Grand Tour
Art, food and wine
GRAND TOUR OF CAMPANIA & THE 5 SENSES 2026-27
BUY ITALY BY GUINESS
NAPLES - CAPRI - ISCHIA - PROCIDA - POZZUOLI - BACOLI - CASERTA - SAN LEUCIO - POMPEII - PAESTUM - VELIA - PERTOSA - PADULA - BENEVENTO
Naples - Piazza del Plebiscito
Travel Dates
Departures 2027
- 14/22 May
- 10/18 September
- 15/23 October
Plus Guiness
- All-inclusive minibar service on board the coach
- 6 typical lunches in restaurants
- Visit to the Strega Alberti factory with tasting
- Ferry from Naples to Ischia & Capri
- Various wine and local product tastings
- Drinks included with meals
- City taxes included
- Individual wireless audio-guide system
- Exclusive travel experience with a maximum of 25 participants
Why this Trip?
- To discover Naples and its UNESCO-listed historic centre
- To explore the many treasures of Campania Felix
- To rediscover unique flavours and aromas
- Trip description
- Travel program
- Travel participation fees
- Entrance fees
- Our hotels
- Info and opening hours
Procida and the Corricella: the colorful fishermen’s village
Procida, a jewel of the Gulf of Naples, was named Italy’s Capital of Culture in 2022—the first island ever to receive this prestigious title. The recognition was awarded not only for its thoughtful and poetic cultural vision, but also for its timeless charm.
The Corricella remains the island’s most iconic postcard: a cascade of pastel houses clustered together, their vivid colors glowing in the sun, watched over by the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In 2015, this picturesque setting was even featured by Apple and Microsoft to showcase the color quality of the iPhone 6S and the Surface Pro 4.
Wandering through its maze of narrow streets, you might meet Felice Pagano—known to everyone as Felice Mare. Like many locals, he spent years at sea (Procida is home to Europe’s oldest nautical institute, founded in 1875). Today, he runs a small boat-shaped kiosk where he serves what many claim is the best granita on the island.
Another familiar face is Maria Costagliola Lotorchisco, who has lived in Corricella her entire life. A fisherwoman for over 50 years, she recently opened a tiny open-air restaurant, Da Maria ‘a pescatrice, with just 20 seats and a kitchen barely big enough to turn around in. “I’ve been going out to sea since I was a child,” she says, “and my dream is to offer fishing tourism. I like taking people out on my boat—but only a few at a time, and only if they truly care. We leave at dawn to cast the nets and return at sunset to haul them in.”
Corricella can only be reached on foot or by sea, via scenic stairways like the Pennino or the Scura. For the most breathtaking view, head to the Callìa viewpoint, where the sea stretches out toward Capri and the promontory of Terra Murata.
Sant’Angelo d’Ischia: a peaceful Mediterranean gem
Sant’Angelo is one of the most enchanting villages on the island of Ischia. A car-free haven of peace and quiet, it perfectly captures the essence of Mediterranean architecture, with narrow lanes and tightly packed houses.
Once a humble fishing village, it has evolved into an elegant retreat favored by upscale travelers arriving on gleaming yachts at its marina. Nestled at the foot of Serrara Fontana, it is often considered the crown jewel of Ischia.
At its heart lies a charming piazzetta lined with boutique shops and inviting restaurants. Above the village stands the church dedicated to Archangel Michael, celebrated every September with a striking procession by sea. Beyond it, you’ll find Cava Petrelle and its traditional thermal “stoves.”
A narrow strip of land connects the village to a small islet dotted with fashionable venues and surrounded by dark volcanic-sand beaches. One of the most beautiful is Cava Grado, a peaceful cove along one of the island’s most scenic coastlines. Visitors can also relax in two renowned thermal parks, Tropical and Aphrodite—the latter, along with the village itself, being a favorite holiday destination of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Pozzuoli: layers of history by the sea
Pozzuoli is easy to explore on foot and steeped in history. Founded by the Greeks in 529 BC as part of Cuma, it later became the most important port of the Roman Empire in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Today, visitors can admire the remains of the Temple of Neptune and the Nymphaeum of Diana. The seafront and historic center are lively areas filled with restaurants, bars, and cafés, leading to the Rione Terra—the ancient heart of the city—where you can walk along an underground archaeological route following one of the original Roman streets.
The Church of San Gennaro, built in 1580, marks the site where Naples’ patron saint was martyred. Legend has it that his blood stained a stone still preserved inside the church. Each year on September 19th, when his blood liquefies in Naples Cathedral, it is seen as a miracle.
