Often visitors to Rome are so eager to visit the Vatican City, they may overlook the staggering basilicas of Rome. With you, our tour guide will share the history and stories of main basilicas of Rome, while examining their influence on present-day Rome.
We will visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the oldest and most important among the four "Patriarchal" basilicas in Rome (a church in which the high altar has been set aside for use by the Pope or his representative.) Contrary to what many believe, the Basilica of St. John Lateran is "the mother of all churches", not St. Peter's Basilica.
Our tour will take you to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the largest of the 26 churches in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Learn of the basilica's exciting history filled with its many names, and the believed miraculous snowfall of August 4, 352.
At the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the burial place of St. Paul the Apostle, there is a intriguing array of historical, religious and artistic sights to explore. On June 28, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI visited the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls with an announcement that June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 will be designated the "Pauline Year" to commemorate the bimillennium of the birth of St. Paul. Come join us this very special Pauline Year!
