Discovering the Treasured Beauty of Amalfi & Cilento Coasts Tour

In the morning, the doors of the oldest public bakery in Naples opens for the day. The aroma of chocolate filters through the kitchen and the delicate cakes and pastries shimmer against the glass of the display window. Locals grab a quick sfogliatella, a crunchy, flaky cream-filled pastry that perfectly accompanies a rich espresso. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you in your hotel lobby and escort you away from the morning bustle of Italy’s third largest city. You will round the Bay of Naples and pass the dramatic figure of Mount Vesuvius in the process.

You will stop in the town of Sorrento, located at the edge of the bay that leads to the tip of the Peninsula of Sorrento. Homes overtake the seaside and lead into the terraced hills. Greek settlers laid the foundations for the walls around the Marina Grande, and the defensive ramparts were rebuilt after a series of Turkish raids in the 16th century. Cobblestone streets meander along the sea graced by a faint scent of lemon. The Cathedral decorates the main road of Corso Italia with a simple exterior.

Much like true beauty, the glories of the church are actually on the inside. Stunning frescoes shine in the natural light that spills through the windows, each guiding your eye to the vivid altar.  You will then continue through the mountain pass to reach the Amalfi Coast, an area renowned for its natural beauty and obvious charm before you reach the town of Ravello, located at 1,150 feet above sea level, which offers a perfect view of the flanking mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.

Ravello is a small town with a whitewashed Cathedral that crowns the main square. Café tables and chairs offer a delightful view and a perfect spot to enjoy the tranquil morning breeze. Traces of the sea blend with the strong scent of the orange groves that grow around the steep roadside. Ravello features two stunning historical estates, Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, the latter of which was erected in the 11th century. The gorgeous gardens are open to the public and offer pathways lined with olive groves and ornamental terracotta pots for your enjoyment. The past accentuates the beauty of the garden with embellishing ruins and a reimagined Roman villa.

Stone pine and Sago palms have grown along the grounds for more than a century while strawberry trees and wild cyclamen blush with vibrant hues. Wisterias drape over the pergola as at the edge of the garden stretches the Terrace of Infinity, decorated with busts and offering a pristine view of the turquoise horizon. Venture down the hills to continue your discovery of the Amalfi Coast’s charms to visit the town of Cetara, referred to by locals as the gastronomic hotspot due to its continued traditions of fishing for tuna and anchovies. A white-pebbled beach borders the edge of town, clad with sporadic sunbathers.

400 towers once stood along the coastline of Southern Italy to defend the shores against pirates and Saracens; only a few towers remain, including Angiolina’s Tower that overlooks Cetara’s Beach. The structure nearly blends into the rugged mountainside in front of the verdant trees that drape across the slopes. You will meet a local chef in the main square and then wander along the narrow alleys framed by white cubic houses. Inside the professional kitchen, your instructor will introduce you to the culinary traditions of the Amalfi Coast and Cetara, beginning with having you taste the colatura di alici, a sauce made from anchovies.

In the morning, you will sip a semisweet cappuccino and enjoy the view of the rugged hills and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. The froth over the top of your drink adds a layer of indulgent texture to a day already filled with subtle pleasures. After your meal, you will take a private transfer to the Amalfi Marina to board your ferry to Capri. Sailboats wade in the water against the backdrop of the sea framed by the colorful homes that cascade down the steep mountain slopes. The ferry ride will whisk you along the open water in view of the rugged cliffs of Capri’s shores as some reach a height of 200 feet above sea level.

Once the ferry docks, you will step onto a gorgeous island that continues to captivate visitors from around the world in the same manner that it used to enchant Emperor Augustus two millennia ago. A funicular takes you up to the Piazzetta, a small square filled with café tables with a view of the colorful homes of the Marina Grande. Elegant restaurants and boutique shops line the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the scent of the sea is never far away, even amidst the refreshing aromas of fresh brioche, rich espresso, and simmering sauces.

You will step aboard the Monte Solaro Chairlift to enjoy an encompassing view of the island in the open-air. The mountain reaches a height of more than 1,930 feet above sea level with a view that extends to the shores of mainland Italy. You can see the Barbarossa Castle on a lower peak of 1,350 feet above sea level and the date of the foundations are unknown, but estimates range between the 10th and 12th centuries. The narrow cliff adds mysticism to the structure that nears legend, with its semicircular wall and vaulted apse.

Outside of Ravello, the olive and lemon trees thrive in the protected mountainous landscape of the Valle delle Ferriere. Ancient paper mills and defensive towers hide beneath the growing vines with the earth conquering what once stood proudly. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel ready to escort you south to the gorgeous, and unobserved, Cilento Coast. En route to the town of Palinuro, you will stop at ancient Paestum, the oldest and best-preserved Greek ruins on mainland Italy. Staggering cream-colored columns rise out of the Campania plains with elegance and prestige as Greek settlers erected the temples around the 6th century BC, and then the Romans overtook them in the 3rd century BC. The serene landscape and tranquility that surrounds the temples shape a prestigious and ethereal ambiance.

