Country Roads Of Southern Italy & Sicily

Day Stop

• Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy

Hotel(s)

Kolbe Hotel Rome

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Rome is about art, antiquity, piazzas and pizza, and our guided walk with a local expert has it in abundance. Sightsee the local way, with a leisurely passeggiata through the backstreets, where a friend in Rome will explain how modern life takes place. Toss a coin into the spectacular Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon, the best-preserved monument from the Roman period, and enjoy free time to do as the Romans do. Perhaps join a tour to discover the incredibly characteristic Roman quarter of Trastevere. Get off the beaten track and explore Rome’s most untouched and unique districts and most consistently unchanged medieval neighborhoods, Trastevere is dotted with ancient and dimly lit churches, crumbling buildings and streets barely wide enough for a Fiat. With your local expert, explore the medieval labyrinth of alleyways and pause from time to time to take in this very atmospheric area. A maze of food shops, art galleries, cafes, apartment buildings and pretty squares, this district was once rather run-down and working-class, but has now become one of the city's liveliest and most popular neighborhoods.

Day Stops

• Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

With your local expert, visit the Vatican Museums. Inside the Sistine Chapel, admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling before visiting St. Peter’s Basilica. Next, journey to Alberobello.

Day Stop

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Admire another of Italy's record number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites with a local expert. The Trulli of Alberobello are circular structures with conical roofs that are domed within. They are built from local limestone and stacked without using mortar. In the evening, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience using home-grown organic and locally sourced, seasonal produce, you sit down to a delicious four-course, farm-to-table dinner.

Day Stop

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

Hotel(s)

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri

Meal(s)

Breakfast

The day is free for you to enjoy this extraordinary town as you wish. Perhaps join an optional experience to the stunning city of Ostuni. With its dazzling white houses and fascinating history, it is a true delight. Your local expert experience reveals this town reminiscent of a North African Arab Medina. Admire the stark white-washed buildings, narrow cobbled streets and arched stairways. Set against three hills and perched high above the beautiful sea; "The White Town" is a photographer's delight. Afterwards, visit a Mill to taste the renowned olive oil produced in this area that incorporates olives from the ancient groves of Puglia. Or, join an optional Masseria Dinner in Puglia, a food lovers' paradise. You’re off to the countryside to a local "Masseria," a typical ancient fortified "Farmhouse." Enjoy an authentic dinner in a "country roads" experience all served up with great wines form the region.

Day Stops

• 70011 Alberobello, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy
• 75100 Matera, Province of Matera, Italy

Hotel(s)

MH Matera Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit Matera with a local expert for an in-depth exploration of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sassi — a labyrinth of cave dwellings, churches, staircases and arches, hewn out of the solid rock. You may recognize Matera as the biblical backdrop for the film "The Passion of the Christ." Continue to the small village of Grottole. Once a thriving community, it has lost most of its activity and population. Meet Andrea, a local striving to bring back the traditional way of living of the area. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience explore the historic old town to learn about the fascinating history of the village. Later, enjoy a light lunch with wine, helping to preserve the local culture.

Day Stops

• 75100 Matera, Province of Matera, Italy
• 80045 Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

Hotel(s)

MH Matera Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Journey to the region of Campania to visit Pompeii, buried in A.D. 79 by the historic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Walk with your local expert through the cobbled streets to see a city frozen in time. Venture on to the picturesque resort of Sorrento, perched upon the southern cliffs of the Bay of Naples and looking over to Mount Vesuvius.

Day Stops

• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
• 80076 Capri, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

Hotel(s)

Hotel Isabella

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Cruise by jetfoil across the impossibly blue sea to the sun-drenched island of Capri. On arrival ascend to Capri Town and meet your local expert for an orientation walk through the narrow alleyways. Explore Capri. Choose to visit the immaculate Gardens of Augustus with a local expert and admire the views over the Faraglioni Rocks. Alternatively, enjoy a tasting of limoncello, Capri’s famous lemon liqueur. Descend to the port by funicular before returning to Sorrento.

Day Stops

• 80067 Sorrento, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
• 89018 Villa San Giovanni, Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, Italy
• 98035 Naxos, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

RG Naxos Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning, travel along the Purple Coast to the very toe of Italy and board your ferry bound for Sicily, across the Strait of Messina. According to Grecian legend, this was home to the mythical sea monsters Scylla, a six-headed rock monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool, based on either side of the strait. Together, they posed an inescapable threat to passing seafarers as avoiding one meant passing too close to the other. You will soon arrive at your hotel where you will spend three glorious nights on the Taormina Riviera.

Day Stop

• 98039 Taormina, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy

Hotel(s)

RG Naxos Hotel

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Your hotel faces east, so early risers may learn why D.H. Lawrence christened this "The Dawn Coast of Europe." After breakfast, perhaps take an optional experience through the vineyards to Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. Travel to the old town of Taormina, which clings to the side of Mount Tauro, overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. With your local expert, visit the Greek theater set on a cliff and open to the sky. Take a moment to sit in this ancient theater and admire the view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna. Stroll through the old town and admire Taormina's grandest building and along the elegant Corso Umberto.

Day Stops

• 98039 Taormina, Metropolitan City of Messina, Italy
• 90015 Cefalù, PA, Italy
• Palermo, PA, Italy

Hotel(s)

NH Palermo

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Travel to the quaint fishing town of Cefalu. The town's imposing cathedral was erected to fulfill a vow made by the Norman King Roger II. Stroll down to the medieval stone fountain and seek out the Gothic arch of the Porta Marina for a picture-perfect view of the little harbor. Later, travel onwards to Palermo.

Day Stop

• Palermo, PA, Italy

Hotel(s)

NH Palermo

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Explore Palermo. Choose a walking tour with a visit to the spectacular 12th century Palatine Chapel with a local expert. Alternatively, join the Anti-Mafia tour of Palermo, part of a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and find out how locals are working together in modern day Palermo. In your free time this afternoon, you could visit Palermo Cathedral which has been altered many times over the years and observe its unique blend of architectural styles. For your dining pleasure, you can experience the foods the locals like to eat and experience how they like to eat it on your dine-around evening.

Day Stops

• Palermo, PA, Italy
• 92100 Agrigento, AG, Italy
• 97100 Ragusa, Free municipal consortium of Ragusa, Italy

Hotel(s)

Mediterraneo Palace

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Journey to Agrigento. Explore the Valley of the Temples with a local expert and see the massive Temple of Concordia and the clifftop Temple of Juno overlooking the sea. Your travels continue to the hilltop town of Ragusa.

Day Stops

• 97100 Ragusa, Free municipal consortium of Ragusa, Italy
• 96100 Syracuse, Free municipal consortium of Syracuse, Italy
• Catania, Metropolitan city of Catania, Italy

Hotel(s)

NH Catania Centro

Meal(s)

Breakfast, Dinner

Sightseeing with your local expert takes you to Syracuse’s Paradise Quarry with its unusual Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped grotto with an unusual echo. See the superb Greek theater, carved out of solid rock, one of the largest of the ancient world. There is time to explore the atmospheric Old City, a maze of narrow streets lined with palaces, sprawling over the island of Ortygia. It was here that the famous geometrician Archimedes ran naked through the streets, crying "Eureka!" Continue to Catania to celebrate your time in Sicily over dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day Stop

• Catania, Metropolitan city of Catania, Italy

Meal(s)

Breakfast

Appreciate views of Mount Etna on your way. Departure transfers arrive at Catania Airport at 6:30 and 8:30.