Itinerary
- Day 1
Tirana to Durres
Start your day in Tirana at Skanderbeg Square, the heart of Albania's capital, then head into the historic Mosque of Ethem Bey to see the ornate interior and learn about the city's Ottoman heritage. After that, the Archaeological Museum gives you a solid overview of the region's past. By midday, you'll travel to Kruja, where you can walk through the Skanderbeg Museum and castle complex, then spend time wandering the old bazaar with its narrow streets and local shops. Later in the afternoon, it's about an hour's drive to Durres on the coast. You'll board your evening ferry to Bari, Italy, and settle in for the night onboard.
Included Activities
- Visit Skanderbeg Square
- Visit Mosque of Ethem Bey
- Visit Archaeological Museum
- Visit Skanderbeg Museum in Kruja
- Visit Kruja Castle
- Explore old bazaar in Kruja
Landmarks Skanderbeg Square Mosque of Ethem Bey Archaeological Museum of Tirana Skanderbeg Museum Kruja Castle 
- Day 2
Bari to Naples
After breakfast on the ferry, you'll disembark and head to Naples. Join a walking tour through the historic center, which is recognized by UNESCO. You'll see Cappella San Severo with its famous Veiled Christ sculpture, then move through the Church of Gesu Nuovo and walk into San Gregorio Armeno, known for its religious art. The Santa Chiara cloister offers a quiet space away from the busy streets, and from there you'll reach Piazza Plebiscito and the imposing Maschio Angioino fortress. This evening you'll check into a 3-star hotel in the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Naples historic center
- Visit Cappella San Severo
- Visit Church of Gesù Nuovo
- Visit San Gregorio Armeno
- Visit Santa Chiara cloister
- Visit Piazza Plebiscito
- Visit Maschio Angioino
Landmarks Cappella San Severo Church of Gesù Nuovo San Gregorio Armeno Santa Chiara Cloister Piazza Plebiscito Maschio Angioino 
- Day 3
Naples to Pompeii to Amalfi Coast to Salerno
After breakfast, you're heading south to Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. You'll walk through the thermal baths, see the large theater, and check out the Basilica, Macellum (the market), and the House of Faun with its detailed mosaics. Later, you'll drive along the Amalfi Coast road, which winds along cliffsides with views of the sea and the Lattari mountains. By evening you'll arrive in Salerno and stay overnight at a hotel there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Pompeii archaeological site
- Visit thermal baths in Pompeii
- Visit large theater in Pompeii
- Visit Basilica in Pompeii
- Visit Macellum in Pompeii
- Visit House of Faun in Pompeii
- Drive Amalfi Coast scenic route
Landmarks Pompeii Archaeological Site Mount Vesuvius Amalfi Coast 
- Day 4
Salerno to Pollino National Park to Cosenza
After breakfast, you're traveling into Pollino National Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark with unusual geological formations and diverse plant and animal life. The park stretches across the border between Calabria and Basilicata regions. You'll spend time exploring the different landscapes and historical sites within the park. In the afternoon, you head to Castrovillari, then continue on to Cosenza. This city has layers of history from ancient times through the medieval period and various conquests. You'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Pollino National Park
- Visit Pollino UNESCO Global Geopark
Landmarks Pollino National Park 
- Day 5
Cosenza to Messina
This morning you depart for Messina, Sicily's main port city across the Strait of Messina. Messina's history is complex and layered, shaped by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, and others over centuries. You'll explore small towns around Messina where churches and palaces hold artworks and evidence of these ancient civilizations. The mix of influences is visible in the architecture and local culture. You'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel in the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Strait of Messina 
- Day 6
Messina to Catania
As you travel to Catania, you'll have great views of Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The volcano's eruptions have created unique landscapes with lava fields and areas where you can walk on trails to see the geology up close. In Catania itself, your city tour covers Piazza Duomo, buildings in the Liberty style, baroque churches, and the dramatic views of Etna looming over the city. You'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- View Mount Etna volcano
- City tour of Catania
- Visit Piazza Duomo
Landmarks Mount Etna Piazza Duomo 
- Day 7
Catania to Palermo
After breakfast, you'll head to Palermo and start with Teatro Massimo, Italy's largest opera house. Then you're into the traditional markets at U Capu, where street vendors, local food, and history all blend together in the energy of the streets. You'll see the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Norman Cathedral, which contains the tomb of Frederick II and houses the silver Vara of Santa Rosalia. Walk through Villa Bonanno gardens and past Roman ruins before reaching the Royal Palace. St. John of the Hermits stands out with its distinctive Arab-Norman style. You'll explore medieval quarters and end at the Four Corners, then settle into a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Teatro Massimo
- Explore U Capu market
- Visit Church of the Immaculate Conception
- Visit Norman Cathedral
- View tomb of Frederick II
- See silver Vara of Santa Rosalia
- Walk through Villa Bonanno gardens
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit St. John of the Hermits
- Explore Four Corners
Landmarks Teatro Massimo U Capu Market Church of the Immaculate Conception Norman Cathedral Royal Palace St. John of the Hermits Four Corners 
- Day 8
Palermo to Cefalu to Reggio Calabria
