Italy

ROME

Departure from JFK Fly AA 236

depart at 4:45 pm _ arrive in FCO ( Rome) at 7:15 am next day. Non stop fly. 8h30m duration.

Arrive in Rome airport , meet with your tour guide and transfer in private bus to Tivoli.

Guided visit of Villa D’Este, a 16th-century villa in Tivoli, near Rome, famous for its terraced hillside Italian Renaissance garden and especially for its profusion of fountains. It is now an Italian state museum, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ( about 2 h guided tour).

Lunch: at the restaurant “ Il Ciocco’” in Tivoli.

Afternoon departure in private bus to the hotel in central Rome : “ Le Meridien Visconti”.

3 stops along the way:

1 Catacombe of San Callisto; visit down in the Catacombe with expert guide.

2 Church of San Paolo fuori le mura. visit of this basilica in details.

3 L’Aventino, one of the 7 hils of Ancien Rome. Popular for its view of Saint Peter’s Dome through a Keyhole.

Dinner at the restaurant of the hotel.

ROME

Breakfast at the hotel.

All day walking tour with our expert tour guide graduated in Art and History.

Morning: Piazza del Popolo, Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, Piazza di Spagna, Trinita’ dei Monti, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, Church of Saint Agostino,( First conceived in 1286, the current basilica (completed in 1483) is known for its Roman renaissance architecture style; housing artwork by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Guercino; and being the final burial place of Augustine's mother Saint Monica.), Church of Saint Maria della Pace.(the unveiling of the billowing, sculpted façade as you approach down narrow streets is magical, and the architectural promenade around into the courtyard then back into the body of the church is a delight).

Lunch at “ La Fraschetta di Castel Sant’Angelo

Afternoon: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter Basilica.

Dinner: At the restaurant in the hotel

ROME

Breakfast at the hotel.

All day walking tour.

Morning: Ancient Rome, Foro Romano, Il Palatino, Colonna di Traiano, Fori Imperiali, Colosseo.

Lunch: “ Hostaria al Gladiatore”

Afternoon: Visit of Palazzo Colonna, the Gardens, The Gallery, the apartment of Princess Isabelle and the private visit of Padiglione Pio.

The Palazzo Colonna is one of the oldest and largest private palaces in Rome and a hidden gem. Construction of the palace started in the 14th century by the Colonna family.

Dinner: “Ristorante Visconti”

ROME

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: visit of Basilica di San Clemente and the Catacombs, Battistero e Piazza del Laterano, Church of San Giovanni in Laterano, In the centre of the church is the gothically decorated papal altar with relics from Paul and Peter behind golden bars.

The church also has twelve statues representing the apostles, made by students of Bernini.

The frescos on the ceiling were a design by Michelangelo, but they were carried out by his apprentice, Giacomo della Porta.

The green central doors of the church originally came from the senate building on the Forum Romanum.

The church contains six papal tombs: Pope Sergius IV (1009-1012), Pope Alexander III (1159-1181), Pope Innocent III (1198-1216), Pope Martinus V (1417-1431), Pope Clement XII (1730-1740) and Pope Leo XII (1878 -1903). and Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is proclaimed by most scholars as the second most beautiful church in Rome. Only St. Peter's Basilica itself is said to be more grandiose. One of the four major basilicas in Rome, it was the first church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and possesses a rich history.

Lunch: “Hostaria la Carbonara”

Afternoon: Villa Borghese, the Gardens, Borghese”s gallery and the Pincio.

Dinner: “Ristorante Les Etoiles”.

ROME-NAPLES

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out at noon.

Morning: walking tour of Castel Sant’ Angelo, Pantheon, Bocca della Verita’, Piazza della Minerva, Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Farnese, il Ghetto.

Lunch: independent

Afternoon:

free for shopping or private visit.

In alternative guided tour of Villa Pamphili, one of Rome's grandest art collections, with a visit to the spectacular Doria Pamphilj Gallery. Once the domain of rich aristocrats, the unassuming facade of the building gives way to reveal an astonishing opulent interior.

Floor-to-ceiling paintings adorn the walls, and masters such as Raphael, Tintoretto, Titian, Caravaggio, and Velázquez are just some of the artists represented in this magnificent collection.

Meeting at the hotel at 4:30 pm

Departure for Naples in a private bus ( about 2 hours trip)

Check in hotel: “ San Francesco al Monte”

Dinner : in the restaurant of the hotel.

NAPLES

Breakfast a the hotel.

All day visit of the city with our local tour guide. ( about from 9am to 6:30 pm).

We will visit La Margellina, the waterfront, Piazza del Plebiscito, Toledo street, Quartieri Spagnoli, Galleria Umberto I, the Royal Palace, Basilica of San Francesco da Paola, Posillipo, Maschio Angioino.

Lunch: In a famous Pizzeria to taste the real Neapolitan pizza (included).

Dinner: in the hotel’s restaurant.

