The Amalfi Coast & Capri

Depart from home for Naples, Italy. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary.

Arrive at the Capodichino Airport in Naples, Italy, where a VBT representative meets you and helps you transfer (approximately 45 minutes) to your Naples hotel. The rest of the day is free to discover and dine on your own, using the VBT City Information as your guide.

If you are going to be delayed meeting our transfer representative for more than 15 minutes due to delayed or lost luggage, please let our driver know by calling or sending a text message to +39 340 952 5525. The driver is generally able to wait for up to 45 minutes from the time your flight lands, after which you would be responsible for your own transfer. You may also contact our One Call travel assistance to advise of your delay, and they will contact our transfer company.

Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 1:00 p.m., in which case you may store your luggage with the reception desk.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you fly in earlier than the scheduled program dates, transportation from the airport will be at your own expense.
You have the rest of the day free to discover this fascinating city on your own. Perhaps you’ll explore one of its many museums, or stroll through the picturesque Borgo Marinaro neighborhood, located just across from our hotel. Tonight, dine on your own in one of the cozy restaurants nearby.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Santa Lucia

VBT Walking Vacation only guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leaders at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia (Via Partenope 46, Naples; Tel: +39 0817640666); they will be wearing VBT staff garments. Transfer to the hotel is on your own. Please come to the meeting dressed in your walking gear and carrying your backpack. A taxi from the railway station costs about 15 euros/$20 USD. If your arrival at the hotel is scheduled for later than 9:00 a.m., or if you are delayed, please contact the hotel, and the hotel staff will pass your message along to our VBT Trip Leaders. VBT highly recommends flying to Italy at least one day before the tour begins; this allows you to rest and recover from jet lag before you begin sightseeing and walking. If you are delayed past our 9:40 a.m. departure time, please transfer directly to our Ravello hotel. However, you will miss the visit of Pompeii.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Extension guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leaders at 9:00 a.m. in the main lobby; they will be wearing VBT staff garments. Please come to the meeting dressed in your walking gear and carrying your backpack. Please have your luggage already down in the lobby before the meeting starts. It will be collected by our transfer company.

After an orientation and safety briefing led by our Trip Leaders, you’ll board a private motorcoach and transfer to Pompeii. Upon arrival, meet a local expert for a guided tour of the site. At dawn on August 25, 79 AD, the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused the total destruction of Pompeii. In just a few moments, all the residents of the city perished, doing whatever they could to survive. Tremendous amounts of ash and cinder covered and preserved the scene exactly as it was at that instant. That’s why, today, we know exactly how Romans lived 2,000 years ago. Your guide will reveal, for example, that posters were used to advertise elections and support party candidates, and that the word “candidate” comes from candid, the name of a special tunic worn by those running for office to prove they had no criminal record. Lunch is on your own in Pompeii.

Early in the afternoon, shuttle to your hotel in Ravello and settle in. Later in the afternoon there is still time to roam the terraces of Ravello with your Trip Leaders, beginning in the peaceful, pedestrian-only center. Admire the white-faced Duomo in Piazza Vescovado and the Arabic-Norman towers of Villa Rufolo, where German composer Richard Wagner was inspired to create music for the scene in Klingsor’s magic garden in his opera Parsifal.

Tonight, enjoy a welcome cocktail on the panoramic terrace of our hotel before moving to the dining room for dinner.

Hotel:  Villa Fraulo
Meals: B (included for Air Package guests only), D
Daily Options:  2 miles in Pompeii on flat, cobblestone roads, plus 1 mile in Ravello on paved city streets.

After breakfast, trace lemon-laden terraces to the Valley of the Ferriere, a magnificent nature reserve in the Valley of the Mills.

As you proceed along a trail covered in moss and ferns, your Trip Leaders will show you calcara, large pits where lime was made by burning huge blocks of limestone for days. You’ll also see the spandituri, or paper-hangers, buildings now in ruins but once used to dry paper. As you reach Amalfi, you’ll stop at the Museo della Carta, a unique museum housed in an ancient paper mill, where you’ll learn how paper was made from rags. During the 15th century, Amalfi’s paper was so prized that many foreign authors demanded to be published in Naples just so they could use the coveted material. You can buy some of this exquisite handmade paper in the museum’s gift shop.

