DAY 1: ROME - NAPLES km.230
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Naples – street food lunch on your own – in the afternoon guided tour of Naples (panoramic tour along the main roads of the city, Piazza Municipio with Maschio Angioino, San Carlo theatre and the Galleria Umberto I, Piazza del Plebiscito with the Royal Palace and the monumental Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, the Santa Lucia district – ancient fishermen’s village –, Via Caracciolo, the Posillipo hill district with stunning views over the entire Gulf, National Archaeological Museum –internal visit– and historic center UNESCO World Heritage Site) – in the evening accommodation at the hotel – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Naples by night, panoramic tour by private coach with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 2: NAPLES - POMPEII “the most visited archaeological site in the world” – MORANO CALABRO “the heart of Pollino national park” – VIBO VALENTIA km.420
Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning guided visit of Pompeii, the most visited archaeological site in the world, UNESCO World Heritage Site – continuation to Morano Calabro in the heart of the Pollino National Park – lunch in a typical restaurant – in the afternoon guided visit of Morano Calabro, one of the most charming villages of the Pollino National Park (historic center, monastic complex of San Bernardino da Siena, Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maddalena) – in the evening arrival in Vibo Valentia – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Pizzo Calabro by night, with private coach and tour leader – tasting of the famous artisan “tartufo” ice cream – overnight stay.
DAY 3: VIBO VALENTIA – MESSINA – CEFALÙ – PALERMO km.330
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Messina – tour of the city (Cathedral and Piazza Duomo) –street food lunch on your own– in the late afternoon guided visit of Cefalù (historic center, Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Site) – in the evening arrival in Palermo – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Palermo by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 4: PALERMO & MONREALE “UNESCO World Heritage Sites”
Breakfast at the hotel – full day dedicated to the guided visit of Palermo and Monreale with their UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Palazzo dei Normanni with Palatine Chapel –internal visit–, San Giovanni degli Eremiti –internal visit–, Cathedral –internal visit–, followed by panoramic tour with external visits of Teatro Massimo, Piazza Pretoria, Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio known as La Martorana, Monreale Cathedral and Cloister) –street food lunch on your own– we suggest taking the opportunity to taste Palermo’s typical street food: panelle, crocchè (or cazzilli), boiled octopus, pani ca’ meusa, rice arancini, sfincione – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Palermo by night, panoramic tour by private coach and walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 5: PALERMO - AGRIGENTO – MODICA km.270
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Agrigento – guided visit of the Valley of the Temples UNESCO World Heritage Site – the largest archaeological area in Italy (Temple of Concordia, Temple of Juno, Temple of Jupiter, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Hercules) –lunch in a typical restaurant – in the evening arrival in Modica or Ragusa – dinner at the hotel – free evening – tour leader at guests’ disposal – overnight stay.
DAY 6: RAGUSA IBLA “the other Sicily” - MODICA “an incomparable land” - SCICLI
Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning guided visit of Ragusa (ancient historic center preserving its late 19th-century urban structure) –lunch in a typical restaurant – in the afternoon guided visit of Modica UNESCO World Heritage Site (birthplace of poet Salvatore Quasimodo, visit of refined Baroque buildings, Church of San Giorgio) and Scicli UNESCO World Heritage Site (panoramic tour of the Baroque town, Via Mormino Penna, the visionary Palazzo Beneventano) – stop at a famous pastry shop for tasting the renowned Modica chocolate – return to hotel in the evening – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Modica by night, panoramic tour by private coach with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 7: MODICA - NOTO “Baroque is the protagonist” – SYRACUSE “the Greek city” – CATANIA km.150
Breakfast at the hotel – transfer to Noto – in the morning guided visit of this splendid UNESCO World Heritage town (capital of European Baroque, with its magnificent cathedral, churches, monasteries and noble palaces, Porta Nazionale, Town Hall) –lunch in a typical restaurant – in the afternoon guided visit of Syracuse UNESCO World Heritage Site, archaeological area (Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre, Ear of Dionysius), Ortigia Island, Cathedral – in the evening arrival in Catania – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Catania by night, panoramic tour by private coach with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 8: ETNA & TAORMINA “myth and passion” km.100
Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning guided excursion to Mount Etna, UNESCO World Heritage Site – we will ascent up to 1,900 metres to discover the wonders and lunar landscape of Europe’s highest volcano – we will walk around the Silvestri Craters, small extinct craters - Please note: those who do not wish to go up Mount Etna for health reasons may wait in the charming village of Zafferana Etnea where lunch will be served – lunch in a typical restaurant – in the afternoon guided visit of Taormina (Greek theatre, public gardens, historic center, Palazzo Corvaja, Corso Umberto) – free time for shopping – return to hotel – dinner at the hotel – free evening – tour leader at guests’ disposal – overnight stay.
