Italy The Amalfi Coast 1 - Itinerary
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Day 1: Guided Tour of Naples - Welcome Dinner On your arrival at the Naples airport, you will be met by a chauffeur for a private transfer to your boutique hotel right in the center of Naples, along the seaside promenade and overlooking the spectacular Castel dell'Ovo. After some time to rest after your journey, you will meet the rest of the group for a guided tour of Naples historical center, including the majolica cloisters of Santa Chiara and the photogenic Piazza del Plebiscito. In the evening, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner featuring Neapolitan specialties. Day 2: The Isle of Ischia Today, we'll spend the day exploring the volcanic Isle of Ischia, a treasure chest of scenery, thermal spots and rare archaeological artifacts in the Tyrrhenian Sea. First colonized by the ancient Greeks in the 6th century B.C., today Ischia offers lush scenery of gentle hills and rocky beaches, colorful fishing villages, natural hot springs and thermal spas, scattered throughout the island. After a short ferry ride from Naples, we'll join our guide for a tour of the island, including Ischia's symbol, the Aragonese Castle, connected to the mainland by a bridge and a former residence of both ancient royal families and a circle for the artists and literates during the Renaissance. Day 3: Pompeii After a delightful Neapolitan breakfast, we'll start the day with a private tour of the National Archaeological Museum which features the world's richest collection of Roman antiquities, frescoes, and mosaics from Pompeii. After touring the museum, we'll head into the shadow of Mount Vesuvius and the ancient Pompeii. The ruins of this Roman resort town, tragically destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, continue to fascinate as much as when they were first rediscovered in the 18th century. We'll tour the site with an expert Pompeii guide, getting in-depth insights into the rich history and culture of this ill-fated Roman city, with its restored villas, mosaics, statues, gardens, and fountains. After returning to Naples in the evening, we'll enjoy dinner featuring Naples signature dishes of pizza, sfogliatelle and baba desserts. Day 4: Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi This morning, we will check out of our hotel and travel south, around the Bay of Naples and along the Sorrento Peninsula to the town of Sorrento, perched atop granite cliffs that separate the town from its busy marinas. This picturesque coastal town with sweeping water views, narrow alleys and tranquil cloisters is dotted with roof-top cafes and restaurants overlooking the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and antique shops that celebrate the local woodwork, lace, and ceramics. After exploring the town, we'll continue to our elegant, beachfront hotel in the town of Amalfi, overlooking some of the world's most famous views. After settling in, we'll dine on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, as we enjoy local culinary specialties and the special regional drink: limoncello. Day 5: Amalfi - Private Boat Tour This morning, we'll tour the town of Amalfi, once a maritime empire rivaling Pisa and Genoa, as we visit the ornate Duomo and the town's medieval quarters. In the early afternoon, we'll set off to explore the Amalfi Coast from the sea. Our private boat tour will allow us to visit otherwise inaccessible coves, beaches and fishing villages. We'll travel along the Secret Coast, past the Emerald Grotto, the Furore Fjord and the beautiful town of Atrani, with tiny houses clutching the rugged hillsides, then along the Mormorata Cascade and Bellvaia Grotto for a swim, before continuing along the shore, dotted with ravines, secret beaches, grottoes, Norman watch towers, forgotten inlets, breath-taking gorges and pristine areas of stalactites. This is a perfect day to relax, appreciate the solitude and the wonders of nature. Day 6: Capri In the morning, we'll travel to the most uniquely beautiful Mediterranean island: Capri. Our tour of the island will start with circumnavigating it in a small boat, passing through the famous Faraglioni Rocks formation and by the island's fascinating terrain dotted with many grottoes: Green, White and Blue. Afterwards, we'll take the funicular to the picturesque Piazzetta from where you can explore the town's narrow lanes, leading to spectacular vistas from the Gardens of Augustus with the photogenic Via Krupp or to hidden gems like Charterhouse of St. Giacomo and its cloisters and gardens with flowers and spices from which the monks extracted essences to make perfumes. In the late afternoon, we'll take the ferry back to Amalfi and dine at an atmospheric restaurant overlooking the lit up, sparkling Amalfi Coast. Day 7: Ravello - Cooking Class After breakfast, we'll head out to explore the delightful town of Ravello, which many consider the most beautiful town in Italy. Sitting on its own balcony, Ravello has long been a haven for artists such as Richard Wagner, Greta Garbo, D. H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf. We'll enjoy a private tour of the beautiful architecture and gardens of Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo, visit a tiny shop producing limoncello, and for a full Amalfitano experience, we'll attend an organic Amalfitano cooking lesson. Food and wine are an integral part of the way of life on the Amalfi Coast. Influenced by ancient Phoenicians, Greeks and Arabs, enriched by crusaders returning from Palestine with citrus trees and by French and Spanish invaders, the local cuisine is known for its fresh produce, prepared simply and quickly to preserve the flavors of fresh ingredients. The produce is grown in the rich volcanic soil and the Amalfi Coast's perfect climate gives it a unique, incomparable flavor. During the cooking class, we'll learn new ways to prepare Italian specialties like pasta and cakes, using local vegetables, fruits, walnuts and herbs. Day 8: Paestum Today, we'll travel to Paestum. En route, we'll visit an organic buffalo mozzarella farm for a tour and tasting of buffalo milk cheese, ice cream and chocolate. Then, it's on to the ancient Greek site of Paestum, with its gleaming white marble columns of temples, set against the silver mountains and deep blue sea which offers an unforgettable experience, especially when seen at sunset. The town of Paestum was founded around 650 BC by Dorians expelled from the Greek city of Sybaris, a luxurious resort on the Ionian Sea. The colony was named Poseidonia, after the most important Greek god, and it flourished as one of Magna Grecia's great towns until it fell to a tribe of local barbarians in 390 BC. Day 9: Positano Today, we'll visit the town of Positano, impossibly suspended over the Mediterranean. Considered the most picturesque of all Amalfi towns, Positano is known for the brightly colored houses, clinging to cliffs as if they're about to tumble into the turquoise water, for its beautiful sandy and pebbly beaches, expensive fashion shops, famous visitors and the number of steps you need to climb to get anywhere. We'll tour the town, sample local products in small, family operated shops and after some free time, we'll return to Amalfi, where we'll finish the day with a romantic farewell dinner at a restaurant overlooking the stunning Coast of the Sirens. Day 10: Naples - Departure This morning, we'll say good-bye to the Amalfi Coast and take with us memories to last a lifetime. The transfer to Naples Capodichino Airport will be at 8AM, and we plan to get to the airport right before 10AM, so please schedule your departure flight no earlier than 12 noon. Otherwise, we'll be glad to help you arrange for a private airport transfer.
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