OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Rome to join meetings of the leaders of the Group of Eight countries in nearby L'Aquila later this week.
But before the three-day sessions, which will focus on global economic problems and climate-change issues, Harper plans to visit the some of the areas destroyed by April's 6.3-magnitude earthquake.
The prime minister is also expected to announce further aid to the region, about 100 kilometres east of Rome, during his tour early Wednesday.
Some 300 people died in the April 6 quake and 60,000 were left homeless, with thousands still sheltering in tents.
Harper travelled to Rome with his wife Laureen and children Ben and Rachel, but the family then parted ways, with the prime minister taken by helicopter to L'Aquila and the family staying in Rome for the duration.
The G8 leaders' meetings are to end Friday.
