Fly from Heathrow to Rome. On arrival, transfer to our hotel, the Conciliazione, within five minutes’ walk of the Vatican, for a four-night stay. Dinner will be in a local restaurant. Mass will be celebrated before dinner if the flight schedules allow time for this.

After breakfast, we walk to St Peter’s for a tour of the Basilica, including Michelangelo’s Pieta and the crypt, which contains the tombs of several popes including the last four. We then walk to Castel Sant’Angelo, the mausoleum built by Emperor Hadrian for him and his family (There is a small additional charge for this). Lunch is at choice. This afternoon we join our coach and guide to see two of the Basilicas that all pilgrims to Rome should visit. Our first stop is St John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome. We cross the road to visit the Scala Sancta, the stairs brought back from Jerusalem by Empress Helena in the fourth century and said to be the steps ascended by Christ on his way to Calvary. From here we travel to the Basilica of St Mary Major, where Mass will be celebrated. Afterwards, we visit the nearby church of S. Pressede (St Praxedes). It is an early Christian foundation with some of the finest apse mosaics in Rome. We also visit the nearby church of St. Pudentiana (she was the sister of St. Praxedes, and possibly of British descent). Return to our hotel. Dinner will be taken in a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we take our seats in St Peter’s Square for the Papal General Audience (if His Holiness is in Rome at the time). The afternoon and evening are at leisure in Rome. Lunch and dinner will be at choice today. The Mass arrangement for today will be announced at the time.

After breakfast we drive out to the Catacombs of S. Sebastian the burial place of many early Christians and saints, where we have a guided tour. From here we travel onto the Palazzola, the summer residence for the English College, here we celebrate Mass and have lunch (included). Afterwards we make a brief stop in the nearby town of Frascati, where the Duomo (cathedral) is worth a visit, before returning to Rome. Dinner will be in a local restaurant tonight.

This morning we depart our hotel and travel to the English College in Rome where we have a visit and celebrate Mass. Afterwards we take a coach to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, said to be built on the site of the saint’s martyrdom. Transfer to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our return flight to Heathrow.