Amalfi and Cilento Coast
Guided Tour plus Vacation Package
Campania: the ‘Amalfi and Cilento Coast’
6 guided days on the Cilento Coast followed by 5 days vacation package on the Amalfi Coast
Itinerary
Day 1 – airport pickup;followed by ERCOLANO and MT. VESUVIUS
Under control of the Romans, the city was a renowned seaside resort where some of the richest Roman citizens passed their summer vacations. After the 79 AD eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the town was abandoned and remained largely uninhabited for about 1000 years. The town was partially buried under hot mud and remained so for those 1000 years. The medieval town of Resina was built on the lava stream left by the eruption of Vesuvius (79 AD) that destroyed the ancient city of Herculaneum, from which the present name is derived. Ercolano is a resort and the starting point for excursions to the excavations of Herculaneum and for the ascent of Vesuvius by bus. The town also manufactures leather goods, buttons, glass, and the wine known as Lacrima Christi (Tears of Christ).
Day 2 – CASTELLABATE
You will be staying at a lovely seaside Palace or ‘Palazzo’ (below) near Castellabate where the Belmonte royal family still resides during part of the year, to live like royalty just like you deserve to be treated… smiles.
The palace grounds are privately enclosed and are located in Santa Maria di Castellabate, a happening seaside town with plenty of restaurants and things to do.
Just above Santa Maria is Castellebate. The name Castrum Abbatis in Latin or Castello dell’Abate in Italian is linked to the construction of the castle, which began in 1123, in the hillside medieval village or ‘borgo’
Castellabate is noted as one of the most beautiful ‘borgo’ resting up high with a view of the sea. In addition to the hilltop borgo which boasts a spectacular view.
Day 3 – PALINURO and VELIA
From Castellabate we will take a lovely coastal drive to PALINURO to see the grottos and enjoy the afternoon on the sea, lunching at a beachside restaurant. The name of the town is tied-up to Palinurus, the mythological helmsman of Aeneas, present in the 5th and 6th book of Aeneid. Palinurus, in Roman mythology is the helmsman of a ship of the adventurer Aeneas.
On the return from Palinuro, we will stop briefly at VELIA, an ancient Greek town (Elia) to discover how they lived in antiquity.
Its excavations are one of the treasures of National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano. The remains of this ancient town are in the territory of Ascea Marina, a very important tourist town, situated between Agropoli and Palinuro. The strategic geographic position of Velia (Elea), in the middle of the ancient commercial routes between Greece and Etruria, gave it strength and wealth.
Day 4 –ACCIAROLI
ACCIAROLI is another ‘borgo’, but is one with a port and a lovely long beach on the Tyrrhenian Sea!
The town symbol is the blue flag, because it receives a blue flag, the highest honor, for clean water and a clean beach every year. It is a tranquil beach town of mostly locals and was one of the places where Hemingway stayed to write. If the weather permits, you may pass the day relaxing on the lido and strolling through town.
Day 5 – CAPRI
From the nearby port at Acciaroli we will take a large boat to Capri for a full day on the Island. I will get you there and get you back and you will be free islanders all day (with a map and suggestions of course). Naturally, anyone who wants to hang out with Marena on the island is more than welcome.
Day 6 – transfer to the northern Amalfi coast with a stop in between at PAESTUM
PAESTUM was founded around the end of the 7th century BC by colonists from the Greek city of Sybaris, and originally known as Poseidonia. From the archaeological evidence it appears that the two cultures, Greek and Oscan, were able to get along together and thrive. It later became the Roman city of Paestum in 273 BC. The main features of the site today are the standing remains of three major temples in Doric style, dating from the first half of the 6th century BC. These were dedicated to Hera and Athena.
Day 7 and 8 RAVELLO
RAVELLO was an important town of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, an important trading power in the Mediterranean between 839 and around 1200. Villa Rufolo (1270), built by Nicola Rufolo, one of the richest men of Ravello, rests on a ledge and it has become a famous attraction for thousands of visitors. The villa was mentioned by Giovanni Boccaccio in his Decameron and it is the place where Richard Wagner in 1880 was inspired for the stage design of his opera Parsifal. In the northern Amalfi coast, this is Marena’s favorite.
Day 9 – POSITANO
We will organize with your hotel a day transfer to Positano.
POSITANO is a small town on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the 20th century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper’s Bazaar in May, 1953: “Positano bites deep”, Steinbeck wrote. “It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone”.
Day 10 – Relax and enjoy your last day in Ravello!
Day 11 – Depart for Naples airport. Arrivederci! (which literally means: to see each other again! Smiles.)
The itinerary is subject to change to accommodate the weather, festivals, or special needs of the guests – you.
If you have a concern or a request, please ask. Aside from not having to travel around in a herd, accommodating requests is another bonus of a private tour.
Included:
• airport pick-up and drop-off in Naples in private mini-van with A/C, snacks and spirits!
• 6 nights accommodation at a palace
• daily guided tours explaining the art and history along the way
• all tickets and entrance fees
• the blue grotto in Palinuro
• boat ride to Capri
• 2 full-course meals (welcome and goodbye)
• ‘un bel divertamento’ (lots of fun!)
• special Marena treats!
• A True Italian Experience
Not included:
• airline ticket (but Marena will help you to find a good ticket)
• meals not mentioned above
• gratuities
• insurance (see website for insurance link)
When to go: May, June or July is best