The Flavian Amphitheater, dating back to the 1st century AD, is Italy’s third-largest Roman amphitheater and is believed to have been designed by the same architects as the Colosseum. Its arena, seating area, and remarkably preserved underground passages—once used for stage machinery—are still visible today.
Piscina Mirabilis: the underground cathedral of water
The Piscina Mirabilis is the largest Roman cistern ever built, designed to supply fresh water to the imperial fleet stationed at Miseno. Carved partly into the tuff rock and partly constructed with intricate masonry, this vast structure measures 70 meters long, 25.5 meters wide, and 15 meters high.
Stepping inside feels like entering a subterranean cathedral: a vast, columned space divided into five aisles by 48 massive pillars. With a capacity of over 12,000 square meters, it stands on elevated ground to make use of natural water flow systems.
The cistern was regularly drained and cleaned, and water was lifted through openings in the ceiling using hydraulic machines before being distributed. Since the 18th century, it has fascinated travelers on the Grand Tour and continues to be one of the most striking and frequently visited monuments in the Phlegraean Fields—and a popular film location.
The historic center of Naples: a UNESCO treasure
Exploring Naples’ historic center means traveling through over twenty centuries of history. The city’s layout, its churches, squares, monuments, and palaces form an extraordinary cultural mosaic—the largest historic center in Europe.
From the Greek colony of Parthenope (8th century BC) to Roman Neapolis, from Norman-Swabian rule to the Angevin and Aragonese periods, through Spanish and Bourbon domination to the unification of Italy, Naples has absorbed countless influences.
Though little remains of the original Greek city, Roman traces are abundant, including catacombs, cemeteries, and archaeological sites such as San Lorenzo Maggiore. Later centuries saw the construction of magnificent churches, castles like Castel dell’Ovo, and landmarks such as Castel Nuovo and the Royal Palace.
In the 19th century, urban redevelopment reshaped Naples into the modern metropolis we see today—a city unlike any other, where ancient history and vibrant life blend seamlessly against the breathtaking backdrop of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.
San Leucio: a revolutionary social experiment
San Leucio represents a unique chapter in history—perhaps the only place where a form of proto-socialism was truly put into practice under a monarchy.
In 1789, King Ferdinand IV chose to withdraw from court life and settle near the small village of San Leucio, behind the Royal Palace of Caserta. What began as a hunting lodge soon grew into a community of workers and their families.
Inspired by progressive, almost utopian ideals, the king established a model colony—Ferdinandopoli—with economic autonomy based on silk production. He personally wrote its constitution, which introduced remarkably modern principles: education as the foundation of social harmony, good faith as a civic virtue, and merit as the only form of distinction.
Luxury was banned, equality strictly enforced, and all citizens dressed alike. Education was compulsory, and young people were trained in professions suited to their talents.
Healthcare, housing, and welfare were guaranteed by the state. Marriage was based on free choice, without dowries, and newlyweds were provided with a home and means of livelihood. Men and women had equal inheritance rights, and support systems were in place for the sick, elderly, and orphans.
The community was governed democratically by elected elders, and workers contributed to social funds supporting the vulnerable. Production was organized collectively, anticipating later ideas of self-managed labor.
Far from being a utopia, San Leucio functioned successfully for decades. Its decline came with political upheavals and, ultimately, in 1861, when the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was annexed to Piedmont. The silk factory was privatized, and the visionary constitution was abandoned.
DAY 1: ROME - POZZUOLI "the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park and historic centre" - BACOLI - NAPLES km 280
Departure from Rome - free lunch - tasting of a traditional dessert and coffee - in the afternoon guided visit of Pozzuoli (the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park with the Flavian Amphitheatre, second in size in Italy only to the Colosseum in Rome and the Amphitheatre of Capua; we will then head to to Pozzuoli's historic centre to uncover its oldest secrets, including the Macellum of Pozzuoli, the public market of Roman Puteoli, also known as the Temple of Serapis after the discovery in 1750 of a statue of the Egyptian god, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, the public gardens known as Villa Avellino, the Church of San Raffaele, and the Rione Terra, now uninhabited but currently undergoing tourism redevelopment - visit to the Piscina Mirabilis in Bacoli - transfer and check-in at the hotel in Naples - dinner at the hotel - after-dinner walking tour with tour leader - overnight stay.