In Amalfi, enjoy time at leisure to visit the beautiful Duomo and stroll along the charming side streets. Sit down at a sidewalk café to enjoy lunch on your own and maybe try a delizia al limone—a confection made from limoncello-soaked sponge cake and lemon custard—or a slice of pastiera, a cake made with ricotta cheese and ground wheat that’s been soaked for several days in running water.

Early this afternoon, follow your Trip Leaders on an optional energetic walk through the whitewashed alleys of Atrani – the smallest Italian municipality – and all the way up long stairways to Pontone and Ravello.

Back in Ravello, you have time to relax by the scenic swimming pool of your elegant hotel. Or continue exploring Ravello on your own, keeping your eyes open for a restaurant for dinner on your own tonight.

Hotel: Villa Fraulo
Meals: B
Daily Options: Morning: 3.1 miles on a gentle uphill to start, then a 1-hour descent on rolling dirt paths and steps.
Afternoon Option: 3 miles on paved steps uphill. Initial gradual ascent in Atrani through the village alleys, then mostly steep stairways until Ravello.

Walk out of Ravello, passing by remarkable monuments and churches. And then, the dramatic green shades of the Dragon Valley come into view with the sea in the distance. Ravello is famous for its churches and you’ll pass many on today’s ramble. The 11^th century San Giovanni del Toro church is one fine example. The route is initially paved following the Valley of Rheghina Minor downhill. Your route then meanders on a well beaten pathway through a rural landscape of woodlands, passing former paper mills and a few scattered houses. You may occasionally pass pack horses and mules, a transportation method used for ages on the Amalfi coast to carry heavy loads up and down the mountains. You’ll walk into Minori before lunch time to enjoy the beach and taste the sea with your toes, or more if you like. Feel free to explore the Roman villa (no charge) en route. Founded by the Etruscans in 7th century B.C., Minori was a favorite Roman summer residence.

Choose from the many cafés for lunch. One highlight is the Sal De Riso pastry shop for decadent cakes.

Early this afternoon, shuttle or walk back to Ravello. The 1000 step climb is certainly rewarding for the views.

Back in Ravello, continue your exploration. Perhaps you’ll visit Villa Cimbrone and its beautiful gardens. Ravello is well known for its classical music festivals. To see what’s playing and for assistance with booking tickets, contact the reception desk.

Hotel: Villa Fraulo
Meals: B, D
Daily Options: Morning: 3.4 miles descending to sea level on paved roads and dirt paths. Overall easy and relaxing.
Afternoon Option: Optional 1 mile walk on paved and steep steps uphill.

Today, shuttle to Agerola, Italy’s dairy capital, where you’ll gradually descend on foot along a scenic stretch between Biscotto Caves and Nocelle known as the “Path of the Gods” for its heavenly views. The path is well marked and offers views of Capri and the islets of Li Galli, or Sirenuse, where the mythical Sirens attracted seafarers with their melodious songs. At Colle Serra, cross the pass and continue down to Nocelle, where you’ll savor traditional Neapolitan dishes on an included buffet lunch at a family-run trattoria. Later, shuttle by van to Positano, built as a nativity scene set on the side of a mountain. Enjoy time at leisure to browse its art studios, rest your legs with a beachside nap, or join your Trip Leaders for a short jaunt. Positano’s narrow streets are filled with art galleries and boutiques. The clothing industry in Positano was so popular and influential in the 1970s that the style they created became popularly known as “Positano Style.” In addition to clothing, you can find handmade ceramics, jewelry, leather footwear and paintings by the many artists who have been inspired by the beauty of the region.

