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Join Fr. Jason Tyler on a pilgrimage to Italy. This trip will visit Malta, Valletta, Sicily, Palermo, Agrigento and much more.
Fr. Jason Tyler and a Christian guide will meet your party at the airport and accompany you every step of the way as you explore Malta, Valletta, Sicily, Syracuse, Palermo, and much more.
Fr. Jason Tyler is a Catholic priest and pilgrimage leader with Select International Tours. He has accompanied pilgrims through Malta and Sicily, helping the group encounter the islands’ Catholic heritage through prayer, the sacraments, and community.
See the official trip information for gratuities, shipping and handling, payment fees, and any optional-extension charges.
We depart Northwest Arkansas Airport (XNA) on an overnight flight to Valletta, Malta. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the plane. Addon flights from different airports, as well as optional Premium Economy and Business Class quotes, are available upon request and will be provided starting 120 days before departure. Group air restrictions (for ten passengers traveling together) do not permit specific seating requests on flights. We recommend purchasing your own airline tickets and land-only packages with us if seat confirmation is an important part of your trip. Should you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact your trip Account Manager, who will be happy to assist you.
We arrive in Malta, meet our English-speaking guide, and drive to our hotel, where we check in and have time to rest and adjust to the local time zone. While in Malta, we enjoy views of the sparkling Mediterranean and visit some of the ancient temples of this fascinating little Island Country. We discover the Maltese people and their profound devotion to the Virgin Mary. We celebrate Mass. Dinner and overnight in Valletta.
We start the day with a visit to the Church of Our Lady of Victories, built to commemorate the Great Siege of 1565, which ended on September 8th. The Ottoman Empire, which invaded Malta with nearly 50,000 soldiers, retreated after losing more than half its army. The Maltese attribute this victory to Mary’s intervention and believe it is not a coincidence that the greatest siege in the history of Malta came to an end on the same day we celebrate Mary’s Nativity. We continue to Bormla (Cospicua), known as the city of the Immaculate Conception. The Virgin Mary is regarded as its patron saint. We visit the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, an impressive building with an ornate interior full of statues and paintings, most of which are dedicated to Our Lady. Next, we visit St. John’s Co-Cathedral, located in the center of Valletta, where we celebrate Mass. The Baroque cathedral was built in the early days of Valletta’s existence following the Great Siege. After lunch on our own, we will visit the Three Cities of Malta (Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua). The fortified cities sit like a trio of villages in the heart of Malta’s historic center, directly across the Grand Harbour from Valetta. We continue to Marsaxlokk, derived from the Maltese words meaning South-East (xlokk) and harbor (Marsa). We visit the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii. The titular painting of this parish church portrays the devotional image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, based on an original painting in Italy. Dinner and overnight in Valletta.
Today, we explore Malta’s sister island, Gozo. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu inspires great devotion in Gozo, where numerous ex-votos are displayed in remembrance of various miracles attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of the Assumption. Opposite the Ta’ Pinu sanctuary is Ta’ Għammar Hill, a rather steep elevation. Along the winding and rough path to the top stand 14 marble statues that depict scenes from the Stations of the Cross, beginning with the Last Supper of Jesus and culminating in scenes from the Resurrection of Christ. After lunch on our own, we will visit Victoria, Citadel (Gozo’s capital city), and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. From there, we will go to the Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady, Xagħra, and celebrate Mass at Marija Bambina Basilica. We return to Valletta. Dinner and overnight in Valletta.
Our day begins with a visit to Mosta Basilica, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and is renowned for having the third-largest unsupported dome in the world. The Vatican elevated it to the status of a minor basilica in July 2018. Afterwards, we will visit Mġarr and the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. After an independent lunch, our visit to Malta is completed by visiting sites dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle. We will visit St. Paul’s Church in Rabat and see the cave where St. Paul was imprisoned. We continue to the Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Paul. We see the mural in the apse of the cathedral that portrays the tempestuous storm that led to the shipwreck of St. Paul. St. Paul is in the forefront of the ship, looking upwards to the Eternal Father who is sending his angel to comfort the saint and reassure him that all on board would be saved. To the right of St. Paul is St. Luke. He is also looking towards heaven, as he holds the image of the Virgin Mary and Child Jesus, which, according to legend, he painted. We celebrate Mass in the Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Valletta.
We are transferred to Valletta Pier for a ferry ride to Sicily. A boxed breakfast will be provided for our very early departure from Valletta by ferry. When we arrive at Pozzallo Pier, we will be met by our tour guide and driver and be on our way to Syracuse, where Paul stayed for three days after he departed Malta on his way to Rome (Acts 28:11-13). Syracuse is a small, sun-bleached provincial capital, but in ancient times it was the western capital of Magna Graecia and one of the greatest cities in the world. Many buildings from this ancient period have survived. Most are in the “archaeological zone,” the town’s ancient Parco Monumentale della Neapoli (Viale Rizzo). We visit the Catacombs of John, featuring its magnificent frescoes, and the crypt of Marziano, the site of the first Christian Church on the island. We will celebrate Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Tears, a place of pilgrimage, prayer, and recollection of a miracle when Mary wept from a humble plaster plaque of the Immaculate Heart in the center of the city of Syracuse. The reliquary containing Mary’s tears is the focal point of the shrine. Next, we visit the Duomo and the church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, located on the south side of Piazza Duomo. Inside the church is a very famous painting by Carravaggio, The Burial of St. Lucy. St. Lucy is the patroness of Syracuse. Dinner and overnight in Syracuse. (Boxed breakfast. D)
After breakfast, we board our motorcoach and leave Syracuse and continue to Piazza Armerina, a historic town nestled in the heart of Sicily. While it is most famous for the truly astonishing classical mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale, it is a great town to stroll through, taking in its beautiful old buildings and winding streets. After an independent lunch, we visit Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its large and complex collection of Roman mosaics spanning over 2.2 miles. Built in the early 4th century, the buildings were covered by a mudslide in the 12th century. Though sporadic attempts were made over the centuries to uncover them, it wasn’t until the 1950s that a concerted excavation effort began. We will continue to Agrigento. We’ll celebrate Mass. Dinner and overnight in Agrigento.
This morning we’ll tour Agrigento, “Land of the Gods,” with our local guide. Described by the Greek poet Pindar as “the most beautiful
We begin our day with a visit to the Cave Church of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo. We visit the sanctuary that serves as the burial place and shrine to Santa Rosalia, who died in the cave in the 12th century. She appeared to residents of Palermo centuries later. We celebrate Mass at the church. After our visit, we will continue to explore Palermo, a city of wide boulevards, old quarters, architecturally harmonious squares, and Baroque palaces. We visit the Palazzo dei Normanni, the splendid Norman royal palace. Inside are the Cappella Palatina and La Sala di Re Ruggiero, glittering chambers encrusted with mosaics of Eastern influence. Following lunch at leisure, we visit the Church of St. John of the Hermits. This lovely Arab-Norman church has picturesque pink domes, a cloister with elegantly wrought columns, and a tropical garden. We also visit Casa Professa, a beautiful Jesuit Church. Following Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the city’s oldest thoroughfare, we will head to the Quattro Canti, also known as Piazza Vigliena, a four-cornered intersection in the heart of the Old City. Here, Sicily’s Baroque soul is evident in the four monuments designed with fountains and statues. Our day of touring ends with a visit to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. Tonight we have a farewell dinner in a local restaurant accompanied by wine. (B. Special dinner)
After breakfast, we are transferred to Palermo Airport for our flight home.
Land Only. Main trip package.
Land and Group Air from Northwest Arkansas. Main trip package.
Solo Room. Additional supplement.
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