Day 1

You should arrive at the airport to take your flight to Naples. On arrival a coach will take us to Sorrento, a lovely base for our holiday (journey approximately one hour, fifteen minutes). You have a choice of carefully selected hotels. They are all well managed and a very good quality within their category. All have good restaurants where we take breakfast and dinner.

Day 2

Sorrento has been a resort for centuries and over the years has developed with great style, so today we have a rather lazy day commencing with a short walking tour. The Romans were aware of Sorrento’s attributes and the area is dotted with the remains of their opulent villas. During the 18th century it became part of the Grand Tour for Europe’s aristocracy with classic hotels being built around  the old cliff-top town. Today, spared the excesses of modern development, Sorrento is delightful and so typical of the South of Italy. Tiny winding streets lined with tall, seemingly crumbling buildings complete with their faded facades of ochre, yellow and magenta are now home to superb shops and cosy restaurants. The stylish young astride their Vespas are everywhere, and every bench is full of splendidly turned out senior citizens superbly dressed no matter how hot the weather – all having time to pass a few words in the street.

Day 3

Capri is renowned the world over for its outstanding natural beauty and so today we will take the short boat ride to the island. It has long been the most sought-after part of the Bay of Naples: not only attracting three Roman emperors, but also writers such as D.H. Lawrence and George Bernard Shaw who sought inspiration here. Famous names such as Gracie Fields and Graham Greene amongst many others have made it their home. It is easy to see why it is so adored, as we approach the island you can see small fishing boats rising and falling with the gentle waves, with pretty shops and restaurants lining the busy quayside. The picturesque main town is perched on the hill looking down on the quaint harbour below. You may wish to visit the famous Blue Grotto – the large cavern which can only be reached by boat and by a freak of nature is bathed in incandescent blue light – hence its name. Yes, Capri really does deserve its reputation as a Garden of Eden. We then take the boat to the mainland and return to our hotel.

Day 4

We all know the story of Pompeii, however, it is more than a series of ruins, the state of preservation is astonishing and even if you are not interested in history you cannot fail to be moved by the scale of the city, the construction of which appears to put our modern structures to shame especially when you consider no machines were available. Much of our knowledge about the way of life of the ordinary Romans, their habits, social structure, class systems and domestic arrangements has come from here. Some of the baths are virtually complete as are various murals and mosaics, with some buildings having graffiti describing political events, romantic entanglements and gossip of the time! You can even see the traffic calming measures, how the one-way system operated and appreciate the very high standard of living evident in Roman Pompeii. The atmosphere is eerie, as preserved for all time are the pained facial expressions of the victims of Vesuvius.
This morning we will have a guided tour of this fascinating city before visiting the perpetrator of this cataclysmic act, Vesuvius itself. Bizarrely enough, the bottom of the volcano is now populated again with the lower slopes producing some of the finest wine in the area! The coach will take us most of the way up, giving panoramic views of the whole bay and the almost lunar landscape caused by the last eruption. We then return to the hotel in time for dinner after an interesting, thought-provoking day, the memories of which really will last a lifetime.

Day 5

Today you have a free day in Sorrento to spend as you wish. So what is it to be? Take a trip on a boat, shop in the high class boutiques, have a lazy lunch or simply catch up on some reading – the choice is yours.

Day 6

Today, we take the drive north around the bay to the cosmopolitan city of Naples where we enjoy a panoramic tour of the city, seeing many of the principal monuments and the heights of Capodimonte, which affords lovely views. For many the highlight of a visit to Naples is a visit to the Archaeological Museum which is one of the finest of its kind. When the excavations commenced in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum, the best of the finds were brought here and displayed to an eager public. There is a very extensive display of remarkably preserved mosaics giving a superb insight into the way of life and even sense of humour of the ordinary Roman. Other sections include murals, figures, fine pottery, ropes and even preserved food. One of the central displays is of some of the largest classical sculpture ever found and the museum as a whole complements your visit to Pompeii admirably.

Day 7

After breakfast we take you on a breathtaking day out. When you see it, we think you will agree the Amalfi coastline is, as it claims to be, Europe’s most beautiful. We explore the coast as it winds around towering cliffs, dipping almost sheer to the beautiful blue sea below with birds soaring above and the air heavy with the typically Mediterranean scent of pine forest and wild flowers. We arrive above the exclusive resort of Positano clinging pyramid-like to the cliff-face, giving a view, which has inspired countless artists and today is the haunt of even more numerous celebrities. Next it’s Amalfi, a picturesque village in a gorgeous setting, possessing charm in abundance and perhaps the highlight of the coast. Just inland is the stunning village of Ravello, with its unrivalled location perched like an eagle’s nest on a shelf above Amalfi, affording some amazing views. It has an ambience of its own and a wonderful main square surrounded by delightful small cafés and the Villa Rufolo – once the headquarters of a city-state, now a charming collection of medieval buildings, statues, tasteful walled gardens and the setting for Wagner’s opera Parsifal.

Day 8

Today we return to Naples airport, at the appropriate time, to take our return flight, after a really memorable and unique tour.