DAY ONE: Friday, August 10, 2012
Depart the United States for Rome via overnight flight.
US Airways, flight 718 arriving at 8:50am the following day.
DAY TWO: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Upon your arrival in Rome, you will be met outside of customs by an English-speaking driver who will transfer you privately to your hotel.
After check-in, the remainder of the day is yours with which to explore Rome. Stop for coffee and gelato at a local café, and wander the city’s narrow streets before dinner this evening.
Located in central Italy along the Tiber River, Rome has over 2,000 years of history that span from its origins as a small Latin village to becoming the center of a vast empire, as the founding city of Catholicism, and the modern capital city of Italy. Today, Rome remains the world's center of the Catholic Church, the heart of Renaissance and Baroque art, and the home to some of the world’s most astonishing ancient ruins, as it continues to rapidly evolve in the modern world.
We will provide you with restaurant suggestions during your stay in Rome.
Overnight 47 Hotel – Connecting rooms – 1 classic double room & 1 double deluxe room
Contacts
Luca: +39 3391018433; Lorenzo: +39 339 108 2339
DAY THREE: Sunday, August 12, 2012 After breakfast this morning, you’ll have a private car with an English-speaking driver and guide at your full disposal for an orientation tour of ancient Rome. Your guide will meet you at your hotel at 9:00am.
Your first stop will be the Colosseum, the iconic symbol of Imperial Rome, and a masterpiece of classical architecture. Construction of the Colosseum, which was the largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, and was used for gladiatorial contests, began between 70 and 72 AD. Your tickets are pre-booked to avoid lines at the entrance.
Next, you’ll visit Capitoline Hill (from the Latin word caput, or head), the most important of the seven legendary hills of Rome. From here, you’ll admire the Roman Forum, the largest open-air museum in the world and the true political, social, and economic hub of the city since the days of ancient Rome. An open area surrounded by the ruins of ancient government buildings, the Forum was the site of ancient elections, processions, and public speeches, and transmits a real sense of ancient Roman life.
Along the front of the hill, you’ll see the Tabularium, the official records office of ancient Rome, which was constructed in 78 BC. Made of huge blocks of porous tufa built into rock, the building dominates the view of the hill from the Roman Forum. Palazzo Senatorio, the palace that stands above the Tabularium, remains the official seat of the mayor of the city and home to the Council of Rome.
You’ll also visit Michelangelo’s superb piece of urban planning, the Piazza del Campidoglio, home to the famous gilded bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was first documented in the 10th century, when it was believed to represent the Christian Emperor Constantine the Great.
Via Sacra, the main street of ancient Rome running through the Forum to the Colosseum, was part of the route of Roman Triumph, during which the commanders of the Roman armies who were returning from the provinces were welcomed home.
What fascinates most people about Rome is the fact that still, to this day, many of these ancient historical masterpieces are used as common modern buildings. A perfect example is the Theatre of Marcellus, an ancient open-air theatre with a 16th century palace built on top of it.
Your final visit before lunch will be the church of St. Peter in Chains, home to Michelangelo’s Moses, one of his most powerful and expressive works. Sigmund Freud devoted an entire book to analyzing the feelings that animated Moses as represented in Michelangelo’s statue, which depicts two horns on his head as symbols of wisdom and enlightenment.
Break this afternoon for a large Italian lunch before your tour continues.
Your last guided stop of the day will be the Pantheon, a temple originally built in 27 BC, and rebuilt in 126 AD in honor of all of the gods of ancient Rome. The Pantheon survives virtually intact as the most magnificent symbol of the Roman Empire, with the world’s largest concrete dome. Very little has changed over 2,000 years, from the columns to the marble floor where emperors Hadrian and Charles V once walked.
The guided introduction to ancient Rome comes to an end at 3:00pm. Your guide will discuss additional sites that you may wish to see on your own this afternoon. Set out for the Baths of Caracalla, the largest public bath complex in the whole of the Roman Empire. Visit the Christian catacombs and the monuments and ancient tombs along the Appian Way. Alternatively, explore the striking Lateran Complex, which includes the Lateran Palace, or Palace of the Popes, the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the first cathedral of Rome. Nearby, you will find the district where locals shop, along New Appian Way. **
This evening we will provide you with restaurant suggestions. Enjoy a meal of fresh pasta and simply prepared meat dishes accompanied by local Italian wines.
Overnight 47 Hotel – Connecting rooms – 1 classic double room & 1 double deluxe room
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DAY FOUR: Monday, August 13, 2012 After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Vatican at 9:00am. Spend the first half of your day visiting the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter’s Basilica with a private English- speaking licensed Vatican guide leading you on a tour through 2,000 years of history.