The Temple of Neptune was erected in the 5th century BC and remains the most intact of all of the structures. The double row of columns runs past two altars as steps lead to the colonnade to add a majestic dimension to the temple even without its pediments and ornamentation. After thoroughly exploring, you will leave the temples and make your way to a local dairy known for producing the popular and delicious buffalo mozzarella, a tradition of the Campania region. A cheesemaker will guide you through the process of making the stringy and rich culinary creation, from boiling the milk in a brass basin to collecting the cheese curds, followed by stretching and kneading continuously until the cheese reaches the proper texture.

The town of Palinuro is considered the jewel of the Cilento Coast due to its calm indigo waters, magnificent cliffs, and relaxed character. In the morning the sunlight washes over the red-tiled rooftops of the village and spreads across the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean. The Cilento National Park touches the sea to create a pure landscape for locals and visitors to enjoy as the leafy lanes meander through the homes and shops. After breakfast, you will take a pleasant stroll in the refreshing sea breeze to reach the marina. Small fishing boats bump against the dock, and your captain will take you onto the water for a cruise of the coastline and to visit the caves along the Palinuro Cape.

Locals lay out on the beach and enjoy the warm sun as it washes over their skin. The water shines clear and opulent against the colorful purple wildflowers that blossom on the sloping shoreline. You will soon reach the Blue Grotto, less famous than the grotto of Capri, but equally as impressive and with fewer visitors. Your captain will have you duck beneath the low-hanging lip of the cave’s mouth as what you assume to be a dark and damp interior will radiate with light. The sunlight filters through an underground passage and refracts off of the water, causing an elaborate, dazzling technicolor display.

In the morning, the olive groves and lemon trees rustle in the breeze as the aroma of the Mediterranean drifts through the lanes of town. Fishing boats return to the marina with nets filled to the brim with fresh seafood ready for market. After breakfast, your will venture out on a guided tour of the hilltop villages perched above the shimmering indigo beaches. You will arrive at Agropoli, a small village dominated by a remarkable ancient castle. A steep stairway leads to the gateway, and the edifice was once a fortress with a dramatic watchtower facing the sea. The walls extended down the slopes until they reach the banks of a wide moat. Narrow lands meander through the medieval center of town filling the historical lanes with a storybook ambiance.

The main piazza in front of the castle provides a beautiful view of the sweeping sea. The foundations of the castle were first laid by Greeks, restructured by Byzantines, and amplified by Normans before the Spanish reinforced the entire structure. The nearby town of Pisciotta stands more than 550 feet above sea level. The cobbled alleyways create a stunning medieval labyrinth of historical buildings, and the herbaceous aroma of olive trees lingers at the edges of town.  Olive oil is made from century-old trees that line Marina di Pisciotta. Step into a boutique shop for an olive oil tasting before you indulge in the true treasure of the town, the delicate olive oil cake.

At breakfast, you will take a lingering glance at the layers of color along the Mediterranean Sea as the beauty spreads from the shoreline to the horizon decorated with fishing boats cruising out for the day. Your private transfer will collect you at your hotel and lead the way north to Naples. After spending time in the small towns and villages of the coast, the city will feel like a different world. You will quickly settle back into the familiar aroma of fresh pizza dough as it drifts around the lavish palaces and ornate buildings. The quiet will return as you approach the preserved ruins of Herculaneum, a city covered in ash and pumice during the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Unlike Pompeii, hot magma flooded the city, filling in the homes and protecting them from collapse through the ages. Your private guide will lead you on an engaging tour of the city and cover more than seven and a half square miles. Follow the street of Cardo III to find Sacello degli Augustali, a marvelous square shrine illuminated through a purposeful opening in the roof. The temple was originally dedicated to Hercules and contains remarkable frescoes, the most famous of which depicts the demigod on Olympus with Juno and Minerva. For dinner, you will participate in a Neapolitan tradition of learning to make your own pizza from scratch as you follow your chef’s instructions to form the dough and set the toppings.

At breakfast, you will enjoy the refreshing richness of a fresh espresso accompanied with the local treat of a sfogliatella. Although you are no longer in the small villages along the Amalfi and Cilento Coasts, the rich waters, quiet streets, and visible history run through your mind. In Naples, the Castel Nuovo, a structure erected in the 13th century and enlarged in the 15th century, adorns the south end of Piazza del Municipio. The five towers rise above the powerful ramparts that surround the open courtyard. A glass floor in the armory allows visitors to see the Roman ruins on which the castle stands as a two-story triumphal arch decorates the entrance and commemorates Alfonso I’s entry into Naples in the 15th century. Naples maintains its beauty and charm in the conserved architecture highlighting its past, and you will enjoy one last morning to savor it. When you are ready, your private transfer will escort you to the international airport in Naples for your flight home.