DAY 9: CATANIA – REGGIO CALABRIA - TROPEA “overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea” – COSENZA km.330
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Reggio Calabria – guided visit of the National Archaeological Museum with the famous Riace Bronzes – continuation to Tropea –lunch in a typical restaurant – guided visit of the town (Cathedral, historic center with stop at the “Affaccio” – stunning balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea) – tasting of local onion-based products at a local company – in the afternoon arrival in Cosenza – guided city tour (Old Town with Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Site) – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Cosenza by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 10: COSENZA – MATERA “the City of Stones” km.210
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Matera – full day dedicated to the guided visit of Matera – the “City of Stones”, ancient settlements now UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cathedral, walking tour through the Sassi districts: Sasso Caveoso, Santa Lucia alle Malve and Madonna de Idris – visit to contrada Petrapenta, 14 km from Matera, of the Crypt of Original Sin, called the “Sistine Chapel” of rock painting) –lunch in a typical restaurant – free time for shopping – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Matera by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 11: MATERA – TARANTO “the city of two seas” – LECCE “the Florence of the South” km.180
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Taranto – guided visit of the city of two seas (historic center with Aragonese Castle –external visit–, Cathedral of San Cataldo, panoramic tour) – continuation to Lecce – street food lunch on your own – we recommend trying the savory “rustico leccese” and the sweet “pasticciotto leccese” – in the afternoon guided visit of Lecce (Basilica of Santa Croce, Church of Gesù, San Matteo, Cathedral, Sant'Irene, as well as numerous noble palaces – also remains from Roman times including Theatre and Amphitheatre) – visit to a traditional papier-mâché workshop – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Lecce by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 12: SALENTO TOUR - OTRANTO – SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA – GALLIPOLI km.190
Breakfast at the hotel – full day guided excursion– visit of Otranto (historic center and Cathedral with the precious mosaic from 1163 covering the floor), Santa Maria di Leuca “de finibus terrae” and Gallipoli (from the Greek, “beautiful city”, with its characteristic old town) –lunch in a typical restaurant – return to hotel in the evening – dinner at the hotel – free evening – tour leader at guest’s disposal– overnight stay.
DAY 13: LECCE – OSTUNI “the white city” - VALLE D’ITRIA - ALBEROBELLO “the trulli” – BARI km.170
Breakfast at the hotel – full day guided excursion – visit of Ostuni, the “white city” and olive oil tasting in a mill – the Itria Valley – Alberobello with its famous “trulli” UNESCO World Heritage Site –lunch in a typical restaurant – in the evening arrival in Bari – dinner at the hotel – after dinner Bari by night, panoramic tour by private coach with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 14: BARI – TRANI - CASTEL DEL MONTE “UNESCO World Heritage Site” – CAMPOBASSO km.280
Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning guided visit of Bari (historic center with the Basilica of San Nicola) followed by guided visit of Trani (Romanesque Cathedral “rising from the sea” dedicated to San Nicola Pellegrino, tasting of Moscato di Trani in a wine bar) and Castel del Monte (castle of Frederick II built on the model of the Palatine Chapel of Aachen, UNESCO World Heritage Site) – street food lunch on your own – we recommend focaccia barese, sgagliozze, octopus sandwich – in the evening arrival in Campobasso – dinner at the hotel/restaurant – after dinner Campobasso by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 15: CAMPOBASSO “Samnite Museum” - AGNONE “Marinelli Foundry” - ISERNIA “Paleolithic Museum” - ROME km.290
Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning guided visit of Campobasso (historic center, Samnite Museum) – continuation to Agnone – light lunch with tasting of cheeses and dairy products, visit to a historic winery and a tuff cave for cheese aging – visit of the Pontifical Marinelli Bell Foundry in Agnone – continuation to Isernia – guided visit of the Paleolithic Museum – arrival in Rome in the evening.
Please Note: The planned visits may be rearranged on different days depending on museum opening hours or for technical reasons, but the itinerary remains unchanged.
