Italy
Alumni PilgrimageJanuary 3-10, 2026
Join the Thomas Aquinas College alumni for an unforgettable pilgrimage to Italy! The College-sponsored trip will be led by senior tutor and alumnus Brian Dragoo (’01) who, along with his wife Amy, will accompany travelers for a weeklong pilgrimage in honor of our patron, St. Thomas Aquinas. The trip will take place at the end of the Jubilee year of the Roman Catholic Church. We will visit Rome, Thomistic sights in and around Rome, Assisi and Florence. The pilgrimage will be an incredible opportunity for prayer and fellowship and will be full of beautiful sights and wonderful food.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Walking through the 4 Holy Doors of the Major Roman Basilicas
- Visiting the places of St. Thomas’ birth and death
- The tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare in Assisi
ITINERARY
Rome & The Alban Hills
Days 1-3: Visit Castel Gandolfo in the afternoon of arrival day with an optional entry into the Apostolic Palace I Enjoy 2 day trips into Rome I Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica I Walk through the Holy Doors of the 4 Major Papal Basilicas I Wonder at the treasures of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel I Walk around the Circus Maximus and enjoy views of the Roman Forum and Colosseum
Roccasecca & Fossanova
Day 4: Transfer to Roccasecca where St. Thomas was born in 1225 to a wealthy family who owned a castle there I Enjoy the ruins of the castle and the wonderful view I Head to Fossanova where St. Thomas died in 1274 at a Cistercian Monastery en route for the Council of Lyon I Pray in the incredible church and take a walk around the exquisite cloister
Assisi & Florence
Days 4-6: Soak in the views from the hill-side town of Assisi and explore its small streets and beautiful churches I Pray at the tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare in their respective basilicas I Transfer to Florence and visit the Uffizi Gallery I Walk across the iconic Ponte Vecchio I See the Monument to Dante Alighieri in Piazza Santa Croce I Marvel at the bronze doors of Ghiberti with an optional visit to the Cathedral and Baptistry
Rome
Days 6-8: Stroll through the collection of Bernini’s sculptures in Villa Borghese I Visit Santa Maria Sopraminerva which houses the left arm of St. Thomas Aquinas and the body of St. Catherine of Siena I Walk around the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza Navona I Visit Santa Sabina where St. Thomas lived in Rome I Wrap up the trip with a delicious concluding dinner with the group
*Itinerary is subject to change
FEATURED LODGING
Villa Palazzola
This ancient monastery in the Alban Hills has been home to the Cistercians, Carthusians, and Franciscans and sits perched on a hill overlooking Lake Albano and the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo. We will be staying here the first 3 nights of the trips utilizing a coach for day trips into Rome. The rest of the lodgings in Assisi, Florence, and central Rome will be communicated closer to departure. All lodgings are clean and comfortable allowing you to relax at the end of the day.
EATING
We eat mainly at restaurants. Menus may be limited to fixed options or set menus. Breakfasts provided are in the local style (typically not as hearty as American style). We can accommodate most food allergies.
LUGGAGE
You may bring any type of luggage with you on this trip. This particular itinerary is not a backpack-only pilgrimage. We will provide a detailed packing list.
PRAYING
Prayer is at the heart of our pilgrimage. Daily Mass in a variety of stunning churches as well as other prayer opportunities will be available throughout the pilgrimage for you to join as you like.
THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE
$2,700
INCLUDES
• 7 Nights lodging (double-occupancy)
• 7 Breakfasts
• 2 Lunches
• 4 Dinners
• Ground transportation
• Airport shuttle at the beginning and end of the pilgrimage
• Entrance fees for the Vatican Museums, Villa Borghese, and the Uffizi
• Outdoor activities (guides, rental equipment, tips)
• Masses and other spiritual activities
• All tips and service charges to drivers, restaurants, etc.
DOES NOT INCLUDE
• Flights
• Single-room supplement ($750)
• 5 Lunches
• 3 Dinners
• Fee if paying by credit card
• Anything else not listed
DATES
January 3-10, 2026
Sign-up & Deposit Deadline: September 15th, 2025
Final Payment Deadline: October 1st, 2025
Details
Arrival
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Staff or a private driver will be at airport the morning of arrival day (January 3, 2026) to greet you. The official pilgrimage start time is noon- please arrive before then. Please wait to buy your plane tickets until you receive a confirmation from us.
Departure
This pilgrimage officially ends in Rome at 7am on departure day (January 10, 2026). We will arrange private transportation for you to FCO until noon on departure day.
Eligibility
This pilgrimage is for all TAC alumni and their spouses.
the leaders
Brian and Amy Dragoo– Brian has been teaching at TAC for over 20 years and is an alumnus himself (’01). He and Amy have been married for 28 years and have 6 daughters and 1 grandson. He spent much of his childhood living in and traveling around Europe as the son of an American military officer. Brian led a TAC student pilgrimage to Rome in 2018 and is excited to be leading this alumni pilgrimage along with Amy.
SIGNING UP
Step 1: Sign up
Fill out our short online form and pay the deposit. ALP will send you an invoice.
Step 2: Registration
We will send you the registration packet to complete and send back to us
Step 3: Payment & Confirmation
Please wait to buy your plane ticket until you receive a trip confirmation