DAY 2: NAPLES "the city of the sun"
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full day dedicated to a guided visit of Naples (panoramic tour along the city's main avenues, Piazza Municipio with Castel Nuovo, Teatro San Carlo and the Galleria Umberto with Piazza del Plebiscito with the Royal Palace and the monumental Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, the Santa Lucia district - an ancient fishermen's quarter -, Via Caracciolo, the hillside district of Posillipo with splendid views over the entire Gulf, and internal visits to the National Archaeological Museum and the Capodimonte Royal Palace) - free time for shopping - lunch in a traditional pizzeria - return to the hotel in the evening - dinner at the hotel or in a typical restaurant - after dinner Naples by night, panoramic tour by private coach with tour leader - overnight stay.
DAY 3: ISCHIA & PROCIDA "Italian Capital of Culture 2022, the colourful fishermen's village"
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full-day guided excursion - departure from Naples by ferry/hydrofoil to Ischia - complete tour of the island by private minibuses, private taxis and Ape cars - stops at the most scenic spots for photographs - visit to the village of Sant'Angelo - return to the harbour of Ischia - typical lunch in a restaurant - departure by ferry/hydrofoil to Procida - arrival at Marina Grande harbour - walking tour of the historic centre, reaching the village of Terra Murata, the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo and the village of Corricella - coffee/gelato tasting - return to the port - ferry/hydrofoil back to Naples in the evening - transfer to the hotel - dinner at the hotel or in a typical restaurant - free evening – tour leader at guests’ disposal - overnight stay.
DAY 4: NAPLES "the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site"
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - in the morning guided visit of Naples, walking tour of its UNESCO-listed historic centre (starting from Piazza del Gesu Nuovo, a circular route through the historic heart of the two central decumani that leads to its main squares and narrow alleys; Naples' old town has long been considered an open-air museum, where many of its oldest and most evocative corners reveal themselves with remarkable simplicity - inìternal visits to the Sansevero Chapel, the Cathedral and Crypt of San Gennaro, and the Monumental Complex of Santa Chiara) - street-food lunch on your own - free afternoon for shopping or individual visits - dinner at the hotel - overnight stay.
DAY 5: CASERTA "the largest royal palace in the world" - CASERTA VECCHIA - SAN LEUCIO km 100
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full-day guided excursion - visit to Caserta's UNESCO World Heritage sites (the magnificent Reggia designed by Vanvitelli, the largest royal palace in the world) and to the Royal Hamlet of San Leucio (the Belvedere Monumental Complex of San Leucio, which embodied King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon's utopian dream of creating Ferdinandopoli, is an ideal town based on a new model of justice and social equality for the nations of the 18th century, inspired by a form of enlightened socialism) - visit to the village of Caserta Vecchia (Piazza Vescovado is the heart of this beautiful medieval hamlet, the meeting point of its narrow lanes and of locals and visitors for a pleasant stop and a good coffee; here, among pergolas, old shop signs and small bars, stand the most important buildings of Caserta Vecchia: the Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and the former seminary) - lunch in a typical restaurant - return to the hotel in Naples in the evening - dinner at the hotel - free evening - tour leader at guests’ disposal - overnight stay.
DAY 6: CAPRI "the Blue Island"
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full-day guided excursion - departure from Naples by ferry to Capri - tour of the island by private minibuses - departure from Marina Grande for Anacapri, with a visit to Villa San Michele and the Church of San Michele – we will then head to Capri (walking tour from Piazza Umberto I, the famous Piazzetta, to the Gardens of Augustus with magnificent views of the Faraglioni sea stacks, Via Camerelle, and the Church of Santo Stefano) – lunch on your own - in the afternoon free time for an optional excursion to the Blue Grotto - free time for shopping - ferry back to Naples in the evening - transfer to the hotel - dinner at the hotel or in a typical restaurant - after dinner Naples by night, walking tour with public transport and tour leader - overnight stay.
DAY 7: POMPEII "the world's most visited archaeological site" - PAESTUM "the three magnificent Doric temples" - VELIA "the ancient Elea of Magna Graecia" - PAESTUM km 100
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - guided visit of Pompeii, the world's most visited archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Paestum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (home to three magnificent Doric temples believed to be dedicated to Poseidon, Hera and Ceres - the Temples of Neptune and Hera stand side by side in the southern part of the site, while the smaller Temple of Ceres is at the northern end); and Elea-Velia, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (ancient Elea, named after the local spring Hyele, was an important city of Magna Graecia founded around 540 BC by Phocaean exiles on top of a promontory - in the 5th century BC the city was renowned for its flourishing trade and above all for the Eleatic school of philosophy founded by Parmenides and Zeno - in Roman times, after becoming a municipium under the name of Velia, it enjoyed a period of great prosperity until the gradual silting up of the two ports built by the Phocaeans and catastrophic floods brought its economic power to an end) - lunch in a typical restaurant - visit to a dairy where the famous buffalo mozzarella is produced - check-in at the hotel in Paestum in the evening - dinner at the hotel - after dinner Agropoli by night, excursion by private coach with tour leader to this characteristic village in the Cilento area - overnight stay.
