Itinerary
- Day 1
Rome
Your transfer arrives at Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport and takes you directly to your hotel. Once you've settled in and freshened up, you'll meet your Travel Director and the other travelers on your tour. Everyone gathers for a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant, so you'll get to know the group and start learning about Rome.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant
- Day 2
Rome
A Local Expert leads you on a leisurely walk through Rome's backstreets, showing you how modern life exists alongside ancient ruins. You'll head to the Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin and check out the Pantheon. After that, you have free time to wander at your own pace, or you can join an optional tour of Trastevere, the medieval quarter with narrow alleyways, ancient churches, and a lively neighborhood feel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walk with Local Expert through Rome's backstreets
- Visit Trevi Fountain
- Visit Pantheon
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Trastevere with Local Expert exploring medieval alleyways, ancient churches and neighbourhood character
Landmarks/POIs Trevi Fountain Pantheon Trastevere - Day 3
Rome to Alberobello
With a Local Expert, you'll tour the Vatican Museums and see the Sistine Chapel to view Michelangelo's ceiling. Then you'll walk through St. Peter's Basilica. Later, you'll head out of Rome and travel to Alberobello, arriving at your hotel in the evening for your next leg of the journey.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Fast Track access to Vatican Museums
- Visit Sistine Chapel with Local Expert
- View Bramante Staircase
- Visit St. Peter's Basilica
Landmarks/POIs Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel St. Peter's Basilica - Day 4
Alberobello
A Local Expert takes you through Alberobello's UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you'll learn about the Trulli—those distinctive circular limestone structures with cone-shaped roofs built without mortar. By evening, you'll have a farm-to-table dinner at Trattoria Terra Madre, featuring organic and local seasonal produce grown right there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farm-to-Table Highlight Dinner at Trattoria Terra Madre featuring four courses of organic, locally sourced seasonal produce)
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Trulli of Alberobello with Local Expert
- Farm-to-Table Highlight Dinner at Trattoria Terra Madre featuring four courses of organic, locally sourced seasonal produce
Landmarks/POIs Trulli of Alberobello - Day 5
Alberobello
This is your free day in Alberobello. Spend it however you like wandering around town. If you want something more, there's an optional visit to the white-washed city of Ostuni with its cobbled streets and North African style, or you can tour an olive oil mill to taste local varieties. In the evening, an optional dinner at a traditional countryside farmhouse is available, complete with local wines.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Ostuni with Local Expert viewing white-washed buildings, narrow cobbled streets and arched stairways, including olive oil tasting at a Mill
- Masseria Dinner at a traditional countryside farmhouse with regional wines
Landmarks/POIs Ostuni - Day 6
Alberobello to Matera to Grottole
You'll travel to Matera and explore the Sassi, a UNESCO site filled with cave dwellings, churches, and staircases carved directly from rock. Your Local Expert guides you through this labyrinth. Then you'll head to Grottole village to meet Andrea, who's working to preserve traditional ways of life there. You'll walk through the old town and have a light lunch with wine while learning about the village's history.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Light lunch with wine)
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Sassi in Matera with Local Expert
- Visit Grottole village and participate in Wonder Grottole regeneration initiative project
- Meet local community member Andrea
- Guided exploration of Grottole historic old town
- Light lunch with wine at Grottole
Landmarks/POIs Sassi di Matera Grottole 
- Day 7
Grottole to Sorrento
Next, you're heading to Pompeii in the Campania region. With a Local Expert, you'll walk the cobbled streets of this ancient Roman city that was buried by Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, and you'll see how it's frozen in time. After that, you'll continue to Sorrento, the resort town on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walk through Pompeii with Local Expert
Landmarks/POIs Pompeii Mount Vesuvius 
- Day 8
Sorrento to Capri
A jetfoil takes you across the Mediterranean to Capri. Once you arrive, you'll ride in an open-top taxi through the island's narrow alleyways with your Local Expert for an orientation. You can then choose to visit the Gardens of Augustus to see the Faraglioni rocks or try a limoncello tasting, since that's Capri's signature lemon liqueur. Later, you'll take the funicular down to the port and head back to Sorrento.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Jetfoil cruise to Capri