With your pre-reserved entrance times to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, you’ll avoid waiting in the long lines. Learn about the great artists who helped to embellish one of the most fascinating sovereign states in the world. Visit the Vatican museums which include some of the world's most precious artistic and religious treasures, including the Galleries of Maps, Candelabras and Tapestries, the Raphael Rooms, Pinacoteca, and Michelangelo’s stunning frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Complete the tour with a visit to St Peter’s Basilica, which has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, and is lavishly decorated with marble, featuring splendid sculptures and mosaics of great historic and religious importance. Your guided visit lasts until 1:00pm.
Spend the remainder of the day at leisure. You may wish to finish up some last minute shopping along the Via Cola di Rienzo, another popular local district. Or visit the top of Janiculum Hill, one of the best places in the vicinity to take in the incredible views of the Roman skyline. If you have an interest in gardens, head for the Trastevere district, on the far side of the Tiber River, where you’ll find the Botanical Garden of Rome, as well as several nice restaurants, small boutiques and charming alleyways.**
We will provide suggestions for your dinner this evening.
Overnight 47 Hotel – Connecting rooms – 1 classic double room & 1 double deluxe room
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DAY FIVE: Tuesday, August 14, 2012
You will be met at your hotel this morning once again by private driver and guide, before departing at 9:00am for a tour of Baroque Rome.
Begin with a visit to the Borghese Gallery, one of Europe's most extraordinary art experiences, and one of Rome's greatest patrician collections. Surrounded by parks and gardens, Villa Borghese was built in the 17th century as a pleasure house, and later served as a retreat where art was cultivated. The gallery’s masterpieces were commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, who was a passionate art lover and an obsessive collector. Covering all the great periods of art history, Borghese assembled works by the finest talents--Bernini, Raphael, Titian, and Caravaggio. To complete your experience, enjoy the Borghese Gardens, which are amongst the most famous in Italy, and offer stunning views over the Piazza del Popolo.
To ensure your return to Rome, stop to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, which was completed in 1762, and is the largest Baroque fountain in Italy.
Next visit Rome’s most romantic square, Piazza Navona, beloved by Romans and visitors alike, and animated by street artists and performers of all kinds. The square is exceptionally long, owing its shape to the ruins that formed it, for under the buildings that surround the piazza are the remains of the Circus Domitianus, Domitian's stadium. Explore the narrow streets of old Rome stopping to find Pasquino, the most famous of the talking statues in the city. Stop for an espresso at the 18th century Caffe della Pace, a historical meeting point of both famous and local artists.
Drive by the Piazza del Popolo, with a large Egyptian obelisk at the center of the square originally brought to Rome in 10 BC and placed in the piazza by Domenico Fontana in 1589 as part of the urban plan of Pope Sixtus V. Stop at the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which features masterpieces by Raphael, Caravaggio, and Bernini.
Continue on your own following the end of your tour at 2:00pm. Your guide will suggest additional activities and a nearby café for lunch.
You can choose to visit the MAXXI, the National Museum of XXI Century Arts, located in Rome's Flaminio neighborhood. The building, a Zaha Hadid design which took 10 years to complete, was constructed on the site of the former Montello military barracks and was inaugurated in spring 2010. Inside the Borghese Park you can visit the GNAM, National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, inaugurated in 1883. This is a great area to explore with nice outdoor cafés. **
Return to your hotel in time to relax and freshen up before a traditional Roman dinner. We will offer restaurant suggestions this evening as well.
Overnight 47 Hotel – Connecting rooms – 1 classic double room & 1 double deluxe room
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DAY SIX: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 – Rome-Naples
After breakfast this morning, you will be met at 10:15am and privately transferred to the train station in time to meet your high-speed train to Naples at 11am. The train ride will take 1 hour and 10 minutes. Your driver will have your train tickets.
Train #ES 9509, Coach #1, Seats 13D, 12D, 13A, 12B
You will be greeted by your guide at the train station, departing directly by private car for the Amalfi Coast.
A stretch of coastline in Southern Italy, the Amalfi Coast, where the mountains meet the sea, extends from Positano to Vietri sul Mare. A maritime superpower from the 9th through the 12th centuries, the Amalfi Coast is renowned for its rugged terrain, pastel-colored homes, and scented lemon groves that overlook charming coves and inlets.
Today you will travel on the road that follows the sinuous coastline known as the Costa Amalfitana, considered one of the most spectacularly beautiful scenic routes in the world. Until the 19th century this area was only accessible from the water or by travelling on foot or on the back a mule. Discovered by the Grand Tourists of the 18th and 19th centuries, it is now one of the most exclusive tourist destinations in Italy and combines stunning natural beauty with fascinating architectural gems as well as local artifacts, excellent restaurants and hotels that range from the simple and charming to some of the most luxurious in the world.