DAY 8: PERTOSA "the Caves" & PADULA "the Charterhouse of San Lorenzo" - BENEVENTO km 290
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full-day excursion - guided visit of the Pertosa Caves (the only caves in Italy where it is possible to navigate an underground river, the Negro), and Padula (the Charterhouse of San Lorenzo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest monastic complex in southern Italy and one of the most remarkable in Europe for its architectural splendour and wealth of artistic treasures, as well as the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte (a rare example of an early Christian baptistery built over a perennial spring formerly dedicated to the nymph Leucothea) - lunch in a typical restaurant/agriturismo - arrival in Benevento in the evening - dinner in a typical restaurant - free evening - after dinner Benevento by night, walking tour with tour leader - overnight stay.
DAY 9: BENEVENTO "UNESCO World Heritage & city of witches" - ROME km 230
Buffet breakfast at the hotel - full day dedicated to a guided visit of Benevento (the UNESCO-listed Church of Santa Sofia, Trajan's Arch, Ponte Leproso and the riverside districts, the Arch of the Sacrament, Corso Garibaldi with its Egyptian obelisk, the Egyptian Museum, the Cathedral, the Church of San Marco dei Sabariani, the Museo del Sannio and the Monumental Complex of Sant'Ilario a Port'Aurea) - lunch in a typical restaurant - visit to the Strega Alberti factory with tasting - late afternoon departure for the return journey - arrival in the evening.
Please Note: the order of visits may be changed between the various days depending on museum opening times or technical requirements, but the programme will remain unchanged.
| Individual participation fee | € 3.750,00 |
| Single room supplement | € 600,00 |
| Reduction for children up to 12 years in 3rd bed | € 150,00 |
| Additional pre-/post-tour night in Rome, B&B in double room, per person/per day (city tax not included: € 7.50 per person per day, to be paid locally) | € 130,00 |
| Additional pre-/post-tour night in Rome, B&B in single room, per day (city tax not included: € 7.50 per person per day, to be paid locally) | € 210,00 |
| Registration fee including trip cancellation insurance | € 200,00 |
The price includes
- Return journey by luxury coach
- Accommodation in 4-star hotels on half-board basis as per itinerary
- Buffet breakfasts
- 6 typical lunches in restaurants
- Various wine and local product tastings
- Drinks included with meals
- Ferry from Naples to Ischia & Capri
- Taxes and VAT
- City taxes
- Tour escort for the entire duration of the tour
- Evening excursions
- Individual wireless audio-guide system
- All-inclusive minibar service on board the coach
Not included:
Entrance fees, tips and anything not expressly mentioned.
TOTAL COST OF ALL ENTRANCE FEES INCLUDED IN THE TOUR:
Pozzuoli: Flavian Amphitheatre, Temple of Serapis - Bacoli: Piscina Mirabilis - Anacapri: Villa San Michele - Naples: National Archaeological Museum, Capodimonte Royal Palace, Sansevero Chapel, Cathedral and Crypt of San Gennaro, Monumental Complex of Santa Chiara - Caserta: Royal Palace - San Leucio: Monumental Complex - Pompeii: archaeological area - Paestum: archaeological area - Velia: archaeological area - Pertosa: Pertosa and Auletta Caves - Padula: Charterhouse of San Lorenzo - Benevento: Church and Cloister of Santa Sofia, Arcos Museum (Egyptian section), Museo del Sannio.
Rates include, in some cases, booking fees and mandatory advance purchase charges, as well as group discounts where applicable, € 185,00
Please note: entrance fees may be subject to change after publication of the catalogue.
NAPLES
HOTEL ROYAL CONTINENTAL or similar 4stars
www.royalgroup.it
PAESTUM
HOTEL ARISTON or similar 4 stars
www.hotelaristonpaestum.com
BENEVENTO
HOTEL VILLA TRAIANO or similar 4 stars
www.villatraiano.com
DEPARTURE TIME AND PLACE
ROME - 9.00 a.m. at HOTEL – MEETING WITH GUINNESS TOUR LEADER
Please Note: Passengers are requested to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure
REQUIRED DOCUMENT: VALID IDENTITY CARD or VALID PASSPORT