Italy: Pompeii, Capri & the Amalfi Coast

Pompei walk; 2 miles, easy. Ravello walk; 1 mile easy

Breakfast is included at your hotel. Your guide(s) meet you at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of your Naples hotel. Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please bring your luggage down in the lobby, check out and be dressed for walking.

After an orientation and safety briefing led by your guides, you’ll board a private motorcoach and transfer to Pompeii. Upon arrival, meet a local expert for a guided tour of the site. At dawn on August 25, 79 AD, the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused the total destruction of Pompeii. In just a few moments, all the residents of the city perished, doing whatever they could to survive. Tremendous amounts of ash and cinder covered and preserved the scene exactly as it was at that instant. That’s why, today, we know exactly how Romans lived 2,000 years ago. Your guide will reveal, for example, that posters were used to advertise elections and support party candidates, and that the word “candidate” comes from candid, the name of a special tunic worn by those running for office to prove they had no criminal record. Lunch is on your own in Pompeii.

Early in the afternoon, shuttle to your hotel in Ravello and settle in. Later in the afternoon there is still time to roam the terraces of Ravello with your guides, beginning in the peaceful, pedestrian-only center. Admire the white-faced Duomo in Piazza Vescovado and the Arabic-Norman towers of Villa Rufolo, where German composer Richard Wagner was inspired to create music for the scene in Klingsor’s magic garden in his opera Parsifal.

Tonight, enjoy a welcome cocktail on the panoramic terrace of your hotel before moving to the dining room for dinner.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel:Villa Fraulo

Ravello to Scala and Pontone; 3.2 miles, easy to moderate. Pontone to Amalfi; 3.3 miles, easy

After breakfast, enjoy the morning to explore Ravello or join your guide for a walk in the Dragon Valley to Scala and Pontone. Whichever option you choose, regroup before lunch to start your walk in Pontone and from there trace lemon-laden terraces to the Valley of the Ferriere, a magnificent nature reserve in the Valley of the Mills. As you proceed along a trail covered in moss and ferns, your guides will show you calcara, large pits where lime was made by burning huge blocks of limestone for days. You’ll also see the spandituri, or paper-hangers, buildings now in ruins but once used to dry paper.

Before reaching Amalfi, you’ll stop for lunch in a small family-run agriturismo, that you can only reach on foot. For decades the family of Mom Mena and her daughter Silvia have grown lemons of the Sfusato Amalfitano IGP. You will have the chance to meet the family and taste their Limoncello liquor after a delicious “from farm to table” meal with organic products of the farm.

As you reach Amalfi, you’ll stop at the Museo della Carta, a unique museum housed in an ancient paper mill, where you’ll learn how paper was made from rags. During the 15th century, Amalfi’s paper was so prized that many foreign authors demanded to be published in Naples just so they could use the coveted material. You can buy some of this exquisite handmade paper in the museum’s gift shop.

In Amalfi, enjoy time at leisure to visit the beautiful Duomo and stroll along the charming side streets. Sit down at a sidewalk café and maybe try a delizia al limone—a confection made from Limoncello-soaked sponge cake and lemon custard—or a slice of pastiera, a cake made with ricotta cheese and ground wheat that’s been soaked for several days in running water.

Later in the afternoon, shuttle to your hotel in Ravello and relax by its scenic swimming pool. Or continue exploring the city on your own, keeping your eyes open for a restaurant for dinner on your own tonight.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Villa Fraulo

Ravello to Minori; 3.4 miles, easy, 1,200-ft. elevation loss. Optional independent walk Minori to Ravello; 1 mile, moderate, 1,200-ft. elevation gain

Walk out of Ravello, passing by remarkable monuments and churches. And then, the dramatic green shades of the Dragon Valley come into view with the sea in the distance. Ravello is famous for its churches and you’ll pass many on today’s ramble. The 11th-century San Giovanni del Toro church is one fine example. The route is initially paved following the Valley of Rheghina Minor downhill. Your route then meanders on a well-beaten pathway through a rural landscape of woodlands, passing former paper mills and a few scattered houses. You may occasionally pass pack horses and mules, a transportation method used for ages on the Amalfi coast to carry heavy loads up and down the mountains. You’ll arrive in Minori before lunch time to enjoy the beach and taste the sea with your toes, or more if you like. Feel free to explore the Roman villa (no charge) en route.

