One of the most populous of Italy’s twenty regions, Campania lies south of Lazio (where Rome is situated), and is flanked by other neighbors Molise, Puglia (Apulia) and Basilicata, and by the Tyrrhenian Sea with over 200 miles of coastline.
Tourism (above all, along the Amalfi Coast), agriculture (fruits and vegetables) and animal breeding (milk and buffalo mozzarella cheese) are among the biggest pillars of the local economy.
This slice of the southern Italy has seen an extraordinary array of peoples, each who left their mark. From 2,500 years ago, the local tribes of Aurunci and Osci lived here. Later came the Samnites, followed by the Greeks, Romans and Lombards. In the last millennium, Normans, Swabians, Spanish and French also brought their cultures and influence, before Italy was unified in 1861.
The capital city of Naples bears an esteemed history. Currently the third most populated city in Italy, in the 16th century, it was the second most populated in all of Europe—second only to Paris! Naples boasts the oldest university in the world, founded in the 13th century by Frederick II, the Swabian Holy Roman emperor and King of Sicily. And, in 1839, it became the first city in Italy to have a railway.
Our journey into Campania hinges on the must-see UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast) and ancient Roman town of Herculaneum as well as on the fabled volcano of Vesuvius. We’ll explore the countryside and soak in the landscapes on exhilarating hikes, savoring unique foods and wines along the way and stopping to linger in such celebrated spots as Capri, Positano and Ravello and lesser-known gems like Tramonti, Gragnano and Cetara.
Visits and tastings with dried pasta, olive oil, cheese, limoncello and wine makers punctuate our travels, and do our stays at local agriturismi. (Agriturismi are typically family-run “farm stays” combining agriculture and tourism. Most feature room and board in a farmhouse, which has been either partially or totally transformed to provide accommodation and meals.)A signature flavor will be the Slow Food Presidium (worldwide initiative supporting a quality production method that is at risk of extinction) of “Colatura di Alici” (anchovies extract following an ancient method of stacking in salt in a barrel). We’ll enjoy a taste on a dish of spaghetti accented by local veggies.
Other dishes typical to Campania include: pizza (we don’t need more explanation…); pasta (such as the dried version has been made for centuries in the little town of Gragnano); Caprese salad (made with the local buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes); fish-focused fare such as seafood salad and spaghetti with clams or mussels; zucchine alla scapece (fried zucchini drizzled with vinegar and mint); eggplant Parmigiana style (fried or grilled eggplants layered with tomato sauce and cheese); babà (a type of sponge cake dipped in Rum); and limoncello (liqueur of lemon in alcohol with water and sugar). Enjoy washing these down with one of Campania’s wonderful indigenous wines: Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, Tintore and Piedirosso.
Bring all your senses and join us for a charming and delicious ramble through one of Italy’s most beloved regions. While the Amalfi Coast is well-trodden, few experience the meaningful closeness that can only come with getting to know the local people and learning about their way of life. You are sure to be inspired by stories, especially against the unforgettable backdrop of this region, which has mesmerized travelers and conquerors since the Roman times!
Given the popularity of the area, we strongly recommend travel in the off-season months of March, April, May, October or November. In any case, we wish you buon appetito and buon viaggio!
CAMPANIA: SAMPLING THE AMALFI COAST
TOUR DATES AND PRICES
Minimum of 6 participants, maximum of 16, with a maximum guide-to-guest ratio of 1 to 8
DATES (7 days)
For more dates, info and availability please contact us.
TOUR PRICE
Per person in double occupancy: from $3,090
(tour price will vary and contingent upon availability of cozy agriturismi and 3-star hotels or more elegant 4-star hotels)
Single Supplement: $490
In addition, we pledge to donate more than 1% of your trip price to food literacy and environmental non profit organizations
|
Day |
Activity |
Hotel Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
|
1 |
|
3 or 4-star Hotel in Capri or Anacapri D |
|
2 |
|
3 or 4-star Hotel in Capri or Anacapri B, D |
|
3 |
|
3 or 4-star Hotel in Positano
B, L, D |
|
4 |
|
3 or 4-star Hotel in Positano
B, L |
|
5 |
|
3- or 4-star Hotel in Ravello
B, D |
|
6 |
|
3- or 4-star Hotel in Ravello
B, L, D |
|
7 |
|
B |
- Discover three UNESCO Sites: Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast and the Biosphere reserve of volcano Vesuvius
- Visits and tastings to wine, cheese, lemon, dried pasta and olive oil makers, and tasting of one Slow Food Presidium: the anchovies extract of Cetara
- Enjoy some of the more famous wines of Italy, such as Greco di Tufo and Falanghina and lesser-known Tintore, Piedirosso, and Biancolella
- Experience an intangible UNESCO Cultural Heritage, the authentic Mediterranean Diet, and learn more about local recipes with a local chef and a wine maker
- Relax in unique, 3- or 4-star hotels distinctively representing the local cultures and traditions
- Delve into Roman and Greek histories, traditions and culture in this unique area in south of Italy
- Visit an agriturismo and learn stories from the local residents for a full immersion in the local culture
- Explore must-see places such as Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and discover lesser-known villages such as Tramonti, Gragnano and Cetara
Our journey into Campania hinges on the must-see UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast) and ancient Roman town of Herculaneum as well as on the fabled volcano of Vesuvius. We’ll explore the countryside and soak in the landscapes on exhilarating hikes, savoring unique foods and wines along the way and stopping to linger in such celebrated spots as Capri, Positano and Ravello and lesser-known gems like Tramonti, Gragnano and Cetara.
