FESTIVAL DATES
March 14-18, 2024
Welcome to Rome
By invitation of the Associazione Musical dei Castelli Romani
The Castelli Romani region, nestled on the hillsides above Rome, has been a summer refuge for the Citizens of Rome for millenium. Even the Popes have spent their summers here for over 400 years enjoying the gorgeous crater-formed lakes and beautiful landscape just outside bustling, downtown Rome.
Sing together with local Italian choirs as well as choirs from around the world. During four exciting days of choral music and cultural exchange, the Festival of Peace facilitates a deeper sense of respect and understanding between cultures through the common language of music. Ready to get started? Contact us today!
“In this historical moment, so scarred by wars and hatred, small gestures are seeds of peace and brotherhood.”
-Pope Francis, Welcome to Rome
Itinerary
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2024 | DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Depart on an afternoon flight from North America bound for Rome, Italy. Select meals and snacks will be served on the flight.
THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024 | ARRIVE IN ITALY | TOUR ROME | OPENING CEREMONY
Your Music Contact International Tour Manager will greet your choir at the airport. Gather your first impressions of Rome during a guided panoramic tour of Rome. The combination of Roman antiquities and Christian monuments make Rome endlessly fascinating. View the ancient Forum, the Triumphal Arch, the massive Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona, home to the famous fountains by Bernini.
In the afternoon, check in to your hotel in the Castelli Romani region on the hillside overlooking Rome. The Festival of Peace then gets started with the opening ceremony, followed by a welcome dinner with other festival
FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2024 | ROMAN CASTLES DISTRICT | FRIENDSHIP CONCERT
Enjoy a guided visit to discover the lovely towns of Castelli Romani, the Roman Castles District. After free time for lunch, a tour of the beautiful Renaissance palace Villa d’Este can also be arranged.
Tonight, your choir will perform a friendship concert in a local church or theater hosted by an ensemble from the Castelli Romani community. Enjoy a special night of singing, sharing music and culture with new Italian friends.
SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024 | ROME: VATICAN OR COLOSSEUM | CONCERT
Enjoy the day in Rome. In the morning, choose a guided tour of either the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum. Then explore more of Rome during free time this afternoon.
This evening, the Festival Concert Series takes place in one of Rome’s breathtaking historic churches. Ensembles perform selections from their own repertoire in a diverse display of musical offerings enjoyed by a gracious public audience.
A group dinner is arranged this evening to complement your performance schedule.
SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2024 | CASTELLI ROMANI SERVICE | CLOSING CONCERT
This morning, your choir is invited to sing for mass and worship at a local church. Choirs also may apply to sing for Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica*.
After church, enjoy time for lunch in a lovely nearby town such as Castel Gandolfo, with its papal summer palace, quaint historic center, and traditional cafes.
This afternoon, the Closing Concert for the Festival of Peace takes place in a regional theater attended by all the festival choirs.
Tonight, enjoy the farewell dinner party of the Festival of Peace.
MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024 | FLY HOME OR EXTEND YOUR STAY
After breakfast, transfer to Rome Airport for your return flight home or extend your stay in Italy.
Package
Accommodations
• Four nights in a high-quality hotel in Castelli Romani, double occupancy
Transportation
• A private, modern motor coach with a professional driver is provided for all transportation as described in the itinerary.
Meals
•Buffet breakfast served daily
•Italian dinner served nightly
Tour Manager
• Full-time Music Contact International Tour Manager to accompany your group during your entire stay, from arrival to departure
Performance Opportunities
• Friendship concert with an Italian host choir
• Participation in the Festival Concert Series in a beautiful church in Rome
• Sing and worship at a local church or Mass at St. Peter’s (requires successful application and supplemental fee)
• Closing concert in a Castelli Romani theater
Guided Tours & Special Events
• Festival Opening Ceremony with concert by an Italian choir
• Panoramic sightseeing tour of Rome
• Guided tour of the Castelli Romani region
• Entrance and guided tour of the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum of Ancient Rome
• Farewell Dinner Party for all guest choirs
Complimentary Places
• Two complimentary land packages for every 30 paying travelers in single rooms.