Founded by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC, Minori was a favorite Roman summer residence. In Minori, experience the local art of ceramic in an included hands-on class where you craft your own tile under the supervision of a local artisan. Choose from the many cafés for lunch. One highlight is the Sal De Riso pastry shop for decadent cakes.

Early this afternoon, shuttle or walk back to Ravello. The 1,000-step climb through the peaceful hamlet of Torello past the magic silence of the churches that you walk by is worth it for the views.

Back in Ravello, continue your exploration. Perhaps you’ll visit Villa Cimbrone and its beautiful gardens. Ravello is well known for its classical music festivals. To see what’s playing and for assistance with booking tickets, contact the hotel concierge.

Regroup tonight to dine together at a local restaurant with a wonderful sea view.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Villa Fraulo

Agerola to Nocelle & Montepertuso; 4 miles, moderate

Today, shuttle to Agerola, Italy’s dairy capital, where you’ll gradually descend on foot along a scenic stretch between Biscotto Caves and Nocelle known as the “Path of the Gods” for its heavenly views. The path is well-marked and offers views of Capri and the islets of Li Galli, or Sirenuse, where the mythical Sirens attracted seafarers with their melodious songs. Near Colle Serra, where you cross the pass, stop to enjoy an inlcuded picnic lunch prepared by a local farmer and your guides.

You then continue down to Nocelle, where the Path of the Gods ends, and walk a relaxing paved road to Montepertuso, the “perched mountain.” According to legend, this is where the Madonna was challenged by the devil to punch a hole in a towering mountain (pertuso means “hole” in Neapolitan dialect).

Regroup with your guides and transfer to Sorrento. Settle in at your deluxe historical hotel, a former Jesuite monastery and the oldest hotel on the peninsula. Stroll the manicured gardens or the terrace overlooking the bay, enjoy the swimming pool or maybe take advantage of the private beach for a dip in the blue waters.

Tonight dine at your hotel’s fine restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

Capri walk; 4.1 miles, easy to moderate. Optional walk to Augustus Garden; 2.2 miles, easy to moderate

Early this morning, board a hydrofoil to ferry across the Sorrento Peninsula to the celebrated island of Capri.

Arriving at the famous piazzetta, the hub of the island, you’ll set out along an easy walking path leading to Villa Jovis. As you stroll, your senses will be enchanted by the aroma of jasmine and views of manicured gardens full of flowers. You’ll explore Villa Jovis, built by Emperor Tiberius in the first century AD as a strategic point where he could dominate and control the opposite coast. Enjoy incredible views from here. View the Jump of Tiberius—a sheer cliff soaring more than 1,100 feet—the infamous site from which Tiberius had his enemies thrown into the sea.

Continue walking through a thick Mediterranean park where strawberry trees, myrtle, clematis, honeysuckle, laurel, wild asparagus, and cyclamen thrive. After passing by Villa Lysis, built by an eccentric French count in 1905, you can choose to explore Capri’s inviting shops and cafés or continue to Arco Naturale and Grotta di Matermania, a natural cove used to honor Cybele, the Magna Mater, or Great Mother, of the gods. It is located down a long flight of stairs and in a thick forest. This is also an ideal time to stop for lunch on your own in one of the island’s cozy restaurants or to picnic in the shade of a garden overlooking the azure sea.

Your small group will gather after lunch and walk to the eastern rim of the island. Here, you’ll see the amazing and famous Faraglioni cliffs, three rocky colossi protruding from the sea. Then, venture to the Augustus Gardens, for gorgeous views of the cliffs and the curled Via Krupp. The trail ends at Capri’s shopping district. From here, loop back to the piazzetta, where you began your walk.