Visits and tastings with dried pasta, olive oil, cheese, limoncello and wine makers punctuate our travels, and do our stays at local agriturismi (agriturismi are typically family-run “farm stays” combining agriculture and tourism).
Bring all your senses and join us for a charming and delicious ramble through one of Italy’s most beloved regions. While the Amalfi Coast is well-trodden, few experience the meaningful closeness that can only come with getting to know the local people and learning about their way of life. You are sure to be inspired by stories, especially against the unforgettable backdrop of this region, which has mesmerized travelers and conquerors since the Roman times!
Given the popularity of the area, we strongly recommend travel in the off-season months of March, April, May, October or November.
In any case, we wish you buon appetito and buon viaggio
Catch our 2.5hour group transfer in the morning from Rome airport to the start of your tour. We begin with a guided visit of the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, completely buried in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and rediscovered in the 18th century with excavations that are still in progress.
If time allows today, we recommend the one-mile hike up to the crater of Vesuvius for spectacular views of the Gulf of Naples, Capri and Sorrento. Our day finishes with a ferry ride to the enchanting island of Capri and check-in at our hotel. Having finally reached paradise, we’ll savor a first dinner together.
Let’s start with an invigorating hike that takes us up to 2,000 feet to admire views of the Faraglioni (oceanic rock formations) and the epic coastline. If the landscape seems familiar to you, it may be because you’ve seen it in the movies! Continue exploring the tiny villages of Capri and Anacapri with visits to such historic spots as Villa Jovis, built by Emperor Tiberius in 27 AD and crooked via Krupp.
One of the day’s highlights is our visit to an agriturismo and wine-tasting of the local Capri Bianco made with native grapes Falanghina, Greco and Biancolella. Our dinner tonight features fish and local veggies in a romantic little piazza.
After breakfast and before our morning ferry ride back to Sorrento, we visit an olive oil producer to learn about the local association that promotes the island’s production, including the use of natural techniques and old orchards.
Wending our way off the beaten track, we arrive in the lesser-known little village of Gragnano on the mainland where we have the rare opportunity to visit one of the oldest producers of dried pasta, since the 19th Century. At the factory, we get to see how the slow-drying process (more than 17 hours!) and extrusion using bronze dies gives this product its superior texture— unbeatable for sauce pairing!
Before heading to Positano and finally arriving on the Amalfi Coast, we indulge in a local tasting of pizza and panuozzo (a local sandwich made with pizza dough folded and stuffed with many ingredients, by request) in a typical trattoria in Gragnano.
After check-in at our hotel, enjoy some downtime in historic Positano before another yummy dinner in a family-run restaurant with the mamma in the kitchen who transforms locally-grown veggies and fresh fish into simple and delectable concoctions. The papà and rest of the family will be around doing the service.
Today is the time to discover the beauty of the Amalfi Coast above Positano on a 1-3-hour hike that features breathtaking views and a picnic lunch that we’ll organize after foraging for local delicacies in the town.
What is the best way to top off a great meal in this area? With a limoncello, of course! We learn the secrets of this digestif while visiting a producer and sampling a local variety called “sfusato,” which has been recognized with IGP certification (Protected Geographical Indication) for its caliber and unique characteristics related to the local terrain, sun exposure and other characteristics.
Tonight’s dinner is on your own, but please ask us for suggestions!
