Day 1:  Group members will meet at the airport for our overnight flight to Malta.  Dinner and breakfast will be served in-flight.

Day 2: 

"Once safely on shore, we found that the island was called Malta.  The islanders showed us unusual kindness.  They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold…"  Acts 28:1-2

Arrive at Malta International Airport, meet your English speaking guide and proceed for our visit to Valletta, the present day capital of Malta, and for viewing of the Malta Experience, a multimedia presentation of the history of Malta.  Proceed to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3:  After breakfast, we have a full day excursion on Malta with visits to St. Paul’s Bay, Rabat and Mdina.  First stop will be a visit to St. Paul’s and the site of the shipwreck.  Next a visit to the “Mosta Rotunda” a magnificent domed church in Mosta.  Enroute to Rabat, we will visit St. Paul’s Church and Grotto, a church founded in 1575 over the ancient caves where according to some traditions, the Apostle Paul was held captive.   After a lunch break, we will visit the Roman Domus, a museum that houses remains of Malta’s Roman period.  Finally, we will walk through the streets of Mdina, Malta’s first capital where we will visit the Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul.  Mdina is also located in the highest elevations of Malta where magnificent views of the entire island are possible.  We will return to the hotel this evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 4:  Soon after breakfast, we depart for worship at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Valletta.  St. Paul’s is one of two cathedrals that serve the Diocese of Europe of the Church of England.  This afternoon is at leisure with dinner and overnight.

Day 5: 

"After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered on the island.  It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux." Acts 28:11

"We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days."  Acts 28:12

Early morning transfer to the Malta International Airport for a flight to Catania, Sicily.  Upon arrival we meet our coach and depart for a visit to the city of Siracusa, site of St. Paul’s arrival in Sicily enroute from Malta to Rome.  Today, Siracusa is the site of well preserved Roman ruins as well as a vibrant Italian seaport.  Circumnavigating the base of Mt. Etna, we will continue to Taormina, a hillside sea resort on the Eastern coast of Sicily, for an afternoon at leisure to explore this beautiful European destination city.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 6:  Early morning departure to cross the Straits of Messina via ferry for our trip north along the western coast of Italy through the regions of Calabria and on to Campania.  Enroute to the Amafi Coast we will stop in Vietri for a visit to the pottery shops of this famous village prior to our overnight destination in Positano.  Dinner and overnight.

Day 7: 

"From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium.  The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli."  Acts 28:13

"There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them."  Acts 28:14

After breakfast, depart for a drive along the Amalfi coast enroute to Naples.  We will stop in Herculaneum for a visit to this ancient city buried by the same 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii.  Smaller in scale, but much better preserved, Herculaneum provides a remarkable view of the culture in which St. Paul lived.  Continuing our drive north though Naples, we will stop in Pozzuoli where St. Paul landed after leaving Rhegium.  We then continue north along the Via Appia to the City of Gaeta.  Dinner and overnight.

Day 8:  After breakfast we depart for San Vincenzo al Volturno for a day visit to the Abbey of San Vincenzo.  We will share in the work of the annual olive harvest with the sisters of this Benedictine Order, and enjoy the environs of this very special place.  The Abbey dates to 703 A.D.  Following a day of work and prayer, we will return to our hotel in Gaeta.  Dinner and overnight.

Day 9:  Today we tour Gaeta to include a visit to Monte Orlando, site of a first century B.C. mausoleum, and Montagna Splicatta, a monastery built to commemorate the remembrance of the crucifixion.  From here we will visit the Citta Mediovale with visits to the Golden Chapel of the Church of the Annunciation and the Doumo.  Afternoon is at leisure with some optional excursions with the Lawrence’s.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 10:

"And so we came to Rome."  Acts 28:14

  "The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us.  At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged."  Acts 28:15

"When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed leave by himself, with a soldier to guard him."  Acts 28:16

After breakfast we depart towards Rome.  Our first stop will be in Minturno to visit the ruins of this well preserved Roman village located along the Appian Way, which is the same that Paul would have seen during his trip to Rome. Continue along the Appian Way passing along the sites of Foro Appio and Tres Tabernae. Sites will include San Paola Fuori le Mura built on the remembered tomb of St. Paul.  Visit to the cloisters and the catacombs of San Sebastioano where writings allude to the ministry of Paul and Peter.  Arrive in Rome in the late afternoon.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 11:  After breakfast, we will worship at the Episcopal Church of St. Paul’s Within the Walls.  Following church we will visit Vatican City and then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in Rome.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 12:  Breakfast and transfer to the airport for our return flight home – the end of a most memorable tour.