Day 1

Depart for Europe on your overnight flight!

Day 2

You’ll arrive in Rome and meet your Joshua Expeditions guide then check into the hotel before venturing out into the city. Along with some free time for shopping, you’ll have a chance to see the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps before enjoying your first Italian dinner of the trip. In the evening the group will head back to the hotel for devotions and discussion.

Day 3

After breakfast the group will go to Vatican City to tour the Vatican Museum and see the famous Sistine Chapel. Following lunch it’s a short walk over to St. Peter’s Basilica, and then it’s off to Piazza del Popolo. You’ll again have dinner in the city before returning back to the hotel for a time of devotions and discussion.

Day 4

Today you will have your first chance to tour the Eternal City of Rome! You’ll see the 2000 year-old Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, the Arch of Titus and the ancient Roman Forum. You will also tour Mamertine Prison, the traditional site of St. Paul’s imprisonment while in Rome. You will have lunch in the area and head over to Piazza Navona and then the Pantheon. In the evening you can take a stroll over to dinner then back to the hotel for devotions and discussion.

Day 5

This morning the group will transfer by bus to Florence in the beautiful Tuscany region of Italy, stopping in Siena for lunch and a chance to explore the Duomo and climb the Tower of Mangia (optional activity). After check-in at the hotel in Florence, you will enjoy a dinner with an atmosphere only Florence can provide. The evening will close with devotions and discussion at the hotel.

Day 6

You will make your way to the Galleria dell'Accademia this morning where you will see the towering statue of David. Afterward, the group will take a walk over to the Church of San Lorenzo then break for lunch and some free time to shop in the open market. In the afternoon, you will visit the massive church called the Duomo and maybe even climb to the top if the Duomo if you wish to take all 400+ stairs (optional activity). You will also see Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise and Giotto's Bell Tower. Later the group will tour Piazza Signorina and stroll by the Uffizi and across the Ponte Vecchio, and then take a walk over to the Piazzale Michelangelo to get a breathtaking view of the city from above. The group will enjoy dinner together and then return to the hotel for devotions and discussion.

Day 7

Today, you’ll begin your journey up to Venice after breakfast. First, make a stop in Verona to check out Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena, then continue to your hotel after lunch. The day will close with dinner and devotions at the hotel.

Day 8

Get ready for a full day in Venice! You’ll board the boat in the morning and journey over to Piazza San Marco, where you can explore the area and maybe take the option to see The Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. You will enjoy lunch on your own and may want to take a gondola ride through the canals. (Optional activity – additional fees apply.) You could also spend some time shopping at the Rialto Bridge and enter into a glass blowing factory for a demonstration. Dinner will be on your own this evening (a per diem will be given), and then the group will meet back together to catch the boat back to the hotel. Devotions and discussion will round out the day.

Day 9

After 8 unforgettable days you’ll depart Venice for home!