The grand finale of our tour will be in the area of Ravello, perched above the town of Amalfi and overlooking the coastline. After a short transfer, we check in and start our explorations of this cliff-side gem at the spectacular Villa Cimbrone, visited by many artists, writers and movie stars in the past. Besides the breathtaking views from the Terrace of the Infinity (defined by the American writer Gore Vidal: “the most beautiful place that I had ever seen in all my travels”), amble the hypnotic private gardens, defined one of the most important examples of English landscapes in all of southern Europe.
After lunch we enjoy a 1-2-hour hike in the valley of the paper mills, which are no longer in operation but which afford a beautiful setting and forest walk taking us down to the town of Amalfi. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, this historic seaside town one of the most important Maritime Republics trading across the Mediterranean until it was sacked by Pisa and then annexed to the lands of the Normans in south of Italy.
Don’t miss a gelato or coffee in the main piazza after visiting the cathedral, dating back to the 9th century. Our walk back up to Ravello features another spectacular trail with more exquisite views of the coast and just one caveat: it is all uphill! You can also catch a taxi if you like and meet us again for dinner in Ravello for another convivial meal and chance to catch up on the day.
For our last day, we have the opportunity to explore a hidden gem of the Amalfi Coast, the area of Tramonti, which lies approximately 7 miles inland and comprises 13 distinct villages. Our local friends Antonio and Vincenzo lead us on an unforgettable (we can guarantee this!) tour of Tramonti food producers, starting with a family of cheesemakers and ending with a wine producer who tends 100+-year-old vines of the local grapes Tintore and Piedirosso!
We’ll sample unique products and top off the experience with a cooking demo and wine tasting in a local restaurant and winery, in a convivial atmosphere that even the Italians would be jealous of! Lunch will surely last longer than what you are used to at home but, as you may imagine, from antipasti to limoncello, there is a lot to try, and the locals love to talk and share their stories!
Leaving some time for rambles down the narrow lanes of Ravello, we gather for our last dinner together and taste a unique product local to the area called “Colatura di Alici” (anchovies extract). Following an ancient method (similar to the Roman Garum), anchovies are layered with salt in a barrel and aged for at least 10 months.”Colatura di Alici” is a local Slow Food Presidium (worldwide initiative to support quality production methods at risk of extinction) and we recommend trying it with a dish of spaghetti or simply with local veggies. Here around the table, let’s celebrate other local recipes, an array of regional wines, our great memories and time spent together. Maybe we can even sing along to some Neapolitan songs!
After breakfast, around 8:30am, our 3-hour group transfer leaves to Rome Leonardo da Vinci airport. Buon viaggio (“good travel” in Italian) and we hope to see you soon!
- 6 nights of accommodation in 3- or 4-star hotels
- 6 breakfasts and 3 lunches
- 5 dinners with either a 3- or 4-course menu
- Entry fees to the Hercolanum UNESCO site, Villa Jovis in Capri and the gardens of Villa Cimbrone in Ravello
- Daily exposure to history, culture and cuisine of Campania
- 1 visit and tasting to olive oil maker and 1 to a cheese maker
- 4 walks and hikes on the UNESCO Biospheres of Vesuvius volcano and on trails in Capri, Positano and Ravello
- 1 cooking demo with a local chef and 1 olive oil visit and tasting
- 1 visit to an agriturismo and 1 to one of the oldest dried-pasta makers of Italy
- 2 visits and tastings to local wineries and 1 to a limoncello producer
- Ferry rides to/from Capri
- Comfortable transportation by 9-seat van for all travel as cited in the itinerary
- Bilingual, professional Tour Leaders
- Group transfers from/to Rome airport to beginning and end of the tour
- Local taxes and gratuities for luggage porters and restaurant servers during tour
- 3 lunches and 1 dinner on your own
- Alcoholic beverages at group dinners (including wine and spirits)
- Round-trip airfare and expenses to/from the tour
- Trip cancellation, baggage loss or travel delay insurance (this optional coverage is highly recommended and is not provided by Food.Stories.Travel.)
- Gratuities for your Tour Leader
- Personal expenses, such as, but not limited to, phone calls, laundry, emails, snacks, gifts
Cristiano Bonino has led tours for North Americans all over Italy for more than thirteen years. Currently, he resides in the Boston area with his American wife. Cristiano likes to say that he has been “hybridizing” over the past three years in the U.S. He mixes the best of the both American and Italian cultures, which he loves, but never forgets his native roots in Turin.
Your itinerary has been meticulously hand-designed by Food.Stories.Travel. and Cristiano Bonino. This journey is based on their favorite flavors and unforgettable past experiences. Every establishment you will visit has been personally vetted, tested and enjoyed by Cristiano himself and his team of experienced Tour Leaders.
In some cases we’ll take you to places you could not find by yourself or in a guidebook.
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