After breakfast, you'll continue to Cefalu on the northern coast of Sicily. This coastal city centers on its impressive 12th-century Norman cathedral with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and twin towers overlooking the water. From there, you're heading to Reggio Calabria, positioned between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. On a clear day, you can see Sicily just 2 miles away across the Strait of Messina. You'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Cefalu Norman Cathedral
Landmarks Cefalu Norman Cathedral Strait of Messina 
- Day 9
Reggio Calabria to Bovalino to Soverato to Isola le Castello
You're following the scenic Ionian coast road today with stops along the way. First, you'll pass through Bovalino, a small town in the Province of Reggio Calabria with local character. Next is Soverato, a commune known for its white sand beaches and evening events that draw visitors from northern Italy during summer months. The afternoon continues southward to Isola le Castello, where you'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 10
Isola le Castello to Crotone to Matera
After breakfast, you're heading to Crotone, located on the toe of the Italian peninsula. Founded around 710 BC as a Greek colony called Kroton, it has the Castle of Charles V with its museum, walls, and watchtowers. You'll see the Cathedral with its neoclassical exterior and baroque interior, plus museums covering archaeology and contemporary art. Later you travel to Matera in Basilicata, a unique city built into tuff rock with homes stacked on multiple levels. Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and served as the 2019 European Capital of Culture, featuring rupestrian churches and the famous Sassi district carved into the stone. You'll stay overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Castle of Charles V in Crotone
- Visit Town Museum in Crotone
- Visit Cathedral in Crotone
- Visit Matera Sassi district
Landmarks Castle of Charles V Matera Sassi 
- Day 11
Matera to Taranto to Santa Maria della Leuca
After breakfast, you're heading to Taranto on the Apulia coast, which stretches over 87 miles with cliffs, sandy beaches, and coastal vegetation. The region holds churches, castles, and palaces marking centuries of settlements and cultural influence. Then you continue to Santa Maria della Leuca at Salento's southern tip, where the original Church of Santa Maria was transformed into the Basilica of Santa Maria De finibus terrae. Here you'll find rupestrian settlements, cave churches, castles, ancient olive trees, hidden coves, and clear blue water. You'll stay overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Basilica of Santa Maria De finibus terrae 
- Day 12
Santa Maria della Leuca to Otranto to Lecce to Brindisi
After breakfast, you head to Otranto, sitting at the narrowest point of the Otranto Strait just 73 km across, marking the boundary between the Adriatic and Ionian seas and between Italy and Albania. From there, you travel to Lecce in southern Apulia, famous for its baroque architecture. You'll see Piazza del Duomo with the Cathedral's double facade and bell tower, then check out the Basilica di Santa Croce with its detailed sculptures and rose window. The Sant'Oronzo Column and sunken Roman amphitheater show layers of history. In the afternoon, you continue to Brindisi, historically the Gateway to the East and an important port for Roman and later Venetian merchants. It remains a key travel hub today. You'll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Otranto
- Visit Piazza del Duomo in Lecce
- Visit Cathedral in Lecce
- Visit Basilica di Santa Croce
- Visit Sant'Oronzo Column
- Visit Roman amphitheater in Lecce
Landmarks Otranto Strait Piazza del Duomo Cathedral of Lecce Basilica di Santa Croce Sant'Oronzo Column Roman Amphitheater of Lecce - Day 13
Brindisi to Alberobello to Bari
After breakfast, you head to Alberobello to see the striking trulli, cone-roofed stone structures recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll walk through narrow winding lanes past characteristic piazzas in Rione Monti, seeing the unique twin-cone Siamese trullo, the Church of Sant'Antonio, and Trullo Sovrano. The Museo del Territorio occupies several connected trulli, and Casa d'Amore was the first building constructed with lime and mortar. Then you continue to Bari, Puglia's capital, where you'll explore the ancient Bari vecchia neighborhood and the Basilica of St. Nicholas. You might see local women making orecchiette pasta by hand, and you'll find excellent focaccia and street food around the streets. Later you board your ferry back to Durres, Albania, and spend the night onboard.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Alberobello trulli
- Visit Church of Sant'Antonio
- Visit Trullo Sovrano
- Visit Museo del Territorio
- Visit Casa d'Amore
- Visit Bari vecchia
- Visit Basilica of St. Nicholas
Landmarks Alberobello Trulli Church of Sant'Antonio Trullo Sovrano Basilica di San Nicola Bari vecchia 
- Day 14
Durres to Tirana
After arriving in Durres, you start with a city tour of Albania's main commercial port and second-largest city. You'll see the Roman amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum with artifacts from the ancient site of Kroton, plus the Roman Baths located behind the Aleksander Moisiu Theatre. Then you head inland to Tirana, Albania's capital. There you'll visit Skanderbeg Square honoring the national hero, the historic Mosque of Ethem Bey, and the Archaeological Museum to complete your loop through the region's history. You'll finish with an overnight stay in Tirana.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Roman amphitheater in Durres
- Visit Archaeological Museum in Durres
- Visit Roman Baths in Durres
- Visit Skanderbeg Square in Tirana
- Visit Mosque of Ethem Bey in Tirana
- Visit Archaeological Museum in Tirana
Landmarks Roman Amphitheater of Durres Archaeological Museum of Durres Skanderbeg Square Mosque of Ethem Bey Archaeological Museum of Tirana 