- Scenic ride in iconic open-top taxi to Capri Town
- Orientation walk through Capri Town with Local Expert
Optional Activities
- Visit Gardens of Augustus with Local Expert and view Faraglioni rocks
- Limoncello tasting experience of Capri's traditional lemon liqueur
Landmarks/POIs Capri Gardens of Augustus Faraglioni Rocks - Day 9
Sorrento to Taormina
You're traveling along the Purple Coast toward Sicily. After boarding a ferry across the Strait of Messina (where Scylla and Charybdis were said to lurk according to Greek legend), you'll arrive and check into your hotel on the Taormina Riviera for the next three nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing across Strait of Messina to Sicily
Landmarks/POIs Strait of Messina - Day 10
Taormina
If you're an early riser, you might see why D.H. Lawrence called this 'The Dawn Coast of Europe.' After breakfast, there's an optional tour of Mount Etna's vineyards, Europe's largest active volcano. Later, you'll visit Taormina's old town clinging to Mount Tauro's side, tour the ancient Greek theatre on a cliff (with views through broken arches to Mount Etna), and stroll through the charming streets and elegant Corso Umberto.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit ancient Greek Amphitheatre with Local Expert
- Exploration of Taormina old town with Travel Director including Palazzo Corvaja courtyard and Corso Umberto
- Orientation with Travel Director visiting Piazza IX Aprile
Optional Activities
- Guided experience through vineyards to Mount Etna
Landmarks/POIs Greek Theatre of Taormina Mount Etna Palazzo Corvaja Corso Umberto - Day 11
Taormina to Cefalu to Palermo
Your Travel Director leads you to the fishing town of Cefalu. You'll tour the imposing cathedral built when Norman King Roger II made a vow. Then you'll walk to the medieval stone fountain and find the Gothic Porta Marina arch for photos of the harbor. After exploring, you'll continue on to Palermo.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Cefalu Cathedral with Travel Director
- Walk to medieval stone fountain in old fishermen's quarter
- View Gothic arch of Porta Marina and harbour
Landmarks/POIs Cefalu Cathedral Porta Marina 
- Day 12
Palermo
You'll choose between two activities: visiting the 12th-century Palatine Chapel with a Local Expert or joining an anti-mafia tour to learn how locals are working together in modern Palermo. In the afternoon, you can walk through Palermo Cathedral at your own pace and see its mix of architectural styles. For dinner, you'll have a Dine-Around experience sampling different local restaurants around the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dine-Around evening sampling variety of Palermo cuisine at selection of local restaurants)
Included Activities
- Dine-Around evening with selection of local restaurants to sample variety of Palermo cuisine
Optional Activities
- Visit spectacular 12th-century Palatine Chapel with Local Expert featuring 12th-century mosaics
- Anti-Mafia tour of Palermo with Local Expert exploring civil anti-mafia movement
- Visit Palermo Cathedral
Landmarks/POIs Palatine Chapel Palermo Cathedral - Day 13
Palermo to Agrigento to Ragusa
You're traveling to Agrigento to explore the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your Local Expert shows you the massive Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno on the clifftop overlooking the sea. Then you'll continue to the hilltop town of Ragusa, which you'll reach by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Valley of the Temples with Local Expert
- Visit Temple of Concordia
- Visit Temple of Juno
Landmarks/POIs Valley of the Temples Temple of Concordia Temple of Juno - Day 14
Ragusa to Syracuse to Catania
Your Local Expert takes you to Syracuse to see Paradise Quarry with its unusual Ear of Dionysius grotto, known for its distinctive acoustics. You'll tour the superb Greek theatre carved from solid rock, one of the largest of the ancient world. Then you'll wander through the Old City on Ortygia island with its narrow streets and historic palaces. Later, you'll travel to Catania and celebrate your time in Sicily with a Farewell Dinner with your fellow travelers.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell Dinner with fellow travellers)
Included Activities
- Visit Paradise Quarry with Local Expert
- Explore Ear of Dionysius
- Visit Greek theatre at Syracuse
- Walk through Old City of Ortygia
- Farewell Dinner in Catania
Landmarks/POIs Paradise Quarry Ear of Dionysius Greek Theatre of Syracuse Ortygia - Day 15
Catania
On your way to Catania Airport, you'll have views of Mount Etna. Departure transfers leave at 06:30 and 08:30, so you'll head out early to catch your flight and end your tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Mount Etna