Fall 2023
Departing North America
Register your choir for the Festival of Peace: Rome & Castelli Romani and join us on an Orientation Trip to Rome, Italy!
This fun, informative weekend includes flight arrangements, hotel accommodation, sumptuous meals, sightseeing and visits to performance venues with representatives from the Association of Musicians of the Castelli Romani Region. Please contact us for more information. We will be delighted to have you join us in Italy!
If your choir is interested in staying in Italy or Europe for a few additional days, please contact us for ideas. We can work with you to create and plan those days to match your choir’s interests. From Rome, Florence, Pompeii, and Assisi are easy day trips, and with an overnight you could visit Venice, Verona, or Milan.
Inclusions
Accommodations
• Four nights in a high-quality hotel in Castelli Romani, double occupancy
Transportation
• A private, modern motor coach with a professional driver is provided for all transportation as described in the itinerary.
Meals
•Buffet breakfast served daily
•Italian dinner served nightly
Tour Manager
• Full-time Music Contact International Tour Manager to accompany your group during your entire stay, from arrival to departure
Performance Opportunities
• Friendship concert with an Italian host choir
• Participation in the Festival Concert Series in a beautiful church in Rome
• Sing and worship at a local church or Mass at St. Peter’s (requires successful application and supplemental fee)
• Closing concert in a Castelli Romani theater
Guided Tours & Special Events
• Festival Opening Ceremony with concert by an Italian choir
• Panoramic sightseeing tour of Rome
• Guided tour of the Castelli Romani region
• Entrance and guided tour of the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum of Ancient Rome
• Farewell Dinner Party for all guest choirs
Complimentary Places
• Two complimentary land packages for every 30 paying travelers in single rooms.
Complimentary Directors Orientation Trip
Fall 2023
Departing North America
Register your choir for the Festival of Peace: Rome & Castelli Romani and join us on an Orientation Trip to Rome, Italy!
This fun, informative weekend includes flight arrangements, hotel accommodation, sumptuous meals, sightseeing and visits to performance venues with representatives from the Association of Musicians of the Castelli Romani Region. Please contact us for more information. We will be delighted to have you join us in Italy!
Additional Days in Europe
If your choir is interested in staying in Italy or Europe for a few additional days, please contact us for ideas. We can work with you to create and plan those days to match your choir’s interests. From Rome, Florence, Pompeii, and Assisi are easy day trips, and with an overnight you could visit Venice, Verona, or Milan.
Extensions
Florence is a spectacular city, rich in culture and history, where Italian artistic and intellectual genius has flourished since the Renaissance. Extending your stay in Italy in the splendid Tuscan capital is always a fabulous option!
DAY ONE
Check out of the Festival of Peace hotel and travel north via private motor coach to Florence in the heart of Tuscany. After time for lunch in the city center, embark on a locally guided walking tour to such historic landmarks as the magnificent Duomo, the Baptistery with guilded doors, and Ponte Vecchio shopping bridge. Late afternoon, settle into your conveniently located hotel and relax. A group dinner can be arranged upon request.
DAY TWO
Following breakfast, the day is open to spend as you wish in Florence. Perhaps, visit the Uffizi Gallery, which houses the world’s finest collection of Italian Renaissance paintings. Alternatively, visit the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David, considered the most famous sculpture in the world. Peruse the leather markets, take in the views and eat your fill of gelato. Tonight, dinner at a local restaurant in Florence serving up some of Italy’s delectable cuisine ends your tour on a high note!
DAY THREE
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to North America.
Please inquire about entrance fees to the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia; we would be delighted to arrange a reservation for your group.
Extending your stay in Rome for an additional two nights is a perfect way to explore more of this beautiful ancient city. One of the centers of the Italian Renaissance, and home to a myriad of well known artists and architects over the ages, there is an abundance of art and culture to explore in the thriving Italian capital.