NAPLES-POMPEI-AMALFI

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and with our private bus we will go to Pompei.

Visit the archeologic site with our tour guide.

Approx. from 9:30 am to 1pm

Lunch in “la bettola del gusto” restaurant in Pompei

A Transfer to Amalfi in private bus with tour guide.

Check in hotel : “ Marina Riviera”

Visit of Amalfi, walking tour with our tour guide.

Dinner: Restaurant “Marina Grande”

AMALFI-CAPRI-AMALFI

Breakfast at the hotel.

Entire day excursion in private boat to Capri. From Amalfi/to Amalfi.

Visit of the island of Capri, with available time to swim in the beautiful water, visit of the Grotta Azzurra.

Lunch: independent in Capri

Dinner: “ Ristorante Torre Saracena”

AMALFI-POSITANO-RAVELLO-AMALFI

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Visit of Positano with private tour guide.

Lunch: in the Marisa Cuomo Vineyard.

visit of the vineyard, tasting and lunch

Afternoon: visit of Ravello with private tour guide.

Dinner: at the restaurant of the hotel

AMALFI-PAESTUM-POLLINO PARK-VIBO VALENTIA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and departure in private bus to Paestum.

Paestum was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia. The ruins of Paestum are famous for their three ancient Greek temples in the Doric order, dating from about 550 to 450 BC, which are in an excellent state of preservation.

Visit of the archeological site.

Lunch: In the Park of the Pollino.

Family restaurant: “ La Torretta” in Piazza Vittorio Veneto a Giungano.

Afternoon: departure to Vibo Valentia ( about 4hours trip)

Check in hotel: “Cala del Porto”

Dinner: in the famous restaurant of the hotel : “ L’Approdo”

After dinner tasting of the famous artisanal truffle ice cream

VIBO VALENTIA-MESSINA-PALERMO/MONDELLO

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and departure to Messina in private bus ( about 1 hour trip). We will take the boat from Calabria ( Villa San Giovanni) to Sicily ( about 20 minutes boat trip).

Visit of Messina with local tour guide.

Lunch: independent

Afternoon: departure for Palermo/ Mondello

(About 2h and 45min trip)

Check in hotel: “ Mondello Palace Hotel”.

Dinner: at the restaurant “Argonauti” in the hotel.

PALERMO-MONREALE-MARSALA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out

Morning: visit of the city with local tour guide.

The Cathedral, The Teatro Massimo, Palazzo Normanno, Quattro Canti ( officially Piazza Vigliena, a baroque square in Palermo) it is laid out on the orders of the Viceroy”s between 1608-1620. The piazza is octagonal.

The church of St. Mary of the Admiral, Royal Palace and the Palatine chapel is the Royal Chapel of the Norman Palace.

Lunch: Independent in local market called Vucciria ( street food).

Afrenoon: departure for Monreale and visit of the city. Then we will go to Marsala to the vineyard of Donnafugata for a tasting of local wines paired with traditional sicilian dishes.

Check in hotel: Grand hotel Palace

Dinner: at the restaurant of the hotel, followed by a tasting of the local liquor Marsala.

MARSALA- SALINE IN MARSALA LAGOON-ERICE-MARSALA

Breakfast in hotel.

Morning: excursion to the saline of the Laguna of Marsala; historic salt production area with tour.

Visit of the city of Marsala with our local tour guide.

Lunch: independent

Afternoon: excursion to Erice, a village that preserved intact the charm of an ancient medieval village animated by typical craft shops (finely decorated ceramics, colorful hand-woven carpets, traditional sweets made with almond and candied fruit). Pleasant walk in Erice among the ancient churches and uninhabited houses mainly dating back to the nineteenth century. The Matrice church, the castles and the Balio garden are symbolic places of the village of Erice and places steeped in centuries of history, symbols, cultures and esoteric knowledge. Erice also maintains a long wall of Elymian Punic origin: even today it is possible to glimpse letters of the Phoenician alphabet between one boulder and another.

Dinner: at the restaurant of the hotel

MARSALA-AGRIGENTO-CALTAGIRONE-RAGUSA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and departure for Agrigento.

Morning: visit of the world famous “Valle dei Templi” with local tour guide.

Lunch: In the local restaurant “Il re do Girgenti”

Afternoon: departure for Caltagirone and visit of the village with local tour guide.

Caltagirone is most famous for its ceramics and long ceramic-decorated staircase. The city is one of the eight world heritage listed "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto".

End of the afternoon we will arrive to Ragusa.

Visit of the city with local tour guide.

Check in hotel : Relais Antica Badia di San Maurizio

Dinner: at the restaurant of the relais

RAGUSA-MODICA-SCIGLIO-NOTO-SIRACUSA

Breakfast at the hotel

Check out and entire day excursion to Modica, Scigli, Noto and we will end our day in Siracusa.

