025!
Day 14
Rome- For our 11-day & 14-day tour guests, End your trip after breakfast & checkout with a fond hug till next time, and board a van which will drop you off at Rome International airport. OK, maybe a couple hugs!
Till we see each other again... Ci vediamo presto, amici!
Please wait to book your airfare until your trip is confirmed. Seasonal changes may occur for any of our hotel and restaurant choices.
What's Included
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All Breakfasts, Selected Lunches, Selected Dinners
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Bon Voyage gift(s) for your International Tour
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Expertise and service from your Highroads Traveler Host, Joe
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Additional regional guides and experts on several trips
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Comprehensive Trip Detailer with all-you-need-to-know info
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Guided tours at historic sites and select attractions as noted in the Trip Detailer
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All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
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Special events, including wine tastings and select attractions as mentioned in the Trip Detailer
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Park and other entry fees
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Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Trip Detailer
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Select coach transfers
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Baggage transfers
Not Included:
Leader gratuities, transportation to and from your Highroads Traveler trip start & end locations, and on-your-own meals & activities.
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Gallery & Testimonials
As an Army Ranger for 25 years, I served as Joe Sacchetti‘s 2nd-in- command during Desert Storm, and there is nowhere in the world that I wouldn’t follow him, He cares about people. If I had the money, I would go on every trip he takes.
Master Sergeant Al A. , 45th anniversary D-Day (1994) Jump Team, Army Ranger, Green Beret, Bronze Star, Master Parachutist
We first met Joe on the island of Martinique while he was leading his group on a New Year’s trip. Ooh la la, he lives life like a true Frenchman! C’est Bon, such joeux de vie!
Christian C. , Sergeant, French Maritime Marines