Arrive first in Positano, and if your room is available, check in to Hotel Poseidon. Once a beautiful Mediterranean villa, this property, in the heart of Positano, occupies a green space overlooking the “vertical village“ and the Amalfi Coast, one of the most beautiful and picturesque places of the world. For more than 50 years your hosts, the Aonzo family, have offered discreet and elegant hospitality, in harmony with Positano’s image and tradition.
If your room is not ready, leave your luggage at the concierge and have a relaxed lunch.
After lunch continue on your drive down the coast. The next stop will be Amalfi, the city that gives its name to the whole coastal area. In the past Amalfi was one of the four powerful Maritime Republics, together with Genova, Pisa and Venice and its territories extended all the way down the coast towards Salerno. Today Amalfi is the largest and most bustling town on the coastal drive and is especially worth a visit for its glorious cathedral, which dates to the 9th century – although the façade was completely rebuilt in the 19th century. The bell tower and the Chiostro del Paradiso – the 13th century cloister, built as a burial place for wealthy locals – should not be missed.
Continue to Ravello, perched high up above the coast and reached by a winding road that departs from the main coastal route. Ravello is slightly off the main tourist route and is well worth visiting for its beautiful buildings that still incorporate elements of its Sicilian/Arab past. Wagner’s Parsifal was inspired by the gardens of Villa Rufolo which dates to the 13th/14th centuries but was rebuilt by a Scotsman who preserved much of its original Islamic architectural detail. This is the venue for the Wagner festival that is held here each summer.
Your final stop will be Vietri sul Mare which is famous today for its brightly colored ceramics. Many of the shop fronts are decorated with charming and colorful ceramic tiles and there are numerous shops selling both the traditional ceramics and more modern adaptations.
Return to Positano late afternoon. We suggest dining at the hotel’s restaurant, Il Tridente, this evening, where the cuisine celebrates the rich culinary traditions of the region. In warmer months, dine on the outdoor terrace enjoying the splendid pergolas and a breathtaking view of Positano and the bay.
The wine cellar also offers a careful selection of Italian labels, with special focus on the Campania region, featuring local grape varieties which provide the perfect accompaniment to the flavors and aromas of this marvelous region.
Overnight Hotel Poseidon, Positano – Adjoining Superior Rooms
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Contacts
Driver will not be known until day before but for any coordination or emergency issues please call: Camilla: +39 333 2968721 or Antonella +39 347 4565150
Guide: Maria Luisa Gagliardi +39 330 445788
DAY SEVEN: Thursday, August 16, 2012
9:30AM: This morning, after breakfast (you can discuss your departure time with your guide, Maria Luisa Gagliardi, of yesterday) head back to Amalfi, the base of your walk in the lovely Valle de Mulini.
Leave Positano by private transfer, winding along the coast to the Valle dei Mulini (Mills Valley). Gather ingredients for a picnic lunch here, then set out on a rugged three-hour hike, which includes a steep walk down from the village of Pontone to Amalfi. Along the way, you will see the mills used to make the famous Amalfitan paper.
At the end of the hike, you’ll visit an active mill, with a factory-museum on-site, where you will see how the paper is made. You may also visit the Amalfi Cathedral, built in the early 1200s, and connected to an older basilica, and the famous Cloister of Paradise, which contains medieval murals and encloses a lush Mediterranean garden.
Return to Positano. This late afternoon would be the cool time to visit Positano, a wonderful shopping village with great atmosphere. The only way to visit Positano is to follow the pedestrian lanes that wind down through the town to the beach, passing luxuriant gardens and shops selling brightly colored beachware along the way. Near the bottom you will pass the pretty Church of Santa Maria dell’Assunta with its typical yellow, green and blue maiolica dome. On the beach during high season you can find boatmen willing to take you to the nearby coves that can only be reached via the water – where the best bathing is to be had.
Dine tonight at one of the restaurants in the port with some of the freshest and best seafood on offer or you may wish to make a reservation at Il Sirenuse, the iconic white Positano hotel overlooking the town and dine there.
Overnight Hotel Poseidon, Positano – Adjoining Superior Rooms
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Contact
Maria Luisa Gagliardi: +39 330 445788
DAY EIGHT: Friday, August 17, 2012
9:30AM: Depart from Positano this morning by private car, heading north in the direction of Naples with Maria Luisa, your guide.
Your first stop is Pompeii where you will visit this vast and extraordinary archeological site which preserves the most fascinating Roman remains in the world. Pompeii was a flourishing city of roughly 10,000 inhabitants when it was completely submersed in Volcanic ash in 79 AD and life was abruptly brought to a halt. What makes this site so unique is that, rather than being destroyed by an earthquake or, like Herculaneum, by Volcanic mud and lava, Pompeii was perfectly preserved under its mantle of ash and volcanic rock. When it was discovered in 1748, a city that had literally stopped in time was unearthed. All of the buildings that made up a city of the Roman period remain – private homes, shops, the meat and fish market, restaurants, even fast food joints! Many of the houses still preserve their original wall paintings as well as fragments of mosaic floor decoration, while many of the more important artifacts and mosaics have been transferred to the Archeological Museum in Naples. A proper visit to Pompeii requires 2.5to 3 hours.
