Country Roads Of Southern Italy & Sicily

Day Stop

• Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy

Hotel(s)

Kolbe Hotel Rome

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Rome is about art, antiquity, piazzas and pizza, and our guided walk with a local expert has it in abundance. Sightsee the local way, with a leisurely passeggiata through the backstreets, where a friend in Rome will explain how modern life takes place. Toss a coin into the spectacular Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon, the best-preserved monument from the Roman period, and enjoy free time to do as the Romans do. Perhaps join a tour to discover the incredibly characteristic Roman quarter of Trastevere. Get off the beaten track and explore Rome’s most untouched and unique districts and most consistently unchanged medieval neighborhoods, Trastevere is dotted with ancient and dimly lit churches, crumbling buildings and streets barely wide enough for a Fiat. With your local expert, explore the medieval labyrinth of alleyways and pause from time to time to take in this very atmospheric area. A maze of food shops, art galleries, cafes, apartment buildings and pretty squares, this district was once rather run-down and working-class, but has now become one of the city's liveliest and most popular neighborhoods.

Day Stops

• Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hotel Isabella

Meal(s)

Breakfast

As you leave the bustling streets of Rome behind, you enter the peaceful charm of the Italian countryside. The roads wind through sun-dappled hills, where fields of golden wheat and rows of olive trees stretch endlessly under a brilliant blue sky. Small villages dot the landscape, their stone houses nestled against rolling hills, offering a glimpse into authentic Italian life and the air carries the scent of wildflowers and citrus groves. The journey southward reveals itself like a beautiful postcard, with views of the sparkling Mediterranean beginning to emerge in the distance. As you approach Sorrento, the dramatic cliffs and coastal views unfold, the town’s pastel-colored buildings perched above the shimmering sea, welcoming you to this idyllic coastal paradise.

Day Stops

• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
• 80076 Capri, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hotel Isabella

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

The impossibly blue sea welcomes you to the sun-drenched island of Capri as you cruise by jetfoil. On arrival, meet your local expert for an orientation walk through the narrow alleyways. Explore Capri. Choose to visit the immaculate Gardens of Augustus with a local expert and admire the views over the Faraglioni Rocks. Alternatively, enjoy a tasting of limoncello, Capri’s famous lemon liqueur.

Day Stops

• 80045 Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Start your day in Pompeii, buried in AD 79 by the historic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Walk with your local expert through the cobbled streets to see a city frozen in time. Then venture on to Alberobello.

Day Stop

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Join a local expert to explore one of Italy’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the unique trulli of Alberobello, circular limestone dwellings with domed interiors and distinctive conical roofs, ingeniously built without mortar. You may also opt to join our local expert for an exploration of Ostuni, a whitewashed town that echoes the charm of a North African Arab Medina. Stroll through its winding cobbled streets and admire its striking architecture. In the evening, enjoy a farm-to-table dinner, showcasing traditional Apulian dishes made with seasonal produce.

Day Stop

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Today is yours to enjoy at leisure or unwind and make the most of the exceptional amenities at your remarkable hotel. You can also choose to discover cliffside Polignano a Mare with a local expert, enjoying Adriatic views and a stroll through the historic hometown of Volare singer Domenico Modugno.

Day Stops

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy
• 75100 Matera, Province of Matera, Italy

Hotel(s)

UNAHOTELS MH Matera

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Visit Matera with a local expert for an in-depth exploration of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sassi - a labyrinth of cave dwellings, churches, staircases and arches, hewn out of the solid rock. You may recognize Matera as the biblical backdrop for the film "The Passion of the Christ." Continue to the small village of Grottole. Once a thriving community, it has lost most of its activity and population. Meet Andrea, a local striving to bring back the area's traditional way of living. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience explore the historic old town to learn about the fascinating history of the village and enjoy an aperitif with local snacks helping to preserve the culture.

Day Stops

• 75100 Matera, Province of Matera, Italy
• 98039 Taormina, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy
• 98035 Naxos, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hellenia Yachting Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning, travel along the Violet Coast to the very toe of Italy and board your ferry bound for Sicily, across the Strait of Messina. According to Grecian legend, this was home to the mythical sea monsters Scylla, a six-headed rock monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool, based on either side of the strait. Together, they posed an inescapable threat to passing seafarers as avoiding one meant passing too close to the other. You will soon arrive at your hotel where you will spend three glorious nights on the Taormina Riviera. Join a local expert for a visit to the Greek Theater of Taormina, graced with the most spectacular of backdrops. Stroll along the elegant Corso Umberto to the Piazza IX Aprile and admire the panoramic views and hews of blue from the sky to the azure sea. Later, take your pick of specially selected restaurants for your dine-around evening.

Day Stop

• 98035 Naxos, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hellenia Yachting Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast

The day is at leisure to relax at your resort's private beach, or perhaps explore the medieval quarter. Don't miss the chance of an optional drive through the national park to Mount Etna, Europe's largest volcano.

Day Stop

• 98035 Naxos, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hellenia Yachting Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Early risers may experience what D.H. Lawrence christened the "dawn coast of Europe." The day is free to explore at your leisure, or to embark on an optional experience to Syracuse.

Day Stops

• Palermo, PA, Italy
• 92100 Agrigento, AG, Italy
• 98035 Naxos, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

Federico II Central Palace, Palermo

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Drive to Agrigento and explore the Valley of the Temples with a local expert. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno, overlooking the sea. In the afternoon, continue to the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

Day Stop

• Palermo, PA, Italy

Hotel(s)

Federico II Central Palace, Palermo

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Join a historian on a guided walk to see the gems of the old city. Visit the amazing Palatine Chapel in the Palace of the Normans. Outside, there are few clues to its astonishing interior, completely covered in glittering 12th-century mosaics. Continue to the Palermo Cathedral which has been altered over the years and observe its unique blend of architectural styles. In the afternoon, there is free time to explore or shop in Palermo or continue sightseeing. In the evening, join your fellow guests and travel director at a local restaurant for a dinner of delicious local cuisine and wine.

Day Stop

• Palermo, PA, Italy

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Your journey draws to an end. Departure transfers arrive at Palermo Falcone–Borsellino Airport.