Compare Enchanting Southern Italy by Travel for solos vs Amalfi and Capri Magnifica Walking Tour by Tourissimo
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Price From | Check price | $ 4,155 |
| Price Per Day | Check price | $ 594 |
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| Trip Style | Self-guided tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
6 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 3 Dinners |
6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 6 Dinners |
| Description |
Enchanting Southern Italy Naples , Capri & The Amalfi Coast - The Bay of Naples was once a great centre of classical Roman civilisation – today, we are offered a glimpse into this lost world at the excavated remains of Pompeii. This tour will also visit the white marble Greek temples at Paestum and the island of Capri; travel along dramatic stretches of the Amalfi Coast and have the opportunity to taste local delicacies including buffalo mozzarella and limoncello. |
There’s no other place in the world as magical as the Amalfi Coast and its satellite island of Capri. This Magnifica Tour will take you to this paradise on earth. The scent of its lemon groves and flowers, the light breeze of the Mediterranean Sea, the lush shady woods and the unique towns perched on the cliff slopes will bind you to this corner of southern Italy, much like the mythical Sirens’ singing enchanted Ulysses’ sailors in Homer’s masterpiece, “Odyssey.”
Our tour starts on the Island of Capri, a mecca for fashionable people and artists looking for a quiet place to live but also a window to showcase their creations to visitors coming from all over the world. We will visit Anacapri, a lesser-known part of the island, and discover its beautiful nature and views of the Amalfi Coast. The famous piazzetta, the little square in the center of Capri, will be the setting for an aperitivo, an Italian-style pre-dinner drink, with local appetizers and people watching! A boat ride to Amalfi will take us to the mainland for the second half of the tour. Amalfi was one of the Maritime Republics and a powerful trading port in the Middle Ages. |
Day 1: Naples
Accommodation: Hotel Palazzo Turchini (or similar)
Arrive in Naples at your leisure. This evening meet your Back-Roads tour companion and fellow travellers for a pre-tour briefing.
Day 2: Naples – Pompeii – Paestum
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Tenuta Seliano Hotel (or similar)
With a local guide we visit the Old City of Naples, partly on foot and partly by bus, to see the Cathedral, the Church of Santa Chiara and the Cappella Sansevero, with its centrepiece of the Veiled Christ which is one of the most famous and impressive works of art in the world. This afternoon we head south to visit the extensive ruins of Pompeii, the Roman city destroyed by the awesome power of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. On a guided walking tour with a local expert, we are given an insight into everyday Roman life and see many fascinating sights including the Basilica, the Forum and the Amphitheatre. We then make our way to our charmingly rustic accommodation near Paestum. Tonight we will enjoy a delicious traditional meal, made using fresh farm produce on this family run working country estate, which dates back to the 1800s.
Day 3: Paestum – Scala
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Giuseppina (or similar)
This morning we learn the art of traditional Campania cooking before sitting down with the family to enjoy the lunch that you have prepared. This afternoon we will explore UNESCO listed Paestum, a secret gem hidden away from the main tourist track just waiting to be discovered. Looking at the gleaming white marble temples against the backdrop of the mountains is a wonderful and unique experience. Our local guide brings this important historical site to life before we continue to Scala, the oldest town of the Amalfi Coast and our base for the next four nights.
Day 4: Scala – Ravello – Amalfi – Positano –Scala
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Giuseppina (or similar)
The thirteen villages of the Amalfi Coast are collectively known as “pearls” – each with its own character and all rich in history and culture. Our first stop today is in Ravello, a gorgeous little town famous for its spectacular views and its two fabulous villas; Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. Next we enjoy a walking tour of Amalfi with its cluster of tightly packed houses rising up the hillside, which is dominated by the beautiful Cathedral of St Andrew. Our day wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the fishing village of Positano; famous across the world for its hand-made pezze.
Day 5: Scala – Capri – Scala
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Giuseppina (or similar)
Today we board the ferry and sail to the island of Capri, lying in the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the Sorrento Peninsula. Capri has been a popular resort since the days of Ancient Rome and Capri town offers a wide choice of exclusive shopping, cafes and restaurants. To reach the centre of Capri from the port we will board the funicular railway, which travels through the island’s lemon gardens. Later this afternoon we return to Scala.
Day 6: Scala – Vietri sul Mare – Tramonti – Scala
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Giuseppina (or similar)
This morning we visit some more of the Amalfi Coast “pearls” including Minori, Maiori and Cetara before reaching Vietri sul Mare, famous across the world for its hand-painted and vividly-coloured ceramics. This afternoon we travel along the back roads of the region to Tramonti, where we visit a local producer of the local speciality limoncello, a strong and tasty lemon-based liqueur. After a wonderful day, we return to Scala where we gather for a final dinner together.
Day 7: Scala – Royal Palace of Caserta – Sant’Agata dei Goti – Naples
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Today we drive to the 18th century Royal Palace of Caserta, the last great building of the Italian Baroque. Although we can't visit all 1,200 rooms, the ones we will see are as extravagant as they are exquisite. We then travel to Sant’Agata dei Goti to visit a local farmhouse for a tasting of Aglianico wines followed by a traditional lunch. Our tour ends on our return to Naples.
