The Awe-Inspiring Amalfi Coast

Book a flight to arrive at Naples International Airport (NAP) by midday. Or, come a day early if you'd like to rest, relax, and adjust to the local time. The option to arrive 1 Day early is available in the Add-ons section.

Either way, a private transfer will be waiting to whisk you away to our home for the next week in Sorrento: the 4-star Hotel Continental. It has a glorious sea view.

Take time to settle in and freshen up. We'll meet in the early evening for a prosecco toast and to discuss our week together before heading out for a walking tour around Sorrento. 

We'll conclude the evening with our first taste of authentic Italian cuisine at Ristorante Bagni Delfino, marking the end of the walking tour.

Today, we’ll visit Vulcan – or Hephaestus if you prefer his Greek incarnation. Vulcan ruled fire and volcanoes in ancient times, and today, we’ll discover Pompeii, the volcano that stopped time in 79 AD. Prepare to explore one of Italy's most impressive archaeological sites. An expert guide will lead us through the ancient city buried under 20 feet of volcanic ash when Vesuvius erupted. This disaster preserved it, offering a view of life nearly 2,000 years ago. 

From Pompeii, we’ll hop back into our private transport and zip off to lunch and a wine tasting on Mt. Vesuvius, where we’ll sample unique wines from this volcanic area at Cantina Del Vesuvio.

You’ll have time to relax back at the hotel this afternoon. Maybe dip in the pool or soak in the views at their rooftop bar before we come together for dinner in the hotel at Terrazza Vittoria.

Prepare to taste the best of the Amalfi region today.

Our first stop is at a local olive oil mill, where you can observe the production of Italy's essential ingredient. We will tour the mill and sample various local olive oils. If you wish, you can also purchase oil directly from the source.

Next, we’ll tour a limoncello factory at Il Convento and walk through lemon groves. Learn from locals how this golden sunshine digestive is made and why the regional lemons are so important to its production.

Lunch is served at a farmhouse among the lemon groves. How quintessentially Italian is that?

In the afternoon, we’ll zip back to Sorrento, where you can take time to relax with a drink on the terrace, go shopping, explore this charming seaside town, or read a great book with an Aperol spritz in hand as you gaze at the jaw-dropping view of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

We'll enjoy a lovely meal together this evening at Donna Sofia, a cozy taverna tucked away in the town, where we'll be served delicious Italian favorites. 

Sip your cappuccino at the hotel, then grab your sunglasses and swimsuit – we’re off to Capri in a private boat. This is a thrilling way to see the Amalfi Coast. Weather permitting, we'll visit the famous Blue Grotto.

We’ll dock for lunch on the island and enjoy a meal at a seaside eatery with the waves lapping nearby. Tuck into a Caprese salad and delicious pasta, but make sure you leave room for dessert because we’ll stop in town for some gelato and free time to explore and shop.

At the end of the day, our captain will take us back to the hotel in Sorrento. It’s been a big day – enjoy dinner alone or with friends in town, or order room service and unwind.

Enjoy dinner alone or with friends in town, or order room service and relax.

A driver will pick us up after breakfast to explore Amalfi Coast highlights. This is the Amalfi you’ve seen on postcards and travel shows. The curling coastline features dramatic cliffs and colorful villas juxtaposed against the azure sea.

We’ll visit Ravello, Amalfi, and Positano, three villages guaranteed to fill your camera with snapshots of La Dolce Vita! Fragrant lemon groves line the hillsides, and darling shops and cafes hide along cobblestone alleyways. Getting from Positano to Amalfi is part of the fun because we’ll take a mini-cruise in a boat from one beachside town to the next. The rest of the tour is by minibus.

After driving to Positano and exploring for a bit, we'll board the mini cruise over to Amalfi. We'll meet our guide for a tour of the stunning Baroque St. Andrew's Cathedral.

We’ll enjoy a traditional lunch at Taverna Buonvicino, complete with all the Italian classics - anchovies, pasta alla genovese, and linguine alla Buonvicino. After we refuel, it's off to our last stop of the day: Ravello. 

We'll be treated to a tour of the gorgeous 13th-century Villa Rufolo, a massive estate overlooking the picturesque coastline. 

After making our way back to our hotel, dinner is on your own this evening.

We say arrivederci to Sorrento today. Enjoy a light, leisurely breakfast at the hotel and take one last long look at the seaside. We’ll have free time this morning to relax or explore.

We're going to put you to work for your lunch today. We'll slice and dice with a local chef at Nonna Flora cooking school and then dig into the fruits of our labor for a midday feast!

There's one last hidden gem along the coast we want to show you: Vico Equense. Bruce Springsteen's maternal grandfather, Antonio Zerilli, was from here, and Springsteen even dedicated the song "My Hometown" to this cliffside village.

After wandering the quaint alleyways, we'll toast to a week well spent and new friends made at Cerasè.

To quote one famous fictional Italian, “parting is such sweet sorrow.” Alas, our adventure has come to an end.

After breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to say farewell to all your new pals. A private or group transfer will bring you to Naples International Airport, depending on the group's flight times. Please plan onward travel after 10:30 am to allow adequate time to clear customs and security.

If you'd like to spend more time in Italy, consider joining our trip Eating Your Way through Puglia. The trip begins on May 10, and it's just a short drive away (to the heel of the boot of Italy)!