You’ll have some time to discover the fascinating area around the piazzetta before returning via hydrofoil or ferry to the mainland and Sorrento. En route, take in the panoramic vistas of the Amalfi Coast from the sea. Walk back or shuttle to your hotel and spare some time to enjoy the hotel amenities, including a large manicured garden with swimming pool and private beach.

Dinner is on your own tonight. Perhaps you’ll try Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, made with a tomato sauce and fiordilatte (local mozzarella).

Included Meals: Breakfast
Accomodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

Torca to Lunch Farm: 2.4 miles, moderate. Optional Farm to Sant’Agata walk; 1.2 miles, easy. Optional independent Sant’Agata to Sorrento walk; 4.1 miles, easy

Today, you’ll drive to Sant’Agata dei Due Golfi to the Sorrento Peninsula, where you’ll follow the red-and-white markings of the Alta via dei Monti Lattari trail, a path that winds upwards into a beautiful chestnut forest. As the woods open up, masses of multicolored, aromatic flowers come into view. Right before the promontory of Malacoccola, the view of the entire Gulf of Salerno opens before you. Your lunch stop is an organic farm that has been owned by five generations of the De Gregorio family. You’ll visit their impressive vegetable garden and step into the rooms where olives, tomatoes, broccoli, eggplants, hot peppers and much more are made into delicious preserves and liquors. Later, choose to return to Sorrento on foot or by shuttle, taking in more views of the gulf from above. In Sorrento, enjoy free time to shop, explore the town, or relax at your hotel’s swimming pool and private pier.

Tonight, you’ll gather with your travel mates to feast on gourmet specialties during a festive farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant, overlooking the cliffs of Sorrento.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

This morning, enjoy breakfast and spend another day at Grand Hotel Cocumella. Take a break to relax, and maybe use the complimentary hotel shuttle to visit downtown Sorrento. Perhaps you’ll choose to travel by local bus to Positano. Built as a nativity scene set on the side of a mountain, Positano’s narrow streets are filled with art galleries and boutiques. The clothing industry in Positano was so popular and influential in the 1970s that the style they created became popularly known as “Positano Style.” In addition to clothing, you can find handmade ceramics, jewelry, leather footwear, and paintings by the many artists inspired by the beauty of the region. If you go, make sure you arrive early and enjoy the city before tourists arrive in numbers later in the day.

Tonight’s dinner is on your own with plenty of options nearby.

Included Meals: Breakfast
Accomodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

Pompei walk; 2 miles, easy. Ravello walk; 1 mile easy

Your guide(s) meet you at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please be dressed for walking. Your guides will old a Safety Talk in the hotel meeting room, before getting on the a private motorcach to Pompei.

After an orientation and safety briefing led by your guides, you’ll board a private motorcoach and transfer to Pompeii. Upon arrival, meet a local expert for a guided tour of the site. At dawn on August 25, 79 AD, the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused the total destruction of Pompeii. In just a few moments, all the residents of the city perished, doing whatever they could to survive. Tremendous amounts of ash and cinder covered and preserved the scene exactly as it was at that instant. That’s why, today, we know exactly how Romans lived 2,000 years ago. Your guide will reveal, for example, that posters were used to advertise elections and support party candidates, and that the word “candidate” comes from candid, the name of a special tunic worn by those running for office to prove they had no criminal record. Lunch is on your own in Pompeii.

Early in the afternoon, shuttle to your hotel in Ravello and settle in. Later in the afternoon there is still time to roam the terraces of Ravello with your guides, beginning in the peaceful, pedestrian-only center. Admire the white-faced Duomo in Piazza Vescovado and the Arabic-Norman towers of Villa Rufolo, where German composer Richard Wagner was inspired to create music for the scene in Klingsor’s magic garden in his opera Parsifal.

Tonight, enjoy a welcome cocktail on the panoramic terrace of your hotel before moving to the dining room for dinner.

