ROME & THE AMALFI COAST

Including a Pre-Night in Rome – the Eternal City!

Take a panoramic tour of Classical Rome featuring an in-depth, guided visit to the spectacular Colosseum; Tour a buffalo milk mozzarella factory; Discover the amazing mountaintop monastery of Montecasino.  Visit the seaside resort town of Sorrento; Discover the excavated ruins of Pompeii at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius; and, in Minori, sample some of the local specialties at a family-owned limoncello factory.  Visit the fascinating National Archeological Museum in Naples; and enjoy a tasting and lunch at a local winery at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

Highlights include Rome, the Colosseum, Montecasino, the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, a buffalo milk mozzarella factory, Paestum, Capri, Pompeii, a winery visit, Naples, the National Archeological Museum, and more.  11 days, 14 meals, hotel, air, and taxes; passport required.  $4899 Double; $5574 Single; $4839 Triple  

• ·         Day 1: Overnight Flight
• ·         Day 2-4: Hotel Imperiale, Rome
• ·         Day 5-9: Hotel Raito, Almalfi
• ·         Day 10: A.Roma Lifestyle Hotel, Rome

Day 1: Wednesday, October 14, 2020: Your adventure begins with an overnight flight to Italy.  Journey through southern Italy and experience its rich scenery, art, culture, food, and wine.

Day 2: Thursday, October 15, 2020: Your tour begins with a free day in the “Eternal City” of Rome.  

Day 3: Friday, October 16, 2020:  Enjoy a day at leisure.  Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring wines and local delicacies.  (B, D)

* During your stay on the Amalfi Coast: standard accommodations at the Rialto Hotel are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis for departures utilizing that hotel.  Upgrades to superior rooms with sea views are available at an additional cost.  Please inquire at time of booking.  For departures utilizing the Graal Hotel, please note that while this hotel offers amazing coastal views, your daily driving times will increase by approximately 45-60 minutes each way.

This tour includes moderate physical activity.  Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs, or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected.  Some of the most unique sightseeing can mean accessing locations that restrict motor coaches, especially in historic areas.  For your comfort, we recommend bringing walking shoes.  If you require a walker or wheelchair, or have difficulty walking, you may not be able to access some of these areas and may want to consider an alternate program with Collette.  

Experience it!  Myths & Legends

Approximately 55 south of Naples, Italy lies the ancient city of Paestum.  Legends tell of the city’s founding by Jason and the Argonauts, but archaeologists, uncomfortable with the stuff of legends, attribute Paestum’s birth to 7^th-century Greek colonists.  With the fall of the Roman Empire, Paestum fell into decline and was deserted for many centuries.  Rediscovered only in 1752 by an Italian road-building crew working in the area, Paestum is the finest preserved Greek temple complex in the Mediterranean world.  The two primary temples, the 550 BC Basilica and the 450 BC Temple of Neptune, are archaeological wonders that will leave an impression on you long after your return home.  The Temple of Neptune – in all its classic Doric beauty -0 has thick marble columns that are still strong and upright.  It is the oldest and best-preserved of the Greek temples in Italy, and it still inspires hope in those who visit its open-air shrine.  A third temple on the site was dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, spiritual consciousness, and the arts.