12 Days/11 Nights – Rome – Naples – Pompeii – Sorrento (2 Nights) – Capri – Positano – Amalfi – Salerno Area (1 Night) – Naxos Bay Area (2 Nights) – Catania (3 Nights)

Tour Overview
As the name suggests, this tour covers some of Italy’s true gems. Take a walking tour of Naples and appreciate its historic marvels before enjoying an authentic Neapolitan pizza lunch. Visit the archaeological excavations of Pompeii and enjoy a boat trip to the natural sea cave Blue Grotto in Capri. Explore Positano and Amalfi, the two pearls of the Amalfi Coast. Discover the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, the most powerful Greek colony in Sicily. From visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites to enjoying local food, this is a trip of a lifetime!

Day 1 – Sunday – Rome – Naples – Pompeii – Sorrento

Departure from Destination Italia Sightseeing office at 7:30 a.m.. Upon arrival in Naples, walk around the city centre, discovering Piazza del Plebisicito, Palazzo Reale, Galleria Umberto I and Teatro San Carlo.Lunch in a local restaurant to taste authentic Neapolitan pizza. Proceed to Pompeii for the guided tour of the archaeological excavations. This ancient Roman city was destroyed when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and buried it, preserving it under a sea of volcanic ash for nearly 1700 years. Enjoy a stop in a cameos and coral shop. Transfer to Sorrento, famous for its picturesque old town centre and characteristic fisherman’s village of Marina Grande, one of the most authentic treasures of the city. Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2 – Monday – Sorrento – Capri – Sorrento

Breakfast in the hotel and departure at 7:30 a.m. for the port of Sorrento. Meet the guide and sail to Capri by hydrofoil. After arriving at the island, enjoy a boat trip to the Blue Grotto (weather permitting). Continue by minibus to Anacapri and have lunch at a local restaurant. Then reach the legendary Piazzetta, heart of the island. Return to the port to head back to Sorrento. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 – Tuesday – Sorrento – Positano – Amalfi – Salerno Area

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer from Sorrento to Salerno area with en route stop in Positano and Amalfi and time at leisure to discover these two pearls of the Amalfi Coast. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4 – Wednesday – Salerno Area – Night on A Ferry from Salerno to Catania

Breakfast in the hotel. Day at leisure and the possibility to relax in the hotel spa or sunbathe next to the pool. In the evening, transfer from the hotel to the port of Salerno to take the ferry going to Catania. Dinner at leisure and overnight on board. Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 – Thursday – Catania – Naxos Bay Area

Upon arrival in Catania, transfer from the port to the hotel in Naxos Bay area. Enjoy two days of total relax before discovering Sicily and its wonders. Dinner at leisure and overnight stay. No meal is include

Day 6 – Friday – Naxos Bay Area

Breakfast in the hotel and day at disposal for shopping or attend a show in Taormina. Dinner at leisure and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 – Saturday – Naxos Bay Area – Catania

Breakfast in the hotel and transfer from the hotel in the Naxos Bay area to the hotel in Catania. In the late afternoon meeting with the tour leader, dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 – Sunday – Catania – Siracusa – Noto – Catania

Breakfast in the hotel and departure for Syracuse to visit the largest and most powerful Greek colony in Sicily: the Archaeological Park of Neapolis. Visit of the old town centre of Ortigia, with its stunning Piazza Duomo and Cathedral. Proceed to Noto, the capital of Sicilian baroque also called the “stone garden”, full of beautiful buildings and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A walk through the streets of the centre to admire the skill and ingenious creativity of local craftsmen. Noto’s baroque architecture is a plethora of elegant curves, floral weaves, perspective views, palaces and gardens, capitals and cherubs that adorn the facades of churches and monasteries. Return to Catania, dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 – Monday – Catania – Etna – Taormina – Catania

Breakfast in the hotel, departure to discover Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe (3.350 m), and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Etna Park, covering 59.000 hectares, is home to extremely varied and rich flora, along with many protected species. The first glimpses of captivating landscapes can be seen when approaching RifugioSapienza. From there, proceed to Crateri Silvestri, volcanic cones dating to 1888, now inactive but surrounded by more recent lava flows. The view that can be enjoyed through the multitude of volcanic cones and craters extends to the Aeolian Islands and Calabria, making it a truly unique sight to behold. Afterwards, visit a beekeeping farm, to see the honey extraction laboratory and a tast of home-made honey and typical products of the area. Proceed to Taormina, famous for its natural landscape, marine beauties, historical monuments and an unforgettable view of the sea and Etna. Visit of the fascinating Greco-Roman theatre, which o?ers a breathtaking view of the Naxos Bay. The day will end with a beautiful panorama of the stunning Riviera dei Ciclopi. Return to the hotel in Catania. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10 – Tuesday – Catania – Cefalu – Palermo

Breakfast in the hotel, followed by a visit to the old town centre of Catania and its baroque architecture, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a walk in the centre, passing through the old ‘pescheria’ (old fish market) to reach the scenic Piazza del Duomo with its stunning Cathedral and the lava stone Elephant (symbol of the city). Stop in a delicious co?ee bar to taste the local granita with brioche. In the early afternoon, proceed to Cefalu, a beautiful medieval maritime village with its Norman Cathedral. Time at leisure to visit the famous Mandralisca Museum and transfer back to Palermo. Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11 – Wednesday – Monreale – Palermo

Breakfast in the hotel and departure to visit Monreale, with its impressive Arab-Norman Cathedral and stunning Cloister. Return to Palermo. This city preserves monuments of the Arab-Norman period, including the beautiful Cathedral, the fascinating Byzantine Church of the Martorana and the Palatine Chapel, a higher example from the historical-artistic point of view of the coexistence between cultures and religions. Along the visit stop for a food surprise in a local bakery. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12 – Thursday – Palermo

Breakfast in the hotel and check-out (possibility of private transfer as an optional service). Meals: Breakfast

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