Day 01: (Friday) NAPLES TO SORRENTO.
Benvenuto! Welcome to Italy. Upon arrival at Naples Capodichino Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our local staff and escorted to our waiting vehicle. Please be sure to book your flight for an arrival no later than 12 noon. Our group departure from Naples is set for 1:00 pm. The drive to Sorrento will take about 1.5 hours. We will travel 31 miles (50 km) along the coast, passing the intimidating colossus of Mount Vesuvius, the monument of nature that dominates this region.

Upon arrival in Sorrento, we will check into the 4 star Capri Hotel. Located in the town centre, making it an excellent base for exploring town. All guest rooms are have air conditioning, TV, and a private bath. Leisure amenities include a swimming pool, a bar and restaurant serving typical Mediterranean cuisine. Once settled in your room, you are free to relax and enjoy the surroundings. In the evening we will regroup for a festive welcome dinner at the hotel with a glass of vino.

(Dinner)

Day 03: (Sunday) AMALFI, POSITANO & RAVELLO.
Today's sightseeing takes us along the La Costa dei Sogni - the "Coast of Dreams." You will experience one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe, passing through absolutely stunning scenery on the narrow road that threads around the high cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea. The unique view offers bays, coves and picturesque small towns which miraculously cling to the mountain. The light blue color of the sea, the green of the Mediterranean scrub, the colors of the small houses, all merge perfectly to create one of the most beautiful routes on the Italian coast. We will view Positano from above, a town that is also called the vertical city - hotels and elegant villas decked with bougainvillea are vertically stacked on steep terraced hillsides, all cascading down to a small bay. We will stop in Amalfi, one of the four Maritime Republics and the birthplace of Flavio Gioia, inventor of the magnetic compass. In the center of Amalfi stands the imposing 9th century byzantine-style Cathedral with its famous striking façade that is decorated with gilded 19th century mosaics.

Continuing to delightful Ravello, we'll hear about its history as an important trading power in the Mediterranean between the years 839 and 1200. Because it sits like a terrace over the sea, Ravello has wonderful belvederes, including one from which the entire coast can be seen. There is an ancient legend that it was to Ravello, with its breathtaking views, that Satan transported Jesus during the second temptation to show the beauty of the world's kingdoms. At the Villa Rufolo at Ravello, we'll tour one of the oldest surviving palaces in Italy, the former residence of a wealthy trading family that dates from the 13th century. The town has served historically as a destination for artists, musicians, and writers. The composer Richard Wagner visited the Moorish villa in 1880 and was inspired to write part of his opera Parsifal here. In honor of him, the town has held the "Ravello Festival" each year since 1953 during the summer months.
(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 04: (Monday) SORRENTO TO CAPRI.
After breakfast, we head to the Port of Sorrento to catch the hydrofoil to Capri. This posh and dramatic island is the notorious playground of the rich and famous. For the rest of us, it is a way to spend the day in a gorgeous setting. Our guide will show us all the highlights: La Piazzetta - the charming "Little Square" in Capri Village which is lined with designer boutiques and cafes; Villa Jovis - the ruins of the palace where Tiberius ruled the Roman Empire for a decade. Fragrant groves of chestnut, pine, lemon, and olive trees, along with rose bushes continue to spill over the elegant villa walls; The Faraglioni - Capri's number one picture postcard subject where 3 small jagged rock-islands poke out of the sea just off-shore; Anacapri Village - the smaller, less-touristy, and less expensive part of the island; Marina Grande and Marina Piccola - two ports on opposite sides of Capri that both sport colourful clusters of little houses.

We'll visit Villa San Michele, built by the Swedish author Axel Munthe on the site of an ancient Roman imperial manor. It was his residence between 1896 and 1910, and now houses his impressive collection of Roman sculpture, antique furniture and prints. Facing towards Monte Tiberio, the villa affords an extraordinary view of the Gulf of Naples, with Vesuvius and the Sorrento peninsula dominating the skyline. In the garden one can see a series of typically Mediterranean plants, as well as plants from other latitudes.

In the afternoon there will be free time to explore the island and to have lunch on your own. Yopu may choose to take an optional a boat trip to the Blue Grotto. Later, we'll return to Sorrento by hydrofoil with time to relax before dinner at the hotel.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 05: (Tuesday) SORRENTO.
By now we will have ooh'd and aah'd over several days of delicious regional cuisine . . . it's time to enter the kitchen and learn how to create some of these dishes to serve back home! We'll begin with a morning trip to the local food market with our professional chef, learning about the various ingredients and how to select only the best. Then it's class time in the kitchen. She and her interpreter/assistant will lead us through about 3 hours of fun and entertaining hands-on preparation of classic Italian-Neapolitan dishes. Finally, it's time to sample the fruits of our labor - mange, mange! - with a glass of wine. Following such a lovely feast, the rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner, if you have room for it, is on your own!
(Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 06: (Wednesday) SORRENTO TO POMPEII.
This morning we will visit the archaeological ruins of Pompeii, the buried Roman city near Naples that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Herculaneum, its sister city, Pompeii was destroyed during a long catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD. Completely covered under 20 meters of ash and pumice, the city of 2,000 people was lost for nearly 1,600 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1592. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Among the ruins is the House of the Vetti - with a courtyard, paintings and splendid dining room complete with frescoes of delicate cupids - plus the Forum and the Great Theater. The unforgiving lava left behind a rich soil so full of minerals that today, lovely vines produce a light and floral wine called Lacryma Christi, Latin for "Tears of Christ."
In the evening we will regroup for dinner at the hotel.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 07: (Thursday) SORRENTO TO PAESTUM.
A short and scenic drive into the countryside brings us to a local organic farm that breeds water buffaloes. The Amalfi Coast is known for the production of the world's best gourmet Mozzarella di Bufala, made from buffalo milk. We will be shown a presentation of how this tasty cheese is made, followed by an equally tasty lunch. Everything served to us will be based on the output of the farm, including a delicious dessert made with yogurt from buffalo milk.

In the afternoon we'll visit a local ceramics producer to view how those colorful hand-painted pottery items are crafted. Then we'll end our day of touring by sampling another Sorrento specialty - luscious Limoncello. At a nearby distillery, we'll discover how this deliciously sweet liqueur is made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar. Yum!
(Breakfast)

Day 08: (Friday) SORRENTO.
Our final day is left open for your personal interests. Enjoy the amenities of the hotel or take the shuttle back into Sorrento for some last minute shopping and savoring of local culture. For lunch you might like to stop by the Piazza Tasso for a piping-hot slice of Neapolitan-style pizza! This evening we'll meet up for our farewell dinner at the hotel where we'll raise a glass of wine in toast to our new friends and fond memories of the Amalfi Coast.
(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 09: (Saturday) SORRENTO TO NAPLES.
After breakfast we will schedule a group transfer at 9:00 am to Naples Capodichino Airport. Please schedule your departure flight no earlier than 12:00 noon.