Paul’s final journey, from Malta to Rome
Twelve days on the road Paul traveled to Rome as a prisoner: the island where he was shipwrecked, Syracuse, Reggio and Pozzuoli, then the Appian Way into Rome.
Churches traveling with us now. Each group travels on its own dates and its own version of the route.
We follow Acts 27 and 28 in order: two nights on Malta, a ferry to Sicily, the strait to Reggio Calabria, north to Pozzuoli, where Paul first landed in Italy, and up the Appian Way to Rome.
Across Sicily, over the strait to Reggio Calabria, north to Pozzuoli and along the Appian Way to Rome.
From Catania to Syracuse, and from Pozzuoli to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.
From Malta to Sicily, and across the Strait of Messina.
Two nights on Malta, two near Catania, one in Reggio Calabria, two in Pozzuoli and three in Rome.
Days 2 to 4
Where Paul was shipwrecked and spent three months: St. Paul’s Bay, Rabat and Valletta.
St. Paul’s Bay, Rabat, Mosta, Valletta
Days 5 & 6
Syracuse, where Paul stayed three days, then Mount Etna and Taormina.
Syracuse, Mount Etna, Taormina
Days 7 & 8
Rhegium, then the harbor where Paul first set foot in Italy, with a day at Pompeii.
Reggio Calabria, Pozzuoli, Pompeii
Days 9 to 11
The Forum of Appius, the catacombs, Paul’s tomb and the Mamertine Prison.
Appian Way, Rome
The sites on our standard twelve-day route, with the passages your group will read there.
Twelve days, day by day. Every group’s version is built around its own dates, its own pace and the places that matter most to its people.
Passports. Italy and Malta require a passport valid for at least three months after the date you leave Europe. U.S. citizens do not need a visa.
Days 1 to 4
Day 1
Our journey begins as we depart the United States for our overnight flight to Malta.
Day 2
We arrive in Malta, the island where Paul was shipwrecked on his voyage to Rome as a prisoner and spent three months healing the sick and preaching (Acts 28:1 to 10). Our tour manager meets the group at the airport.
Dinner and overnight in Malta.
Day 3
We begin at St. Paul’s Bay, where tradition places the shipwreck of Acts 27. In Rabat we visit St. Paul’s Church, built over the grotto where Paul is believed to have sheltered, and go down into the Catacombs of St. Paul, the earliest evidence of Christianity on the island. We see the Rotunda of Mosta, one of the largest unsupported domes in the world, and the megalithic temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra.
Dinner and overnight in Malta.
Day 4
In the walled capital of Valletta we walk to the Upper Barrakka Gardens above the Grand Harbour, and visit St. Paul’s Shipwreck Church and St. John’s Co-Cathedral. In the late afternoon we take the ferry to Sicily, following Paul’s route toward Rome.
Dinner and overnight near Catania for two nights.
Days 5 & 6
Day 5
In Syracuse, where Paul stayed three days on his way to Rome (Acts 28:12), we see the ancient theater and the cave called the Ear of Dionysius, then cross to Ortigia for the Church of St. Paul and the Temple of Athena, later turned into a church.
Dinner and overnight near Catania.
Day 6
We go up Mount Etna and walk the Silvestri Craters for the view over the coast and the sea, then walk the streets of Taormina, the wealthiest city in Sicily in Paul’s day. In the evening we cross the Strait of Messina by ferry to Reggio Calabria, ancient Rhegium (Acts 28:13).
Dinner and overnight in Reggio Calabria.
Days 7 & 8
Day 7
In Reggio we see the cathedral and the column traditionally linked to Paul’s stop here, then drive north to Pozzuoli, ancient Puteoli, where Paul first set foot in Italy and stayed seven days with the believers (Acts 28:13 to 14). At the old harbor of Rione Terra we see the plaque marking his landing and the Temple of Serapis.
Dinner and overnight in Pozzuoli for two nights.
Day 8
We drive the Amalfi Coast road to the town of Amalfi, then walk the streets of Pompeii, the Roman city buried by Vesuvius in AD 79, a few years after Paul passed this way.
Dinner and overnight in Pozzuoli.
Days 9 to 12
Day 9
We drive north to the Forum of Appius, where believers from Rome came out to meet Paul (Acts 28:15), then walk part of the Appian Way and visit the Catacombs of San Sebastiano before arriving in Rome.
Dinner and overnight in Rome for three nights.
Day 10
We visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, built over Paul’s tomb, and Tre Fontane, the traditional place of his death. In the afternoon we see St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, with the Sistine Chapel.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 11
We visit the Colosseum, where early Christians were martyred, walk the Roman Forum and go down into the Mamertine Prison, where tradition holds Paul was held. We finish at the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.
Farewell dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 12
After breakfast we transfer to the airport for the flight home.
Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your people.
Every inclusion can be tailored to your group.
Not included unless added to your package: travel insurance, lunches, drinks at dinner, personal expenses, and the cost of meeting any national entry requirements.
Our group leader support team guides you every step of the way, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern, at (877) 234-3002 or groups@christianexpedition.com.
Our 24/7 travel emergency team is there for travelers who are abroad and facing a travel-related emergency, at (877) 234-3002 ext. 9.
Start from our standard route, add Florence and Venice at the end, or combine Rome with Greece and Turkey in the footsteps of Paul, and we shape the days, the pace and the sites around your people.
“Our church has absolutely enjoyed every aspect of planning travel with Christian Expedition! Their team makes the process of taking our church to see incredible locations from the Bible easy and stress free!”
Pastor Josh LuechtCalvary Chapel Palm City
“Trey and his team have done a fabulous job organizing, managing and overseeing our trips to Israel and Greece.”
Pastor Jim GallagherSenior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Vero Beach
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for Italy or Malta for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Passports must be valid for at least three months after the date you leave Europe. The European Union plans to introduce an online travel authorization called ETIAS; it is not yet in operation, and we will tell your group if it applies before you travel. Passport and entry requirements remain the responsibility of each traveler.
This route follows Acts 27 and 28 in order, the last journey of Paul in Scripture: the shipwreck on Malta, then Syracuse, Rhegium, Puteoli, the Forum of Appius and Rome. Most trips to Rome skip the south, so your group sees the places the story actually passes through.
Yes. Many groups finish with two or three days in Florence and Venice and fly home from Venice. Rome can also be combined with Greece and Turkey; see our Greece & Turkey route.
Yes. Every expedition is built for one group, on that group’s dates. The twelve-day route on this page is our standard, and groups often shorten the time in Sicily, leave out Malta, or add Florence and Venice.
A good deal. Pompeii, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum are on uneven stone, and the walk at Mount Etna is on loose volcanic ground. Comfortable shoes, a hat and water make each day easier, and our guides set the pace for the group.
Travel insurance, lunches, drinks at dinner, personal expenses, and the cost of meeting any national entry requirements. Anything not listed as included can be quoted for your group on request.
Tell us about your group and we will be in touch.