Day 1: Capri
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Capri (alternative Gatto Bianco)
Terrain: Flat
Hike: 1 to 2 hrs
After a boat ride from the mainland to Marina Grande, the main dock in Capri, a taxi will take you to the hotel where you will meet your guides. A light lunch together will allow your guides to give you an overview of the tour. In the afternoon you can enjoy a warm up walk on the paved streets of Capri to the Faraglioni, gigantic coastal rocks formed by erosion from sea waves. Enjoy the sunset over the Faraglioni and the Capri coastline before heading back to the piazzetta for our first aperitivo and a toast to the beauty of Capri.
Day 2: Anacapri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Capri (alternative Gatto Bianco)
Terrain: Hilly
Hike: 2.5 to 3 hrs
After breakfast we will take a bus to the town of Anacapri on the opposite side of the island. An easy path will lead us to the top of Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island, in about one hour. Once at the top we will enjoy panoramic views of the island that include Marina Grande and Marina Piccola (the two ports of the island), the Faraglioni and Villa Jovis, on the top of a cliff. On a sunny day views extend to Naples and to Mt. Vesuvius. You can walk back down or take a chairlift right to the center of town where we can have lunch. Shopping time is mandatory in Anacapri to try on the Capresi sandals that are handmade by a craftsman following the old tradition. The shopping street of Anacapri is also the beginning of the path that will take us back to Capri, walking down the steps of the Phoenician Staircase, an old path that the islanders used to walk up and down before the road was built. In 1.5 - 2 hours we will be back to the hotel. A public bus is also available all day long should you wish to spend more time shopping or wandering through the town of Anacapri and inside some of its old palaces. One that stands out is Villa San Michele, a wonderful palace with gardens, built by a Swedish doctor and veterinarian, Axel Munthe, for his retirement.
Day 3: Capri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Capri (alternative Gatto Bianco)
Terrain: Rolling
Hike: 3 Hrs
This morning we will walk to Villa Jovis, one of Tiberius’ villas, in about 1.5 hrs. A visit of this ancient Roman site is a great opportunity to see how good the ancient Romans were in constructing their noble mansions. They also created the forefather of the modern spa, the thermal baths, remains of which you can still admire at this villa. Our lunch stop will be on the way back to the center of Capri and in the afternoon we can take another short walk to visit the Augustus Gardens or spend some time shopping in Capri and relax before dinner.
Boat ride to the Blue Grotto (weather permitting). This is the most famous sight on Capri, where visitors from around the world form long lines to get a peek inside for just a few magical moments. This natural cavern is 25 meters wide and 60 meters long, with a tiny entrance less than a meter high. To enter, visitors lay back in wooden rowboats and glide through the low cave mouth. Once inside, the boats bob in the dark, suspended on the surface of water so blue that it seems dream-like.
Day 4: Amalfi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Rufolo
Terrain: Rolling
Hike: 2.5 to 3 hrs
Leaving Capri is never easy but we have to look ahead from the jet boat and to see our next destination: Amalfi. We will not regret this transfer on the mainland, since Amalfi will welcome us with its lively port and square and streets full of small shops and coffee bars. From Amalfi centre we will walk along La valle delle Ferriere and back to Amalfi. A lunch in Amalfi will be followed by visit to an old paper mill, now a museum, where each of you can make his own paper sheet in the old traditional way and using the original machineries! This will be our gift to be taken home with you. Don’t forget to taste a Delizia al Limone, a lemon spongecake, at the pastry shop next to the Cathedral square before starting our visit of the town with a local guide. The Cathedral and its cloister and treasure will be a highlight of the day! Some free time for shopping and to discover Amalfi on your own and then we will take a bus to Ravello. A pottery handcraft shop visit in Ravello is another interesting activity that we suggest to complete this rich day. In Ravello it’s possible to enjoy a classic music concert in Villa Rufolo. Check the program with the guides in advance.
Day 5: Positano
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Terrain: Rolling
Hike: 3 Hrs
Today we leave Ravello and we head north to Positano. A private transfer will take us to the town of Bomerano, near Agerola, where our hike starts. We will walk to Positano today, following Il sentiero degli Dei (The Path of the Gods) to Nocelle, just above Positano. The 7.8 km path is about 3 hours and has stunning views. Our lunch will be a picnic along the path with focaccia and mozzarella from Agerola, or a late lunch in Nocelle square, before taking the bus down to the center of Positano where we can rest at our hotel. A fish dinner in Positano with a view over the coast will be our reward for this long walk.
Day 6: Positano
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Palazzo Murat (alternative Poseidon)
Terrain: Rolling
Hike: 2 Hrs
A leisurely day in Positano. For our last day we suggest a short and easy walk to the old cemetery of Positano from where you can admire the entire town. On the way back to the hotel we can learn some of the history of Positano by visiting some of its quarters. Lunch will be in town by the sea and then enjoy some souvenir shopping and a good gelato al limone (lemon ice cream) before we get ready for our celebration dinner in the wonderful location of Furore, a canyon carved by the sea. A shuttle will take us there (and back) for a last night view of this incredible coast!
Day 7: Positano
Meals: Breakfast
Terrain: Departure
Ride: None
After breakfast a shuttle will take you to Naples airport or to another destination according to your travel plans.