Included Meals: Dinner
Hotel: Villa Fraulo

Ravello to Scala and Pontone; 3.2 miles, easy to moderate. Pontone to Amalfi; 3.3 miles, easy

After breakfast, enjoy the morning to explore Ravello or join your guide for a walk in the Dragon Valley to Scala and Pontone. Whichever option you choose, regroup before lunch to start your walk in Pontone and from there trace lemon-laden terraces to the Valley of the Ferriere, a magnificent nature reserve in the Valley of the Mills. As you proceed along a trail covered in moss and ferns, your guides will show you calcara, large pits where lime was made by burning huge blocks of limestone for days. You’ll also see the spandituri, or paper-hangers, buildings now in ruins but once used to dry paper.

Before reaching Amalfi, you’ll stop for lunch in a small family-run agriturismo, that you can only reach on foot. For decades the family of Mom Mena and her daughter Silvia have grown lemons of the Sfusato Amalfitano IGP. You will have the chance to meet the family and taste their Limoncello liquor after a delicious “from farm to table” meal with organic products of the farm.

As you reach Amalfi, you’ll stop at the Museo della Carta, a unique museum housed in an ancient paper mill, where you’ll learn how paper was made from rags. During the 15th century, Amalfi’s paper was so prized that many foreign authors demanded to be published in Naples just so they could use the coveted material. You can buy some of this exquisite handmade paper in the museum’s gift shop.

In Amalfi, enjoy time at leisure to visit the beautiful Duomo and stroll along the charming side streets. Sit down at a sidewalk café and maybe try a delizia al limone—a confection made from Limoncello-soaked sponge cake and lemon custard—or a slice of pastiera, a cake made with ricotta cheese and ground wheat that’s been soaked for several days in running water.

Later in the afternoon, shuttle to your hotel in Ravello and relax by its scenic swimming pool. Or continue exploring the city on your own, keeping your eyes open for a restaurant for dinner on your own tonight.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Villa Fraulo

Ravello to Minori; 3.4 miles, easy, 1,200-ft. elevation loss. Optional independent walk Minori to Ravello; 1 mile, moderate, 1,200-ft. elevation gain

Walk out of Ravello, passing by remarkable monuments and churches. And then, the dramatic green shades of the Dragon Valley come into view with the sea in the distance. Ravello is famous for its churches and you’ll pass many on today’s ramble. The 11th-century San Giovanni del Toro church is one fine example. The route is initially paved following the Valley of Rheghina Minor downhill. Your route then meanders on a well-beaten pathway through a rural landscape of woodlands, passing former paper mills and a few scattered houses. You may occasionally pass pack horses and mules, a transportation method used for ages on the Amalfi coast to carry heavy loads up and down the mountains. You’ll arrive in Minori before lunch time to enjoy the beach and taste the sea with your toes, or more if you like. Feel free to explore the Roman villa (no charge) en route. Founded by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC, Minori was a favorite Roman summer residence. In Minori, experience the local art of ceramic in an included hands-on class where you craft your own tile under the supervision of a local artisan. Choose from the many cafés for lunch. One highlight is the Sal De Riso pastry shop for decadent cakes.
Early this afternoon, shuttle or walk back to Ravello. The 1,000-step climb through the peaceful hamlet of Torello past the magic silence of the churches that you walk by is worth it for the views.

Back in Ravello, continue your exploration. Perhaps you’ll visit Villa Cimbrone and its beautiful gardens. Ravello is well known for its classical music festivals. To see what’s playing and for assistance with booking tickets, contact the hotel concierge.

Regroup tonight to dine together at a local restaurant with a wonderful sea view.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Villa Fraulo

Agerola to Nocelle & Montepertuso; 4 miles, moderate

Today, shuttle to Agerola, Italy’s dairy capital, where you’ll gradually descend on foot along a scenic stretch between Biscotto Caves and Nocelle known as the “Path of the Gods” for its heavenly views. The path is well-marked and offers views of Capri and the islets of Li Galli, or Sirenuse, where the mythical Sirens attracted seafarers with their melodious songs. Near Colle Serra, where you cross the pass, stop to enjoy an inlcuded picnic lunch prepared by a local farmer and your guides.
You then continue down to Nocelle, where the Path of the Gods ends, and walk a relaxing paved road to Montepertuso, the “perched mountain.” According to legend, this is where the Madonna was challenged by the devil to punch a hole in a towering mountain (pertuso means “hole” in Neapolitan dialect).

