What is the Jubilee in Rome?

The Jubilee Year, or Anno Santo, is a rare and deeply significant event in the Catholic Church, drawing millions from around the world to walk through the doors of Rome’s four major basilicas.

For travelers, this means Rome will be at its most vibrant—and its busiest. Streets will fill with people tracing the footsteps of saints, Vatican squares will hum with the sound of prayer, and restaurants, museums, and cultural landmarks will see an influx of visitors like never before. While the Jubilee is a historic moment worth experiencing, those seeking a more intimate Italian escape in 2025 may find solace beyond Rome’s bustling piazzas.

What is the Jubilee in Rome?

The Jubilee Year is a tradition dating back to 1300, a sacred time of renewal, pilgrimage, and plenary indulgence. Originally instituted by Pope Boniface VIII, it was designed to grant spiritual blessings to those who journeyed to Rome and crossed the thresholds of its most sacred sites.

In 2025, Pope Francis will declare the Holy Year, opening the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore. These doors, typically sealed, will be unlocked, symbolizing a passage into divine grace. Throughout the year, Rome will host an array of Jubilee events including religious ceremonies, concerts, and cultural events, making it an unforgettable time to visit—but also one of the most crowded.

Sicily: Where Ancient Civilizations and Culinary Traditions Collide

Sicily is Italy distilled to its essence—raw, sun-drenched, and endlessly layered. The scent of lemon groves mingles with the briny sea breeze, while baroque facades glow in the golden afternoon light.

• Culinary Excellence: Sicilian cuisine is a reflection of its storied past. Bite into a warm, saffron-tinged arancino, taste the delicate brininess of a just-shucked sea urchin in Ortigia, or indulge in a velvety slice of cassata, the island’s signature ricotta-laden confection.
• Greek Temples and Moorish Markets: Sicily is a place where history is never distant. Wander through the honey-colored ruins of Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, or navigate the labyrinthine alleys of Palermo’s Ballarò Market, where vendors call out in a dialect shaped by centuries of conquest.
• Wine and Volcanic Landscapes: The slopes of Mount Etna yield some of Italy’s most fascinating wines. Here, Nerello Mascalese grapes, grown in volcanic soil, produce elegant, smoky reds that rival the great Barolos of the north.

Sicily, with its rich flavors and layered history, offers a perfect alternative to Rome—a feast for the senses and a deeper look into Italy’s diverse heritage. Looking to head to Sicily? Travel with us and Daniele Uditi this fall.

Piedmont: Truffle Hunts and the Elegance of Northern Italy

If Sicily is a sun-soaked symphony, Piedmont is a study in refinement. In autumn, mist clings to the vine-covered hills, and the scent of white truffles rises from the forest floor, a delicacy so prized it inspires an annual pilgrimage of chefs and gourmands.

• Truffles and Slow Food: Piedmont is the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, and its culinary traditions reflect this reverence for time-honored techniques. In Alba, follow a truffle hunter and their dog through the oak forests, then savor handmade tajarin pasta draped in golden strands of butter and shaved truffle.
• World-Class Wines: The Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards produce some of Italy’s most sought-after wines. Sipping a glass of Nebbiolo in a family-run cellar, with the Alps on the horizon, is an experience as profound as any grand Roman basilica.
• Architectural Majesty: Turin, the region’s capital, offers an understated elegance—café-lined boulevards, regal palaces, and the lingering scent of gianduja (hazelnut chocolate) in the air.

For travelers seeking a slower, more deliberate experience of Italy, Piedmont is a treasure trove of sensory delights. Looking to head to Piedmont? Travel with us and Flour + Water this fall.

Tuscany: Rolling Hills and Renaissance Splendor

Tuscany is Italy distilled to its essence—raw, sun-drenched, and more than its postcard-perfect vineyards—it’s a landscape steeped in artistry and tradition. Here, time slows to the rhythm of long lunches, wine-soaked afternoons, and sunsets that linger on golden fields.

• Medieval Towns and Timeless Beauty: The stone towers of San Gimignano rise like sentinels over the Val d’Orcia, while Pienza’s winding streets offer sweeping views of the countryside.
• The Art of Simple Ingredients: Tuscan cuisine is a lesson in restraint. Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a thick-cut T-bone grilled over an open flame, embodies the region’s no-frills approach to flavor.
• Hidden Wine Country: While Chianti is known worldwide, the Bolgheri region produces some of Italy’s most complex reds, and Montalcino’s Brunello is a wine that unfolds with time, much like the landscape itself.

In Tuscany, the weight of history is always present—but so is the invitation to linger, to taste, and to simply take in the beauty of the land.