Tour among shrines and monasteries, departure from Varenna

Meeting at 8.30 am in Varenna and departure by bus for Somasca, a district in the municipality of Vercurago, at the gates of Lecco.

Moving through San Girolamo street we'll reach the parking area to leave the bus and continue on foot.

Our itinerary starts by visiting the church which hosts the remains of Saint Jerome. Going ahead we'll find a small church consecrated to Orphans' Mother: Jerome died here in 1937. The tour continues strolling among houses to reach the arch that marks the beginning of the boulevard studded by chapels, which describe Saint Jerome's life.

At the end of the path we'll reach the locality called "Valletta", where another small church and the chapel of the Miraculous Spring are located. Here it is possible to enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Lecco and Lake Como and take amazing pictures.

Then, we'll walk down to the bus and move on to Calolziocorte to visit the Convent of Santa Maria del Lavello.

It is said that in 1480, during some works, a miraculous spring suddenly flowed from an ancient burial. This place became destination of pilgrimages and in 1486 some Servants of Mary from Bergamo contributed to the construction of the new church, which was consecrated few years later. The construction of the convent began in 1510 with the realization of the first cloister. At the end of the XVI century, the church was enlarged, reaching the current dimension, because it was become small considering the large amount of believers.

At the end of the visit, around 11 am, the itinerary continues by bus toward Imbersago, where we'll have time to discover the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Woods.

It is reported that on May 9, 1617 three shepherds were grazing the flock into the wood, when, at the top of a chestnut, they spotted Saint Mary among lights, celestial splendors and harmonious melodies. Pietro, one of the children, picked one chestnut bur full of fruit out of season. This fact represented for the whole village the sign that the blessed Virgin Mary wished to be honored in that place.

From this moment, the devotion of Our Lady of the Woods, Madonna del Riccio or Our Lady of Miracles of Imbersago started.

It is possible to reach the Sanctuary walking along a large holy stairway. Moving up to the stair we'll find a statue of Pope John XXIII, a small cave, the miracle chapel with holy water, and at the end the Sanctuary.

At the end of the visit, around 12 pm, we'll enjoy free time to admire the amazing landscape provided by Adda Valley and have lunch in Brivio, a small village located on the banks of Adda river.

At 2 pm we'll depart for Sotto il Monte. Visit to the parish church, which boasts Saint John XXIII statue, the Chapel of Our Lady of Peace, where it is possible to admire the effigies of Our Lady of Częstochowa, the painting representing Pope John XXIII in its native village and finally, the Peace Garden. This latter, is a green area where pilgrims can get to know and empathize with the spirituality of Saint John XXIII.

This trip allows us to discover the history of Pope John, who was born in Sotto il Monte on November, 25 1881.

At the end of the visit, around 4 pm we'll move to Pontida to visit the Church of San Giacomo. It shows a neoclassical-designed façade, an high bell tower and a Monastery, whit two well-maintained cloisters, the Chapter Room and the XVI century rooms of the Museum.