TOUR OF ROME AND AMALFI COAST

20 May 2024 - 29 May 2024

Our 2-centre spring tour of Italy will take you to two unforgettable yet distinctly different regions of this fascinating country. You will fly into Rome where you will spend 4 nights, before taking the high-speed train down to Naples. You will stay on the Amalfi coast for 5 nights, departing on your flight from Naples.

Wonder at the famous Roman landmarks: The Vatican, The Colosseum, The Roman Forum and more! In Amalfi, you will match culture with beauty by visiting the emotional, yet remarkable and almost surreal ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the stunning, breath-taking scenery of Amalfi and Capri.

THE ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Rome

Private Transfer from the airport to the hotel.

Hotel check-in is normally around 3pm

Free time for the remainder of the day.  Your Hostess will meet you in the hotel bar in the evening for a drink to introduce herself and introduce you all to one another.

Your hotel will be the 4 * Monti Palace, in a single room on a Bed and Breakfast basis. 

Day 2: Rome

After breakfast, your hostess will join you on a private transfer from your hotel to the Colosseum. Here you will meet your guide and start your exploration of true Roman heritage during your half-day tour.

Set out to explore Rome’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, starting with a tour of the mighty Colosseum

As you admire the impressively preserved ruins, your guide brings the Colosseum back to life, telling stories of ancient Roman emperors, gladiator games, and wild beast fights.

Continue to the Roman Forum, the grand centrepiece of ancient Rome, where the remarkably preserved temples, basilicas, and public squares offer a fascinating glimpse into Roman life.

The afternoon will be free for you to continue to explore the enchanting city of Rome.

Day 3: Rome

After breakfast your hostess will join you on a private transfer from your hotel to the Vatican.

During your visit, you will have a chance to see one of the world’s finest collections of sculptures, carvings, frescoes and paintings. Your expert tour guide will focus your attention on the most important masterpieces and on making this experience easy and unforgettable. Enjoy the impressive Belvedere Courtyard and then stroll through the most interesting rooms and galleries of the museum complex. Marvel at the famous Laocoon and the Belvedere Torso in the sculpture museum, deeply revered by Michelangelo and other Renaissance artists. Explore the Gallery of Tapestries and the Gallery of Maps. Be stunned by Michelangelo’s masterpieces inside the Sistine Chapel. As you enter the Basilica itself you will stand in awe at the wonder of this spiritual place.

Your afternoon will be free for you to continue exploring.

Day 4: Rome

You have a free day to explore at your leisure, go shopping or just rest at the Hotel!

Day 5: Amalfi Coast

Your hostess will accompany you on a private transfer from the hotel to Roma Termini train station where you will pick up the train to Salerno. On your arrival in Salerno, you will meet your driver to transfer to Hotel Villa Romana

The Hotel Villa Romana is located in the municipality of Minori, a gem of the Amalfi Coast, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and just a few steps from the historical centre.

The rest of the day at leisure - why not enjoy the Hotel’s exclusive Spa facilities?

Your 5-night stay at Villa Romana is on half board, so dinner is included.

Day 6: Amalfi Coast

After breakfast, your hostess will accompany you on a private transfer to Pompei where you will meet the guide and you will start the visit. After Pompeii you will continue onto Herculaneum where you will visit the archaeological park

Pompeii is a vast archaeological site with many points of interest including the precious UNESCO heritage of the excavations of Pompeii.

The Forum of Pompeii - like any Roman forum - was the commercial hub of the city. You’ll see the ancient artisan workshops, the political and administrative buildings, the granaries of the Forum, the macellum and the spa. Imagine how crowded the Forum Square could be at the time: the city of Pompeii housed more than 10 thousand inhabitants!

The Villa dei Misteri is the most famous in the whole city of Pompeii. It is a Roman villa just outside the walls to the north of the city and its location is great for admiring the panorama of the excavations of Pompeii and the Gulf of Naples. Known for its frescoes - especially those depicting Dionysus - the Villa dei Misteri is a fixed stop on all the itineraries in Pompeii.

The theatre area is the most famous place in the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. The Orto dei Fuggiaschi is the site where you can see the casts of some Pompeian men and women who tried to save themselves from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 B.C.

Your itinerary in Pompeii ends with the amphitheatre. This building is the oldest amphitheatre preserved to this day and dates back to the year 80 B.C. The amphitheatre of Pompeii was the scene of gladiatorial fights and could accommodate up to 20 thousand spectators.

The legendary history of Herculaneum is contained in its original place name Herculaneum, according to tradition the ancient city, buried by the famous eruption of Vesuvius, in 79 d. C., was founded by the legendary Greek hero Hercules (Hercules), in 1243 BC.

Thanks to the beauty of the place and the climate, the city became one of the most beautiful residential places of the Roman patriciate, who built great residences there. The terrible eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79 erased the city in a few hours, burying it under twenty-three meters of mud and ashes, which preserved almost perfectly the ancient houses, theatres and temples.

