Benedictine Footprints Pilgrimage

For the third year in a row, we will be offering the Benedictine Footprints contemplative, cultural, culinary retreat/pilgrimage to lesser-known parts of Italy. The tentative dates for the 2025 retreat are September 3 (departure from the U.S.) to September 17 (return from Italy).

This year we are adding some new experiences, including a visit to the Terra di Solina agriturismo (farm) alongside the Tirino River, one of the cleanest, clearest rivers of Europe, where we’ll have a chance to taste many of the special delicacies that come from the plants and vegetables that grow in this area of Abruzzo. My husband and I had the best meal of our lives at Terra di Solina earlier this year and can’t wait to share the experience with others in one of the most idyllic spots in all of Italy.

We are also considering adding some days to the retreat beyond September 17 for people who would like to experience a papal audience at the Vatican in the Jubilee Year, as well as visit the stunning Abbey of Monte Cassino, where St. Benedict wrote his Rule and spent the final years of his life.

We will again be visiting the ruins of a 9th century Benedictine monastery, tucked beneath soaring gorges and surrounded by pristine springs near the town of San Martino in Valle. Our group will be allowed the rare privilege of actually entering the ruins (normally off limits to the public) to have prayer time there. This was a highlight for the 2024 retreat group. The spirit of the Benedictine monks who lived in this remote monastery over the centuries is still quite palpable.

We will also be spending a night with one of the few remaining shepherds in Italy’s Apennine Mountains, and taste seafood specialties from the Adriatic Sea at one of Abruzzo’s trabocco restaurants, resting on stilts above the water – a truly unique dining experience.

Most importantly, the retreat is a chance to be immersed in Italian daily life in a way few tourists experience, while having ample time for prayer and reflection.

Please contact me at jvalente17@msn.com if you are interested in joining us on this journey.