Lunch: independent during our excursion

Modica is known for its spectacular Baroque architecture and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other 7 towns in the Val di Noto in Sicily for its Baroque art

Aside from being known for its beautiful baroque architecture, Scicli is most known for its famous TV detective. Commissario Montalbano (Inspector Montalbano) is an Italian TV series based on the novels of Andrea Camilleri. The show takes place in a fictional town in Sicily called Vigàta, which in reality is Scicli.

Noto is famous for its buildings from the early 18th century, many of which are considered to be among the finest examples of Sicilian baroque style. It is a place of many religious buildings and several palaces.

Check in hotel in Siracusa Grand Hotel Villa Politi

Dinner: in the hotel’s restaurant

SIRACUSA-MOUNT ETNA-TAORMINA-REGGIO CALABRIA

Breakfast at the hotel.

check out and departure for our excursion to the Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes and is in an almost constant state of activity.

Lunch: independent

Afternoon: Excursion to Taormina, the most beautiful town in Sicily, an old hilltop town full of history and culture and by the sea. Taormina is famous for its beauty, its incredible heritage in history, archaeology and architecture.

At the end of the afternoon we will take our boat back to the continent.

Arrive in Reggio Calabria

Check in hotel : “Grand Hotel Excelsior”

Dinner: at the restaurant of the hotel

REGGIO CALABRIA-MATERA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit of the Bronzi di Riace in the museum in Reggio Calabria.

Visit of the city with our tour guide and a lunch in the famous artisanal gelateria “Il Bergamotto” ( bergamotto ice cream flavor).

Afternoon: departure for Matera

visit of the city of the Sassi. The Sassi di Matera are two districts (Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano) of the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata, well-known for their ancient cave dwellings inhabited since the Paleolithic period.

The "Sassi" have been described by Fodor's as "one of the most unique landscapes in Europe". Along with the park of the Rupestrian Churches, it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.

Check in hotel: “ Sant’ Angelo luxury resort”

Dinner: at the restaurant of the hotel

MATERA-ALBEROBELLO

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out

Morning: visit of the sassi with local tour guide

Lunch: independent

Afternoon: departure for Alberobello and visit of the characteristic “trulli”

The trulli, typical limestone dwellings of Alberobello in the southern Italian region of Puglia, are remarkable examples of corbelled dry-stone construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in this region. These structures, dating from as early as the mid-14th century, characteristically feature pyramidal, domed, or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs. Although rural trulli can be found all along the Itria Valley, their highest concentration and best preserved examples of this architectural form are in the town of Alberobello, where there are over 1500 structures in the quarters of Rione Monti and Aja Piccola.

Check in hotel: “ Hotel Sant ‘Antonio”

Dinner at the hotel’s restaurant

ALBEROBELLO-CASTEL DEL MONTE-TAURASI-CASERTA

Breakfast at the hotel.

check out and departure for Castel del Monte, literally “Castle of the Mount,” is living proof of the brilliant and curious mind of its founder, the Emperor Frederik II. Famous for his love of justice and peace but also his pride and ambition, Frederik II ordered the construction of the building in 1240 only to see it abandoned a few years later.

Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel. Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique. The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor. Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's canter. Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.

Visit of the castle.

Lunch: in the local restaurant around the Castle.

Afternoon:

arrive in Taurasi to Antonio Caggiano Vineyard, home of the famous wine Taurasi.

Visit of the vineyard, testing and dinner.

Check in hotel in Caserta: “ hotel Royal Caserta”

CASERTA-TIVOLI VILLA ADRIANA-OSTIA- AEROPORTO FIUMICINO

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out

Morning: visit of the Reggia di Caserta, The Royal Palace of Caserta is a former royal residence in Caserta, southern Italy, constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence as kings of Naples. It is the largest palace erected in Europe during the 18th century.

In 1997, the palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site; its nomination described it as "the swan song of the spectacular art of the Baroque, from which it adopted all the features needed to create the illusions of multidirectional space". In terms of volume, the Royal Palace of Caserta is the largest royal residence in the world with over 2 million m3 and covering an area of 47,000 meter square.

Lunch: In ristorante “ Il Ciocco’” Tivoli

After the visit departure to Villa Adriana in Tivoli ( where our journeys begin)

Hadrian's Villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the ruins and archaeological remains of a large villa complex built c. AD 120 by Roman Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli outside Rome.

End of the afternoon we will go to Ostia for a brief visit of the Ostia Antica, a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 15 miles (25 kilometres) southwest of Rome.

At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but due to silting the site now lies 3 kilometres (2 miles) from the sea. The site is noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings, magnificent frescoes and impressive mosaics.

Dinner: in a seafood restaurant along the sea in Ostia

Check in hotel Hilton in Roma airport (Fiumicino)

AEROPORTO FIUMICINO

Breakfast at the hotel.

check out and departure with AA235 fly at 10:30 am. Arrive in JFK at 2:10 pm.

9h40m fly - non stop