Regroup with your guides and transfer to Sorrento. Settle in at your deluxe historical hotel, a former Jesuite monastery and the oldest hotel on the peninsula. Stroll the manicured gardens or the terrace overlooking the bay, enjoy the swimming pool or maybe take advantage of the private beach for a dip in the blue waters.

Tonight dine at your hotel’s fine restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

Capri walk; 4.1 miles, easy to moderate. Optional walk to Augustus Garden; 2.2 miles, easy to moderate

Early this morning, board a hydrofoil to ferry across the Sorrento Peninsula to the celebrated island of Capri.

Arriving at the famous piazzetta, the hub of the island, you’ll set out along an easy walking path leading to Villa Jovis. As you stroll, your senses will be enchanted by the aroma of jasmine and views of manicured gardens full of flowers. You’ll explore Villa Jovis, built by Emperor Tiberius in the first century AD as a strategic point where he could dominate and control the opposite coast. Enjoy incredible views from here. View the Jump of Tiberius—a sheer cliff soaring more than 1,100 feet—the infamous site from which Tiberius had his enemies thrown into the sea.

Continue walking through a thick Mediterranean park where strawberry trees, myrtle, clematis, honeysuckle, laurel, wild asparagus, and cyclamen thrive. After passing by Villa Lysis, built by an eccentric French count in 1905, you can choose to explore Capri’s inviting shops and cafés or continue to Arco Naturale and Grotta di Matermania, a natural cove used to honor Cybele, the Magna Mater, or Great Mother, of the gods. It is located down a long flight of stairs and in a thick forest. This is also an ideal time to stop for lunch on your own in one of the island’s cozy restaurants or to picnic in the shade of a garden overlooking the azure sea.

Your small group will gather after lunch and walk to the eastern rim of the island. Here, you’ll see the amazing and famous Faraglioni cliffs, three rocky colossi protruding from the sea. Then, venture to the Augustus Gardens, for gorgeous views of the cliffs and the curled Via Krupp. The trail ends at Capri’s shopping district. From here, loop back to the piazzetta, where you began your walk.

You’ll have some time to discover the fascinating area around the piazzetta before returning via hydrofoil or ferry to the mainland and Sorrento. En route, take in the panoramic vistas of the Amalfi Coast from the sea. Walk back or shuttle to your hotel and spare some time to enjoy the hotel amenities, including a large manicured garden with swimming pool and private beach.

Dinner is on your own tonight. Perhaps you’ll try Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, made with a tomato sauce and fiordilatte (local mozzarella).

Included Meals: Breakfast
Accomodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

Torca to Lunch Farm: 2.4 miles, moderate. Optional Farm to Sant’Agata walk; 1.2 miles, easy. Optional independent Sant’Agata to Sorrento walk; 4.1 miles, easy

Today, you’ll drive to Sant’Agata dei Due Golfi to the Sorrento Peninsula, where you’ll follow the red-and-white markings of the Alta via dei Monti Lattari trail, a path that winds upwards into a beautiful chestnut forest. As the woods open up, masses of multicolored, aromatic flowers come into view. Right before the promontory of Malacoccola, the view of the entire Gulf of Salerno opens before you. Your lunch stop is an organic farm that has been owned by five generations of the De Gregorio family. You’ll visit their impressive vegetable garden and step into the rooms where olives, tomatoes, broccoli, eggplants, hot peppers and much more are made into delicious preserves and liquors. Later, choose to return to Sorrento on foot or by shuttle, taking in more views of the gulf from above. In Sorrento, enjoy free time to shop, explore the town, or relax at your hotel’s swimming pool and private pier.

Tonight, you’ll gather with your travel mates to feast on gourmet specialties during a festive farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant, overlooking the cliffs of Sorrento.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Cocumella

This morning, enjoy breakfast and bid your guides farewell. Your tour ends here. Public transportation is available near your hotel to take you back to Naples or elsewhere on the Amalfi Coast to continue exploring.