Day 7: Amalfi Coast

After breakfast, your hostess will join you on your tour of the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno.

Celebrated worldwide for its Mediterranean landscape and natural diversity, the coast is named after the town of Amalfi, which makes up its main historical and political centre. It has been a very popular tourist destination since the 18th century. It attracts thousands of international tourists of all classes annually. The Amalfi Coast was listed as a Unesco Heritage in 1997.

The Amalfi Coast contains a variety of wonders to explore, enclosed in the various small municipalities; Among the most beautiful villages are:

  • Amalfi, which gives its name to the entire coast and is rich in history

  • Positano, characterised by the fashion that attracts VIPs every year and long staircases leading to the beach

  • Ravello, the city of music, offering an unparalleled panorama

  • Minori, which preserves its antiquity and is connected by the path of lemons to

  • Maiori, another less ancient city offering wonderful beaches, and

  • Vietri sul Mare, renowned for its precious ceramic decorations that surround every corner.

Day 8: Amalfi Coast

After breakfast, transfer to Salerno port where you will embark on your private boat tour to Capri

This is how the great writer Raffaele La Capria describes Capri in one of the books he dedicate to this beautiful island, and where he left his heart and his most beautiful memories.

‘Capri is vertical - it’s all a climb with the look, and with the look down. And always find the blue, even if it is not the same blue, never. And always find transparencies, which however are not the same transparencies, never. Sky and sea are reflected on top of one another always lies, the colour if they steal each other, but their reflections do not resemble each other. Never’

Capri is part of the metropolitan city of Naples. On this island, there are two important towns, Capri and Anacapri, connected by a panoramic road, walkable in ten minutes.

It is an island of karst origin, once united to the Sorrento peninsula; evidence of which are the numerous caves that can be found there, some reachable only by sea. The best known is undoubtedly the Blue Grotto.

An interesting characteristic of the island is also the so-called Faraglioni di Capri, cliffs with sheer walls located a few meters from the coast, created by the erosive action of the wave motion.

Day 9: Amalfi Coast

A day of leisure for you to explore the area alone or relax at your hotel.

Day 10: Departure day

After checking out of your hotel your private transfer will take you to Naples Airport or to the train station

Dates: 20 MAY 2024 (10 days/9 nights)

£4600 per person

PLEASE NOTE FLIGHTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ABOVE PRICE BUT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS. ARRIVING INTO ROME AND DEPARTING NAPLES

Tour Includes:

  • 4 nights Monti Palace Roma, single comfort room, on a bed and breakfast basis

  • 5 nights Villa Romana Hotel, Amalfi Coast, single comfort room on half board basis  - breakfast and dinner included

  • Vatican Museums with English-speaking guide

  • Colosseum and Roman Forum Private Tour with English-speaking guide

  • Train Rome to Salerno

  • Pompeii and Herculaneum entrance fees and English-speaking guides on the tours

  • Amalfi Coast and Capri tours with English-speaking guides

  • Private airport transfers, private transfers for rail travel

  • Private tour leader throughout the tour

Not Included:

  • Tips and gratuities

  • Alcohol and other beverages unless stated

  • Lunches and evening meals in Rome

  • Lunches in Amalfi 

  • Flights

  • Hotel tax which must be paid directly to the hotel at the end of your stay – varies depending on location but is normally Euros 3 per person per night. 

FAQs

  • Yes, you do. Please ensure you have full personal travel insurance for the trip. Personal, comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for each individual joining the tour and should be purchased by the individual prior to booking. Your travel insurance MUST include airline cancellation cover.

  • No, all rooms are single occupancy only.

  • The climate in Italy in May ranges from perfect to good depending on the region and city, Rome can get very hot but in May it should remain in the early 20s . May can be a little rainy, but it is so hard to predict these days unfortunately. Seems to change every year. The south often remains hot for longer there than other areas and, with sea temperatures around 24°C, the beach is still a popular destination.

  • We need a 12 people to run the tour.

  • A reasonable level of mobility is required as there will be some walking, mainly on the flat, and not all attractions have elevators.

  • A 30% deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your place:

    The balance of Euros 2905 is due on 20 March 2024.

  • Cancellation prior to balance payment = 50% loss of deposit. Cancellation after balance payment = 100% cancellation charges.

  • If the Italian Government bans travel due to COVID then we will issue a full refund. If travel is prohibited by other respective Governments then we will issue a credit note or full refund depending on the circumstances.

Terms & Conditions:

A 30% deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your place: Euros €1245

The balance of Euros €2905 is due on 20 March 2024.

Cancellation prior to balance payment = 50% loss of deposit.  Cancellation after balance payment = 100% cancellation charges. 

If the Italian Government bans travel due to COVID then we will issue a full refund.  If travel is prohibited by other respective Governments then we will issue a credit note or full refund depending on the circumstances. 

Personal, comprehensive travel insurance is required for each individual joining the tour and must be purchased by the individual prior to booking.