NAPLES & SORRENTO

Seductive and fascinating, Naples, capital of the Campania region, has an energy that is palpable.
Beautifully positioned on the Bay of Naples and overshadowed by Mt.Vesuvius, it is one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. The beauties of Naples have been praised by innumerable travellers. A lovely bay, a horizon bounded by Posillipo, the islands, the Sorrento Peninsula and lofty Vesuvius, all contribute to the fame of this favoured spot.

OLD NAPLES
Guided visit of the heart of old Naples with its numerous churches, dilapidated palaces, small crafts and businesses, its ancient streets where swarms a lively populace. This is undoubtedly the most engaging part of the town. See St.Clare’s Church with the sober and loftly interior and the cloisters, behind the church, transformed into an original garden in the 18th century. Walk to Church of St.Dominic Major whose interior has both gothic and baroque features and then to Chapel of San Severo with some astonishing marble sculptures. Proceed to the Church of St.Lawrence Major with a fine 14th century gothic nave lined with chapels. End the tour at Via Tribunali and Piazza Dante overlooked by a semicircular range of buildings.
Duration: 3 hours
Operating every day.

HALF DAY WALKING TOUR
Start the visit with the New Castle, imposing castle surrounded by deep moats and built in 1282 with a remarkable triumphal arch. Go to the nearby St.Charles Theatre, built under Charles of Bourbon in 1737 and then to Piazza del Plebiscito, noble and semicircular square of the 19th century. Here we can admire the Royal Palace, built at the beginning of the 17th century and remodelled several times. A huge staircase with twin ramps leads to the apartments and the sumptuously decorated royal chapel. At the end of the tour, reach the Port of Santa Lucia. Enjoy a splendid view of Vesuvius on the one hand and of the western side of the bay on the other.
Duration: 3 hours
Operating every day.

POMPEI AND HERCOLANEUM
Drive to Pompei, the opulent town which was buried in AD 79 in one of the most disastrous volcanic eruptions. Founded in the 8th century BC, Pompei is a dead city with extensive and varied ruins. It was a resort town for wealthy Romans. See the remains of the homes, baths, the basilica, the forum.
After the break for lunch inside the excavations (not included) proceed to Hercolaneum.
Visit of this city which was, like Pompei, overwhelmed during the eruption of Vesuvius. It was a less important and more peaceful town than Pompei. See the ruins including House of the Inn, House with the Mosaic Atrium, the Wooden Trellis, the Baths (which are in excellent conditions), etc. etc..
Duration: 9 hours
Operating every day.

AMALFI COAST
A full day to enjoy one of the most beautiful areas in the world. For over 30 kms the innumerable bends of Amalfi Coast afford constantly changing views of enchanting landscapes, wild, fantastically-shaped rocks plunging vertically into a crystal-clear sea.
Drive to Sorrento, known for its many beautiful gardens, overlooking the gulf of the same name. See the church of St.Francis with its delightful 13th century cloisters. Proceed through the winding road going round the peninsula and enjoy fine views of the hillsides covered with olive groves, orange and lemon trees and vines. Arrive in Positano which is the most beautiful town on the coast where we can admire the small white cubic houses of this fishermen’s village.
Break for lunch (not included).
Afternoon reach Amalfi, one of the four powerful maritime republics of medieval Italy. See the impressive Duomo (St.Andrew’s Cathedral) founded in the 9th century with the baroque interior, mosaics and the Cloisters of Paradise and the nearby Grotta dello Smeraldo which rivals Capri’s Blue Grotto.
The road from Amalfi climbs in hairpin bends up to the narrow Dragon Valley and to Ravello. With its alleys, stairways and roofed passages, Ravello is a city suspended between sea and sky. See the magnificent 13th century Villa Rufolo, which was in the past the residence of several Popes, and Villa Cimbrione, set in beautiful gardens which end at a terrace offering a spectacular view of the Gulf of Salerno.
Duration: 10 hours
Operating every day.

CAPRI
Take a boat to Capri, the Island of Dreams, famous for its grottoes and for 12 villas built by successive Roman Emperors, including Augustus and Tiberius. Capri has always been an enchanting place, with its situation in close proximity to the Sorrento Peninsula, the incomparable beauty of its rugged landscape, the mildness of its climate and the luxuriance of its vegetation. Spend the day admiring the caves, the small peaceful creeks fringed with fantastically shaped reefs and lined with sheer cliffs dipping vertically into the sea. See the Blue Grotto, the most famous among the many marine caves on the island. The light enters the Blue Grotto not directly, but by refraction through the water, giving it a beautiful blue colour. Near Anacapri, delightful village with shady streets, go to Monte Solaro from where we can admire a wonderful panorama of the whole island and the Bay of Naples as far as the island of Ponza, the Apennines and the mountain of Calabria to the south. See also the famous Faraglioni, rocky islets carved into fantastic shapes by the waves. End the tour in the famous Piazza Umberto I (piazzetta), in the busy narrow side streets such as Via della Botteghe with souvenir shops and smart boutiques selling luxury goods.
Duration: 9 hours
Operating every day.

NOTES:
Entrance fees to all museums and meals are NOT included unless indicated.
Itineraries can be adjusted in accordance to Clients’ wishes.