Continue to Vesuvius and drive up the slope of the Volcano, passing beautiful countryside, until you reach a point where it is no longer possible to continue with a car. At this point you can purchase a ticket and enter the final stretch of the footpath that climbs to the very top. Finally, walk around the crater of this incredible volcano while admiring the spectacular views that can be had from its summit.
Finish today with a stop at Torre Annunziata, one of the rather unattractive modern suburbs of Naples, which hides another extraordinary archeological site. The Roman Villas of Oplontis, which actually incorporate two villas: the Villa di Crasso and the Villa di Poppea (Emperor Nero’s second wife). Apart from the sheer grandeur and elegant style of these buildings that were only discovered in 1964, the most spectacular part of the villas are the incredibly well preserved wall paintings with still-life, architectural and figurative subjects that date between the 1st c BC and the 1st c AD, as well as some fragments of mosaic floors.
Return to Positano in time to freshen up for dinner on your own this evening. The drive will take approximately 45 minutes.
Overnight Hotel Poseidon, Positano – Adjoining Superior Rooms
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Contact
Guide: Maria Luise Gagliaradi: +39 330 445788
DAY NINE: Saturday, August 18, 2012
Today is yours to explore Positano on your own.
If you wish, to hire a boat for the day, or schedule a short boat cruise along the coast, your hotel will assist you with arrangements.
Overnight Hotel Poseidon, Positano – Adjoining Superior Rooms
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DAY TEN: Sunday, August 19, 2012
4:30AM: You will be met and transferred to the airport in Naples this morning You will need to be at the airport at 5:30AM.
Alitalia Flight #1268 departs Naples at 7:00am
Arrive Rome at 7:55am
Connect with US Airways Flight #719, departing at 11:50am
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DETAIL PAGE
*Price is subject to change due to date and time of year of booking as well as to currency fluctuation. The price is only an estimate at this time and an accurate costing will be provided when itineraries are chosen and submitted. Prices are based on double/twin occupancy.
**Additional fees may apply for optional visits
ROME
Inclusions: • Accommodation: 4 nights (Local taxes included) • Airport transfers by private minivan • All transfers throughout itinerary by private minivan • Private guide services as noted • Entry fees for all scheduled activities • Days 2-6: Breakfast
AMALFI
Inclusions:
• Accommodation: 4 nights (Local taxes included) • Airport transfers • Private car and driver: 2 full days • Private guide services: 2 full days o Entry fees per itinerary o Days 7-10: Breakfast
POMPEII
Inclusions:
• Private car and driver: 1 full day • Private guide services: 1 full day • Entry fees per itinerary
Exclusions:
• International and domestic airfare • Airport entrance and exit fees • Visa (if required) • Trip cancellation insurance • Alcoholic beverages • Items of a personal nature • Entry fees and transfers for optional activities • Evening meal transfers • Gratuities
Please Note:
• We recommend that our clients consult their General Practitioner or Travel Clinic for advice on necessary vaccinations or medicines depending on the region to which they are traveling. • All guests are strongly advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance covering them for all personal effects, personal accident, medical and emergency travel expenses, cancellation, and curtailment. • Self-drive passengers renting a car are required to carry a valid international driver's license.
Information about hotels follows.
Hotel 47, Rome – Classic Double Room http://www.fortysevenhotel.com/
Classic double room (approximately 20m2 in size - 270 square feet) includes:
• Hypoallergenic pillows • Hypoallergenic mattresses • Single and double beds • Heating and air conditioning • Flat-screen TV • Satellite channels • Movie TV channels • Bose stereo system • Wi-Fi • Mini bar • Safe • Telephone • Room service and baby menu • Bathroom with tub or shower with: • - Courtesy kit for children and adults • - Slippers
Hotel Poseidon, Positano – Superior Room http://www.hotelposeidonpositano.it/eng
The Superior Room has a double or twin bed with a panoramic terrace - side sea view. The room has a bath or a shower, hairdryer, AC, minibar, safe, TV, telephone and free WI-FI internet access.
Room amenities: Alarm clock, Air conditioning, Bathrobe, Daily Newspaper, Telephone with external line, Dogs allowed, Hair dryer, Laundry service, Internet access (WiFi), Mini Bar, Private bathroom & WC, Safe box , Terrace, Desk, LCD TV , Satellite TV , Sea View