COME WITH US

Join us on a journey of discovery with Cru’s Italian ministry, Agape Italia. You will see the places where God is at work through Agape Italia in Rome, Florence, and Bologna. You’ll hear about the rich Christian heritage of Italy, its urgent spiritual needs, and ways that you can have an impact through involvement with Agape Italia.

meet Italians whose lives have been changed by Jesus
minister to students, refugees, professionals, and professors alongside our Agape Italia staff
enjoy leisurely dinners of great food in good company see the Roman locations associated with the Roman Empire and the early Christians
learn the spiritual history of Renaissance Florence
visit the oldest university in the west in Bologna
shop in the street markets of Florence
enjoy a private visit to an artisan workshop that creates unique works of art using ancient mosaic techniques
daytrip to an olive grove and vineyard in the scenic Tuscan countryside
did we mention the food?
You’ll be part of a small group of 14 people for an intimate look at authentic Italy. We’ll travel the way Italians do—by train—not in a tour bus. You’ll be personally guided by Agape Italia’s staff.

DETAILS

Dates

Coming in 2026. Dates TBD

*See below to request announcements for the 2026 tour*

Cost

$4,200+ Airfare Per Person

Availability

14 Spots Available

Join us on a journey of discovery with Cru’s Italian ministry, Agape Italia. You will see the places where God is at work through Agape Italia in Rome, Florence, and Bologna. You’ll hear about the rich spiritual heritage of Italy…and its urgent spiritual needs.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Included in $4,200 Price

6 nights lodging in Rome (★★★★★ hotel), Bologna and Florence (★★★★ hotels)
All ground transportation by train, bus, metro, and taxi
All admissions
All breakfasts, 2 aperitivos, 3 lunches and 3 dinners (for other meals together we’ll split the check)
A special artisan gift

Not Included

Airfare
Final night hotel on October 12th in your departure city
Additional days you schedule in Italy before or after the tour

YOUR HOSTS

Haswell and Maria Beni

Maria Nolfo came to Christ as a student in Rome through Cru/Agape Italia. She joined our staff and eventually met Haswell Beni while on an Agape Italia summer mission to Malawi. They later married, and have served with Agape Italia together since 1992.

Kenneth McGraw

A native Texan, Kenneth met his wife Alicia while they interned for our student ministry in Bologna. They moved back to Italy permanently in 2019, where they reach out to University of Bologna students with the good news of Jesus.

Daryl and Ceil Wilson

42-year veterans of Cru, Daryl and Ceil have served in eight different Cru ministries. Since 2012, they have spent part of each year in Italy, connecting American Christian professors with students and professors in Italy.

SPECIAL NOTE

To combat jet-lag and be ready to “hit the ground running” with us on Day 1, we recommend you arrive in Italy 1-3 days before the tour begins. If this is your first visit to Italy, you could use those days to visit major sites which this tour does not include, such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican. We can connect you with an excellent local tour guide who will create a custom visit for you.

ITINERARY

Italy—though post-Christian like the rest of Europe—has a rich Christian history. Today God is building upon these ancient foundations through Agape Italia and other Italian believers. Please Note: Planned events are subject to change.

Day 1-3 | Foundations and Perspective In Rome

We will stay in the heart of ancient Rome, just steps away from Trajan's Column and Piazza Venezia, in the award-winning NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali Hotel. Check into your room by 4:00pm and join your hosts and fellow guests on the rooftop terrace for aperitivo at 5:00pm.

While in Rome, we will visit ancient monuments, ponder the foundations of Italian culture and our own Christian faith, and explore places connected with the early Christians in Rome.

You will meet Agape Italia’s staff who minister to students, refugees, families, artists, and athletes. You’ll engage in outreach activities alongside them.

We’ll travel north on the fast train and settle into UNA Hotels Bologna Centro.

We’ll lunch with Agape Italia staff who reach out to students at the oldest university in the West (founded by Christians in 1088!), the University of Bologna. Enjoy some free time in the afternoon for shopping, museums, or wandering the medieval streets of the city before joining our Bologna staff in an evening outreach to students.

Day 4: History and Outreach in Bologna

Day 5: Food, Fun and Fellowship in Florence

We’ll catch a morning train and tunnel through the Apennine Mountains for the 35-minute journey to Florence, the European center of art and culture during the Italian Renaissance.

Grand Hotel Cavour is just two blocks south of the Duomo in the historic center of the city. After check-in we’ll be joined for aperitivo on the roof-top terrace by Agape Italia’s Florence staff team, who serve in our National Office and also use art to reach Italians with the good news of Jesus.

After a roof-top tour of the surrounding monuments, we’ll present to you Agape Italia’s strategic initiatives with opportunities for you to invest financially should the Lord so lead.

Then, after lunching with the staff, we’ll visit an artisan workshop that uses ancient techniques to hand-craft unique mosaic works of art. Then you’ll be free to explore the city on your own.

Day 6: Escape to the Tuscan Countryside

We’ll take a daytrip out into the rolling hills of the lovely Tuscan countryside. A family of believers who run a vineyard there will explain the agricultural background of the parables of Jesus and serve us a five-course al fresco lunch next to their olive groves.

You’ll have time to pray, reflect, and process what you’ve been experiencing—time to consider the Lord of the Harvest at work in Italy. We’ll invite you to paint yourself into the spiritual picture of God’s work in Italy by investing your time, talents, and treasure with Agape Italia.

For our final dinner together back in the city, we’ll take you to a typical Tuscan trattoria for the famous Bistecca Fiorentina.

Day 7: Arrivaderci

Before we say goodbye, we’ll view the famous sculptures in the Duomo museum, including one in which Michelangelo carved his own face on the figure of Nicodemus laying Jesus in His tomb.

You can return to Rome by train for a flight out of Rome Fiumicino Airport, or stay another night in Florence and depart from Florence Peretola Airport. If you like, you can take a train to another beautiful destination in Italy.