Campania

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.

About the Campania Region

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.

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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 and Atrani.

Visits and tastings with olive, limoncello and wine makers punctuate our travels, and do our stays at elegant hotels featuring scenic views and a charming atmosphere. 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 Tour - Sampling the Amalfi Coast

Dates & Pricing

DATES (7 days)
For dates, info and availability please contact us.

TOUR PRICE
Per person in double occupancy: from $3,690

Single Supplement: $690

For travel in 2021 and beyond, your tour is carbon neutral! In addition, we donate more than 1% of your trip price to food-literacy and environmental non-profits that share our values. (Details here)

Tour Highlights

Discover three UNESCO Sites: Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast and the Biosphere reserve of volcano Vesuvius
Visits and tastings to wine, lemon, and olive oil makers, and tasting of local dried pasta and 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 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
Explore must-see places such as Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and discover lesser-known villages such as Tramonti and Atrani

What's Included

6 nights of accommodation in 4-star hotels
6 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners with either a 3- or 4-course menu
Entry fees to the Herculaneum 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
Hikes on the trails of Capri, Positano and Amalfi and daily walking opportunities
1 guided visit of Amalfi and 1 guided visit to Herculaneaum
1 cooking demo with a local chef and 1 olive oil visit and tasting
1 visit and tasting to local winery and 1 visit & tasting to a limoncello producer
Ferry rides to/from Capri and in the Amalfi coast
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

What's Not Included

4 lunches and 1 dinner on your own
Alcoholic beverages at group meals (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. See more info here)
Gratuities for your Tour Leader. (Info here)
Personal expenses, such as, but not limited to, phone calls, laundry, emails, snacks, gifts

Itinerary

Day 1 - Rome Airport to Capri via Herculaneum

Catch our 2.5 hour group transfer in the morning from Rome Leonardo Da Vinci airport to the start of your tour. We also suggest to arrive 1 or 2 days earlier and enjoy some time in Rome. Then reach the airport via taxi in the morning to catch our group transfer.

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.

Today, we also enjoy our first meal together on the slope of Vesuvius volcano with spec tacular views of the Gulf of Naples. Our day finishes with a ferry ride from Sorrento to the enchanting island of Capri and check-in at our hotel. Having finally reached paradise, we’ll savor dinner featuring local recipes such as Caprese salad and Caprese cake.
Day 2 - Around Capri

Let’s start with an invigorating ~2-hrs hike that takes us to admire the crooked via Krupp, the 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! Then we continue exploring the easternmost of Capri with a visit to the historic spot of Villa Jovis, built by Emperor Tiberius in 27 AD.

After a scenic bus ride and lunch in Anacapri, we have some time to explore this village in the afternoon and visit a local association dedicated to preserve the island's landscape of terraced olive groves and the traditions to produce high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Our dinner tonight is in a romantic little piazza and it features fish and local veggies wash down with the local Capri Bianco made with native grapes Falanghina, Greco and Biancolella.
Day 3 - Capri to Positano

After breakfast there is more time to enjoy in Capri before our late morning and scenic ferry to Positano. Here we can start to get immersed in the UNESCO site of Amalfi coast with lunch in town and a delicious gelato!

Something unique about food in Campania is the dried pasta made in Gragnano that we savor at least on one of our meals on tour. Since the 19th Century this little town on the gulf of Naples has seen an increase of small factories that with the slow-drying process (more than 17 hours!) and extrusion using bronze dies give this product its superior texture— unbeatable for sauce pairing!

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 might be around doing the service.
Day 4 - Around Positano

Today is the time to discover the beauty of the Amalfi Coast above Positano on a ~3-hrs hike that features breathtaking views and a picnic lunch that we’ll organize after foraging for local delicacies in the town.

Back in town the beach in Positano is also a nice place for some relax, while savoring a gelato or an espresso, or why not considering to take a dip in the clear waters of Amalfi Coast? Welcome to the warm Mediterranean!

Tonight’s dinner is on your own and we suggest trying another unique product local to the area (and more specifically to the town of Cetara, about 10 miles away) and 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.
Day 5 - Positano to Amalfi

The grand finale of our tour will be in the area of Amalfi that we discover with a local guide, after another quick and scenic ferry ride. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, this historic seaside town was 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 and lunch with one of the most amazing pizzas ever had. What is the best way to top off a great meal? With a limoncello, of course! We learn the secrets of this digestif while visiting a producer in his lemon orchard 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.

Today we suggest to enjoy some relaxing time at our hotel as well, which features an amazing view of Amalfi coast and a warm atmosphere. Then join us for dinner in town with more fish recipes.
Day 6 - Around Amalfi

For our last day, we have the opportunity to explore another gem of the Amalfi Coast, Ravello, after a ~2-hrs hike starting in the valley of the paper mills, which are no longer in operation but which afford a beautiful setting in a pristine forest.

Perched above the town of Amalfi and overlooking the coastline we reach Ravello, and surely allow some time for rambles down its narrow lanes and stop by 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.

Our walks up to Ravello and back to Amalfi via the quaint sea village of Atrani feature another spectacular trail with more exquisite views of the coast and just one caveat: it is all uphill and then downhill! You can also catch a taxi instead, if you like, and meet the rest of the group there.

In late afternoon we explore the lesser-known of the Amalfi Coast, the area of Tramonti, which lies approximately 7 miles inland and comprises 13 distinct villages. Here we visit 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 a wine tasting in a local restaurant and winery, in a convivial atmosphere that even the Italians would be jealous of!

From antipasti to limoncello, there is a lot to try, and the locals love to talk and share their stories. 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!
Day 7 - Naples or Rome Airport

To request the itinerary as a PDF or to ask us any questions please contact us today!