After the Holy Doors Close, Rome Opens Again

For many travelers to Italy, the word Jubilee inspired wonder. The Holy Doors of Rome’s major basilicas were opened, and a once-in-a-generation moment in Catholic history unfolded. For pilgrims, this was profoundly moving. But for many of our travelers, the past 12.5 months brought overwhelming crowds, long waits, and a Rome that felt more ceremonial than contemplative. It is no surprise that so many of you chose to postpone your visit, waiting for the city to return to itself.

Today, January 6,  the Jubilee has concluded. Jubilee event banners are coming down, some thoughtfully repurposed into tote bags through a program involving women incarcerated in Rome. Organized pilgrim groups have thinned dramatically. And for Catholics who deliberately avoided Rome during the Jubilee months, the city now offers something that was often elusive during 2025: greater access, and space for personal reflection.

Rome is once again becoming human in scale. During the Jubilee, it felt global : shared, constantly in motion, and often overstretched. Now, churches that once required careful timing and patience can again be entered spontaneously. You may find yourself alone beneath a Caravaggio, or seated quietly in a place where generations before you have prayed, reflected, or simply rested.

Rome has always been a city of faith, but that faith has never been confined to monumental events or grand basilicas. In this post-Jubilee moment, the city invites a more personal encounter, one that does not require adherence to a particular creed. Freed from Jubilee schedules and logistics, travelers can linger, observe, and reflect in ways that feel real.

Rome is best understood on foot, and walking the city now can feel almost meditative. Ancient routes such as Via dei Coronari or Ponte Sisto, treaded by centuries of pilgrims, remind us that seeking meaning in Rome is nothing new.

From the Appian Way to the catacombs, from lesser-known basilicas beyond the historic center to early Christian churches tucked into residential neighborhoods, Rome again offers countless paths for spiritual connection.

There are places I always urge travelers to include: the Pinacoteca in the Vatican Museums, often overlooked and deeply moving; the ethereal church of Santa Costanza; and San Clemente, where layers of history unfold beneath your feet, from a fourth-century church below to a luminous medieval basilica above. And yet, for many, the most stirring experience may be simpler still: the sound of Rome’s church bells, hundreds and hundreds, ringing together at noon and in the late evenings, best heard from the Janiculum Hill.

For thirty-six years, I have been designing journeys for travelers whose faith shapes how they experience the world. In the coming months, Assisi — particularly from now through Easter — offers an extraordinary opportunity for quiet reflection.

There are many other destinations as well, each meaningful in its own way, and I would be delighted to help you discover those that speak most deeply to you.

Pace e Bene : Peace and Be Well, on this Epiphany Day.

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