The Experience
Explore the storied history and cultural treasures of Pompeii, the Vatican, and the Roman Empire – including exclusive after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel! Balance architectural landmarks with the natural beauty of the Isle of Capri’s rugged coastline, and the seaside villages and cliffs found along the Amalfi Coast. Discoveries include the Colosseum, a tour of Pompeii – preserved under volcanic ash for nearly 2,000 years – and sightseeing via convertible car on Capri. Travel by jet boat and high-speed train, enjoy an exclusive lecture on contemporary Italian society, and catch the views from glorious private villas on this Capri, Amalfi Coast and Rome journey.
Day 1 Buon Giorno Italia – Welcome to Rome!
Meals D
Tour begins: 6:00 PM at InterContinental De La Ville Roma. A transfer is included from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to the InterContinental De La Ville Roma, set within a 17th-century landmark at the top of the Spanish Steps in the heart of the “Eternal City.” Enjoy the company of your fellow travelers at our welcome cocktail reception and dinner tonight.
Lodging
InterContinental De La Ville Roma
Day 2 To seaside Naples and on to the Isle of Capri
Meals B, L, D
Drive from Rome to the seaside city of Naples, stopping for lunch in Capua en route. A ferry and private convertible cars wait to whisk you away to your hotel on the glamorous Isle of Capri. Stay two nights at one of Europe’s most celebrated hotels – the Grand Hotel Quisisana on the Via Camerelle in the heart of Capri. Enjoy dinner à la carte at your hotel tonight.
Lodging
Grand Hotel Quisisana
Day 3 Exploring the Isle of Capri by private convertible car
Meals B, D
You’ll really feel like a jetsetter today when you explore the history and natural attractions of the Isle of Capri in a convertible car. Visit the town of Anacapri, then beautiful Villa San Michele, built in the late 19th century atop Roman palace ruins. Get a noted professor’s perspectives on contemporary Italian society during a lecture at a private villa overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Then spend the rest of the day as you please on Capri – enjoying the pleasures of a less-crowded island after the day-trippers have departed, and dinner à la carte at your landmark hotel.
Lodging
Grand Hotel Quisisana
Day 4 Tour Sorrento, and on to your fabulous hotel in Positano overlooking the Mediterranean
Meals B, D
Depart Capri and cross the Bay of Naples by jet boat, arriving in charming, seaside Sorrento. Get to know this historic town – a popular destination through the centuries with such literary lights as Byron, Keats, Ibsen, Scott and Gorky – on a walking tour and time to explore on your own. Then head out along the Amalfi Coast to today’s final destination, Positano, where colorful homes – and your hotel – are nestled on steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean.
Lodging
Le Agavi Hotel a Positano
Day 5 A drive along the Amalfi Coast and a taste of Italy in Ravello
Meals B, L
Embark on a spectacular drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe’s most dramatic shorelines. See the brightly colored houses set on towering cliffs above the sea, and homes in the town of Amalfi built between the 10th and 13th centuries. Then it’s on to Ravello to visit the exquisite gardens of Villa Rufolo, the former residence of several popes, offering perhaps the best view on the coast. Lunch today is at a family-owned restaurant – a favorite of locals and celebrities alike – where you’ll get a real taste of Italy with delightful homemade dishes. Return to Positano, and enjoy free time in the afternoon to spend as you please.
Lodging
Le Agavi Hotel a Positano
Day 6 Pompeii, then to Rome via high-speed rail and the Vatican Museums after hours
Meals B, L
From Positano, travel to Pompeii for a guided visit through the remains of the ancient ash-covered city, frozen in time from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. After lunch, first-class accommodations on a high-speed train take you from Naples back to Rome for the last two nights of your trip. You’ll love your encore stay at the InterContinental De La Ville Rome, in the heart of the Eternal City! Tonight, Exclusive – a special after-hours guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Candelabra and Map Galleries, the Tapestries and the incomparable Sistine Chapel (subject to availability and day of tour may vary). This is an amazing experience you’ll long remember – without the day’s crowds, you’ll have the ability to study and contemplate the incredible art treasures and masterpieces.
Lodging
InterContinental De La Ville Roma
Day 7 The glories of ancient Rome and St. Peter’s Basilica
Meals B, D
Join our local guide for an excursion through Imperial Rome, including a panoramic view of the ruins of the Roman Forum from above. Continue with a guided tour of the legendary Colosseum, opened in AD 80, where over 50,000 spectators witnessed gladiator battles and other public spectacles; and visit St. Peter’s Basilica for a look inside the largest interior of any Christian church in the world. Spend the afternoon exploring more of Rome on your own before joining us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner in the heart of the Eternal City.
Lodging
InterContinental De La Ville Roma
Day 8 Ciao, Roma
Meals B
Capri, Amalfi Coast and Rome tour ends in Rome. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from InterContinental De La Ville Roma to Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino. Please allow 3 hours for flight check-in.
LESS
The Route
