Rome & Amalfi Coast

Your adventure begins with an overnight flight to Italy. Journey through southern Italy and experience its rich scenery, art, culture, food and wine.
Hotel Name: Hotel Imperiale

Your tour opens in the “Eternal City” of Rome! Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner celebrating the start of your Italian journey.
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Rome
Rome is the capital of modern Italy and the historical home of one of the great civilizations in history, the Roman Empire. The historical city was founded in 753 BC and has grown to a size of over 3 million inhabitants today. The city is home to major monuments like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and many more. The city was built on the seven ancient hills along the Tiber River. Today it is a collection of neighborhoods with vibrant shops, restaurants and museums just waiting to be explored.

On a locally guided tour of classical Rome, walk over cobblestone streets and weathered passageways to discover famous sights such as the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona. Then, tread in the footsteps of ancient gladiators during an in-depth visit of the Colosseum. The evening is yours. Perhaps you’ll stroll to the top of the Spanish Steps for views of the city’s skyline or meander through Rome’s lively Monti district to soak in the local life.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Trevi Fountain

This morning, consider an optional tour* to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica, taking in world-renowned wonders such as the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s mural of The Last Judgment. Then, make the most of a free afternoon in Italy’s capital city. Perhaps you will join an optional food tour dinner and taste your way around Rome’s bohemian Trastevere district.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Hotel Graal

Visit Area: Pantheon

Journey to the Amalfi Coast, an iconic coastline of rocky beaches and towering cliffs. En route, make a stop at the Benedictine monastery of Montecassino, perched on a mountaintop that played a pivotal role in World War II. Discover its history while exploring the monastery’s ornate chapel and courtyards. In the afternoon, settle into the Amalfi Coast,** your home for the next 5 nights. Before gathering for dinner, take some time to explore your hotel, perched in a scenic location above the coastline.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Piazza Navona

Sail*** along the stunning Amalfi Coast (UNESCO), pausing in Amalfi. A former trading hub, Amalfi is now a quiet coastal town of historic landmarks and a black-and-white marble cathedral. Explore on your own before continuing to Positano with its pastel-colored houses and pebbly beaches. Spend time in this legendary locale, browsing the posh boutiques or resting along the beach before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Colosseum
The Colosseum is one of the most recognizable structures of the Roman Empire. The structure was built in the first century AD as a place of celebration for Gladiator games and public spectacles. Today the structure has been preserved and is an open air museum that highlights the architectural expertise of the ancient Romans. Visitors can see the details of the recently cleaned facade made of Travertine marble and view the internal structure of this “Wonder of the World.”

Begin your day with a visit to a pasta factory artfully producing this national staple with traditional techniques. Then, it’s on to the charming resort town of Sorrento. Wander through its narrow streets, peeking into the peaceful cloister of St. Francis Church or sampling some gelato made with local lemons. This afternoon, visit a local farm and see how mozzarella cheese is still made by hand. Get a taste of the product at a farm-to-table dinner capped with homemade limoncello before returning to your hotel in the late evening.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Montecassino
Montecassino is a rocky hill situated southeast of Rome, Italy, housing St. Benedict of Nursia’s first monastery in 529. The hilltop sanctuary was the site of the Battle of Montecassino in 1944, where the building was destroyed by Allied bombing and then rebuilt after the war. The site was one of the last remaining territorial abbeys within the Catholic Church, until 2014. Modern excavations have found wonderful treasures in Montecassino, including manuscripts codices that are now archived for safekeeping. (Codices is the plural of codex, and a codex is an ancient manuscript text in book form.) The site is also a burial ground for several historic religious figures.

Enjoy a day at leisure to take in the relaxing beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Perhaps you will embark on an optional boat trip**** to the Mediterranean isle of Capri, where you’ll enjoy lunch and a locally guided tour before setting out on your own adventure.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Amalfi Coast
The rocky Sorrento Peninsula stretches into the Tyrrhenian Sea separating the Bay of Naples to the north from the Gulf of Salerno to the south. On the south of the peninsula is the famed Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast features the 32-mile-long coastal drive that hugs the cliff as it passes through the picturesque fishing villages of Positano, Amalfi and Minori, among others. The coast is famed for its breathtaking views, local cuisine and drinks like limoncello.

This morning experience the eerily preserved ruins of Pompeii your way, because it’s your choice! Join a local guide for an in-depth tour of Pompeii’s best-known monuments -OR- venture further afield to discover the hidden corners of this vast archeological site. Then, pause at a local winery to savor the area’s famous Lacryma Christi wine and enjoy a typical lunch. After some free time, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner and bid salute to the end of your Italian getaway.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Sorrento
The north side of the Sorrento peninsula is the Sorrento Coast, named after the largest city and tourist center, Sorrento. The Sorrento Coast is home to panoramic views of shear cliffs, small rocky beaches and terraced gardens of olive and lemon trees. The town of Sorrento is a tourist’s delight, complete with excellent shopping, quaint cafes and elegant restaurants.

Your tour comes to a close today.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Farmhouse Visit and Mozzarella-Making Demonstration