Great Southern Italy

Welcome to Rome Int. Airport (FCO)! Meet our tour guide and driver and head to your hotel via transfer bus at (10:00 am, 12:30 pm, or 3:00 pm) after a quick rest, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Rome’s highlights  followed by a special Welcome Dinner at one of Rome’s lively restaurants.  

Hotel: Belstay, Pineta Palace similar (1 night)  

After breakfast, follow the Highway of the Sun towards Naples, the city famous for being the standard for pizza and having the best espresso in Italy.  In the morning our local guide will share the history of monuments and sites such as the Triumphal Arch of New Castle, the St. Charles Theater, the Royal Palace, the Galleria Umberto, and the semicircular Piazza Plebiscito. In the afternoon drive towards the Amalfi Coast to reach your waterfront hotel where you’ll have some free time at your own pace before enjoying dinner.  

Hotel: Le Due Torri, La Lucertola or similar (2 nights)  

Free time for shopping  in the town of Sorrento, famous for its fantastic lemons which are used to make the regional “limoncello” liqueur. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant with an unforgettable panoromic view. In the afternoon enjoy views of the enchanting colorful towns built on dramatic inclines along the Amalfi Coast (overlooking Amalfi and Positano).  Enjoy the evening at your leisure. 

Leave the Amalfi Coast to reach Taranto, a seaside city which lies between the Mar Grande (Big Sea) and Mar Piccolo (Little Sea).  Enjoy some free time to see the 15th-century Aragonese Castle and the San Cataldo Basilica. In the afternoon, take a scenic drive to the Honey Colored Town of Lecce, known as “The Florence of the South”. Enjoy a sightseeing tour  which will include the stunning Basilica and its monumental “Piazza Del Duomo”. In the evening, discover the under-the-radar wine scene and flavors of typical local dishes amongst the cobblestone streets.  

Hotel: GH di Lecce, Hotel Leone di Messapia or similar (2 nights) 

Today, a full excursion through the province of Salento. Visit the ancient town of Otranto. Walk through the 1000-year-old walled hamlet and the 11th-century Norman cathedral with the best-preserved mosaic floors in southern Italy. Enjoy lunch at a ”Masseria” (a fortified farmhouses which has been luxuriously restored).  After lunch experience beautiful Lecce at your own pace.

This morning reach a local farm house to have a fun “Orecchiette” pasta making class with “nonna”. Enjoy lunch with typical dishes prepared with local food. In the afternoon, reach the village of Alberobello, known for its strange white Trulli buildings with their circular structures and conical roofs.   

Hotel: Relais Porta del Sud, Park Hotel La Grave or similar (2 nights) 

Drive to the famous Sassi of Matera (a fascinating cluster of prehistoric cave dwellings built into the rocks of deep ravines) for a walking tour. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage site  (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/). Wind up the day with a delicious lunch at a local restaurant.

Leaving the town of Matera, drive through the unforgettable landscapes of the Calabria region down to Villa San Giovanni. There will be some free time for lunch in the beautiful village of Pizzo. In the afternoon, take a forty-five-minute ferry ride to Sicily. Upon arrival enjoy some free time followed by dinner.  

Hotel: Villa Diodoro, Ceaser Palace or similar (2 nights) 

Visit the 3rd-century Greek Amphitheater in Taormina, the second largest of its kind in Sicily. Situated above the city, it offers spectacular views of the bay and Mt. Etna. Later, embark on an exciting excursion to Mt. Etna.  Lunch will be served on the slopes of Etna with wine tastings from local farms.  Weather permitting, we will ascend 5,400 feet to the highest active volcano in Europe.

Drive to Agrigento for a walking tour through the Valley of the Temples where you will discover some of the world’s most striking and well-preserved Grecian ruins, second only to Athens! a Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/)  Tonight’s dinner will be served at a local restaurant.  

Hotel: Blu Kaos, Hotel Villa Romana or similar (1 night) 

Explore the medieval town of Erice which is  surrounded by ancient Elimi & Phoenician walls.  This little town is situatiod 2887 feet above sea level and allows striking sea views. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch stroll through the charming old stone streets and see medieval churches such as the Cathedral of Erice.  

Hotel:  IBIS Style Palermo, Bel 3 or similar (2 nights)

This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city featuring the honey-colored Cathedral and Piazza Bellini. From there travel to the town of Monreale to visit the magnificent 12th century Norman Cathedral. Picturesque views of the Conca d’Oro (famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious Byzantine mosaics) will astonish as we make our way through this ancient city. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation.  

Arrivederci Italia! Our Departure transfer bus will arrive at Palermo Int. Airport (PMO) at 5:30 am and 7:30 am