Jubilee of Hope Tour in 2025 with Far Borders Travel
and Tour Director Dr. Louis McCall
The next great Jubilee Year is quickly approaching! It is a special time of grace. Throngs of pilgrims will journey to sacred places as they bear witness to their faith. Having previously been pilgrims during the 2015 Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, please join us as we embark this time to experience the Jubilee of Hope. You should prepare spiritually and consider yourself as more of a pilgrim rather than as a tourist. According to the Vatican, this sacred event is expected to draw approximately 35 million pilgrims to Rome over the course of the year.
This pilgrimage tour departs Monday, October 6, 2025, from Dulles. There will be nine days in Italy including visits to Rome, Orvieto, Siena, and Florence. Estimated cost is $4,500 to include economy air travel, local transportation, tour guides, and hotels with breakfast. A deposit of $1,000 to Far Borders Travel, LLC (an experienced, independent and licensed travel agency), is required plus periodic payments. Tour Director Dr. McCall was formerly U.S. Consul General in Florence and speaks fluent Italian.
You will walk through the Holy Doors of the four principal basilicas, attend a general Papal Audience, visit the Vatican Museum, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Capitoline Museum, and San Callisto Catacombs. Details of possible Jubilee events in Rome during our pilgrimage await further details from the Vatican.
Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, the Siena Duomo and Siena’s House of St. Catherine. In Florence, you will tour the Duomo and Baptistry, Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Piti, Piazzale Michelangelo, and more with skip-the-line tickets.
Enjoy a shopping experience in Florence that includes the Central Market, San Lorenzo Markets, and New Market. Stroll around the historic old city and the Ponte Vecchio.
What Do I Need to Do?
- Act now, while space is available. Confirm your attendance on our signup sheet and make your deposit with Zelle to Louis McCall (240) 463-6238 for Far Borders Travel Bank of America account; CashApp using $CashLAnthony; or checks made payable to Far Borders Travel and mailed to P.O. Box 60211, Washington, DC 20039. Your deposit is due by June 15, 2024. Final payment is due by June 15, 2025.
- Pilgrims must register online at www.jubilaeum2025.va
- Make sure your U.S. passport does not expire before May 2026. Keep your passport on your person during international travel and carry a photocopy when you are out and about. Scan the data page of your passport and email it to Louis or snap a photo with your cellphone and text it as an attachment to our cellphone; or photocopy the data page and mail it to us.
- Apply online for ETIAS travel authorization from European Commission.
- Travel insurance is highly recommended. Cost varies with your age. Far Borders Travel will facilitate.
- Get Euros from your bank or the Foreign Exchange teller at the airport.
- Have proof of your COVID vaccinations.
- Get an international plan on your cellphone for the duration of this trip.
- Although Far Borders Travel will tip drivers and guides, you must pay the city tourist tax when checking out of the hotel.
- For your questions email louis@farborderstravel.net or phone CEO and Tour Director Dr. Louis McCall at (240) 463-6238.
Pilgrimage 2025 Cost Breakdown
The estimated cost, payable to Far Borders Travel, is $4,500.00. (By comparison, United Airlines wants $2,823.00 for a one-way only economy ticket in 2025 and Pilgrimages is offering a comparable February 2025 tour for $4,729.00 without airfare being included. The Marianist Mission charged $5,599.00 for an April 2024 pilgrimage.) The average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Rome is $250/night; in Florence that cost is $400/night.) Far Borders Travel must initially pay $150.00 per person to hold airline seats with subsequent payments to follow. Demands for prepayment vary by hotel. Cancellations after a set date are non-refundable. Initial deposit of $1,000.00 due June 15, 2024; $1,000.00 due September 15, 2024; $1,000.00 due December 15, 2024; $1,000.00 due March 15, 2025; final balance of $500.00 due June 15, 2025. Included are:
- Economy airfare from Dulles to Rome and from Rome to Dulles.
- Motorcoach from Rome to Florence with a stop in Orvieto.
- Airport pickup and transfer to hotel. Transfer from hotel to airport.
- Tips to drivers and guides.
- Cost of skip-the-line tickets to pre-determined attractions and sites. A value of $15.00 to $20.00 each visit.
- Cost of whisper headphones required for group tours in museums and basilicas.
- Motorcoach transfers to Papal General Audience and other points.
- Motorcoach day trip from Florence to Siena.
- Entry through the Holy Doors.
- Hotel rooms are on a double-occupancy basis with breakfast included. A triple or quad comes at a lower per-person cost, if available.
Additional Costs to Each Participant (1 Euro = $1.08 subject to fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates.)
- $7.50 per night per person in a 4-star hotel, payable at check out.
- ETIAS Travel Authorization. EUR 7.00 effective 2025. You apply online with the European Commission.
- Travel insurance is highly recommended. It covers emergency medical care, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, trip delay, lost or delayed baggage. However, pre-existing medical issues in the previous 60 to 180 days may not be covered. Your MEDICARE or private insurance will most likely NOT cover you. Age 65 runs $260.00 to $300.00 through AIG Travel Guard.
- Age 76 runs $450.00 to $500.00 through AIG Travel Guard.
Eating Out for Lunch and Dinner
- Cost depends on you. Lunch at Autogrill or Pasta Chef (cafeteria style), Tavola Calda (similar to Quisnos) $15 – $20; Osteria or Trattoria $20 – $35; Ristorante $30 – $50.
- McDonald’s is available. Deli (Alimentare) sells water, sodas, bread, cheese, deli meats, cookies, chips, ice cream bars, etc. at reasonable prices.
- Pizza slice (Pizza al Taglio) or sandwich (Paninoteca) $4 -$7. Ice cream (Gelato) $2 – $4.
- Bar is a coffee shop. Coffee (Café Americano) standing up $1.50 -$2.
- Pasticceria is a coffee shop with pastries and sweet things like cake, fudge, fruit salad, etc.
- A restaurant may automatically bill you for a breadbasket and a per-person table charge. In some eateries, you may be expected to share your table with strangers.
- Water is $1.50 and a glass of house wine is $5 -$7.
Things You Should Know
- Carry small change like 20 cents or 50 cents to tip the janitor to use a public toilet or operate the turnstile.