DAY ONE
After breakfast, check out and move from the Festival of Peace accommodation to a centrally located hotel in Rome where the day is open for independent exploration and sightseeing. Perhaps, enjoy a more extensive visit to Ancient Rome, the Colosseum, and the Forum. If you’ve not yet toured the Vatican Museums, you must! Have your fill of gelato and treat yourself to a great Italian dinner and perhaps a concert or opera offering before turning in for the night.
DAY TWO
Today, continue enjoying Rome with additional time at the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Explore the stylish shops on Rome’s famous Via dei Condotti and perhaps the Villa Borghese Gardens, where you will see some of Bernini’s most acclaimed sculptures alongside masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael and more. In the evening, a festive farewell dinner can be arranged to round out your wonderful stay in Italy!
DAY THREE
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to North America.
Please inquire about additions to complete your Italian experience; we would be happy to organize a guided tour of Ancient Rome, including entrances to the Colosseum and the Forum or a guided tour of the Villa Borghese Gardens.
Two-night extension to Florence, Italy
Florence is a spectacular city, rich in culture and history, where Italian artistic and intellectual genius has flourished since the Renaissance. Extending your stay in Italy in the splendid Tuscan capital is always a fabulous option!
DAY ONE
Check out of the Festival of Peace hotel and travel north via private motor coach to Florence in the heart of Tuscany. After time for lunch in the city center, embark on a locally guided walking tour to such historic landmarks as the magnificent Duomo, the Baptistery with guilded doors, and Ponte Vecchio shopping bridge. Late afternoon, settle into your conveniently located hotel and relax. A group dinner can be arranged upon request.
DAY TWO
Following breakfast, the day is open to spend as you wish in Florence. Perhaps, visit the Uffizi Gallery, which houses the world’s finest collection of Italian Renaissance paintings. Alternatively, visit the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David, considered the most famous sculpture in the world. Peruse the leather markets, take in the views and eat your fill of gelato. Tonight, dinner at a local restaurant in Florence serving up some of Italy’s delectable cuisine ends your tour on a high note!
DAY THREE
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to North America.
Please inquire about entrance fees to the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia; we would be delighted to arrange a reservation for your group.
Two-night extension to Rome, Italy
Extending your stay in Rome for an additional two nights is a perfect way to explore more of this beautiful ancient city. One of the centers of the Italian Renaissance, and home to a myriad of well known artists and architects over the ages, there is an abundance of art and culture to explore in the thriving Italian capital.
DAY ONE
After breakfast, check out and move from the Festival of Peace accommodation to a centrally located hotel in Rome where the day is open for independent exploration and sightseeing. Perhaps, enjoy a more extensive visit to Ancient Rome, the Colosseum, and the Forum. If you’ve not yet toured the Vatican Museums, you must! Have your fill of gelato and treat yourself to a great Italian dinner and perhaps a concert or opera offering before turning in for the night.
DAY TWO
Today, continue enjoying Rome with additional time at the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Explore the stylish shops on Rome’s famous Via dei Condotti and perhaps the Villa Borghese Gardens, where you will see some of Bernini’s most acclaimed sculptures alongside masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael and more. In the evening, a festive farewell dinner can be arranged to round out your wonderful stay in Italy!
DAY THREE
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to North America.
Please inquire about additions to complete your Italian experience; we would be happy to organize a guided tour of Ancient Rome, including entrances to the Colosseum and the Forum or a guided tour of the Villa Borghese Gardens.
Your Tour Includes
Traveler's Resource Website
The site is customized exclusively for your group and is full of exciting and interactive features that you will find informative and helpful before, during, and after the tour.
•Current tour itinerary with full descriptions of each day
•FAQ’s and things to know before you go
•Recommended books, movies, websites, and videos
Online Payment System
Group leaders have the option to use our Online Payment System, which enables you to effortlessly collect payments for your trip. Group leaders receive weekly automated reports with traveler balances and due dates.
Travelers can log in to our secure website to review the cost of their trip and all payment deadlines, register for the trip, and make credit card payments. All travelers receive automated reminders when payments are coming due.
Additional Materials
•Customized handbook for each person traveling with your choir, including a detailed program and travel information.
•Electrical adapters*
•Luggage tags
•Passport holder*
*for international travelers