Regroup with your Trip Leaders later in the afternoon and transfer to Sorrento. Settle in at your deluxe historical hotel, a former Jesuite monastery and the oldest hotel on the peninsula. Tonight dine at your hotel’s fine restaurant.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Cocumella
Alternate Hotel: Hotel Mediterraneo
Meals: B, L, D
Daily Options: 4 miles descending on dirt paths with some rocks and steps.
Afternoon Option: Easy stroll in Positano on paved roads and alleyways.

Early this morning, board a hydrofoil to ferry across the Sorrento Peninsula to the celebrated island of Capri.

Arriving at the famous piazzetta, the hub of the island, you’ll set out along an easy walking path leading to Villa Jovis. As you stroll, your senses will be enchanted by the aroma of jasmine and views of manicured gardens full of flowers. You’ll explore Villa Jovis, built by Emperor Tiberius in the first century AD as a strategic point where he could dominate and control the opposite coast. Enjoy incredible views from here. The Jump of Tiberius—a sheer cliff soaring more than 1,100 feet—is the infamous site from which Tiberius had his enemies thrown into the sea.

Continue walking through a thick Mediterranean park where strawberry trees, myrtle, clematis, honeysuckle, laurel, wild asparagus and cyclamen thrive. After passing by Villa Lysis, built by an eccentric French count in 1905, you can choose to explore Capri’s inviting shops and cafés, or continue to Arco Naturale and Grotta di Matermania, a natural cove used to honor Cybele, the Magna Mater, or Great Mother, of the gods. It is located down a long flight of stairs and in a thick forest. This is also an ideal time to stop for lunch on your own in one of the island’s cozy restaurants or to picnic in the shade of a garden overlooking the azure sea.

Your small group will gather after lunch and walk to the eastern rim of the island. Here, you’ll see the amazing and famous Faraglioni cliffs, three rocky colossi protruding from the sea. Then, venture to the Augustus Gardens, where the views of the cliffs and the curled Via Krupp are gorgeous. The trail ends at Capri’s shopping district. From here, loop back to the piazzetta, where you began your walk.

You’ll have some time to discover the fascinating area around the piazzetta before returning via hydrofoil or ferry to the mainland and Sorrento. En route, take in the panoramic vistas of the Amalfi Coast from the sea. Walk back or shuttle to your hotel and spare some time to enjoy the hotel amenities, including a large manicured garden with swimming pool and private beach.

Dinner is on your own tonight. Perhaps you’ll try Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, made with a tomato sauce and fiordilatte (local mozzarella).a large selection of fine local restaurants, pizzerias and cafés, or walk down to the beach for a nice local fish restaurant.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Cocumella
Alternate Hotel: Hotel Mediterraneo
Meals: B
Daily Options: 4.5 miles on flat to slightly rolling paved and cobblestone paths.
Afternoon Option: 1.7- to 2.7-mile descent with steps.

Today, you’ll drive to Sant’Agata dei Due Golfi to the Sorrento Peninsula, where you’ll follow the red-and-white markings of the Alta via dei Monti Lattari trail, a path that winds upwards into a beautiful chestnut forest. As the woods open up, masses of multicolored, aromatic flowers are on display. Right before the promontory of Malacoccola, the view of the entire Gulf of Salerno opens before you. Your lunch stop is an organic farm that has been owned by five generations of the De Gregorio family. You’ll visit their impressive vegetable garden and step into the rooms where olives, tomatoes, broccoli, eggplants, hot peppers and much more are created into delicious preserves and liquors. Later, choose to return to Sorrento on foot or by shuttle, taking in more views of the gulf from above. In Sorrento, enjoy free time to shop, explore the town, or relax at your hotel’s swimming pool and private pier.

Tonight, you’ll gather with your travel mates to feast on gourmet specialties during a festive farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant, right on the cliffs of Sorrento.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Cocumella
Alternate Hotel: Hotel Mediterraneo
Meals: B, L, D
Daily Options: 4.4 miles on a dirt path with some rocks, kindly and constantly ascending, then downhill on steps. Easier option: 3.3 miles on a gently ascending dirt path.
Afternoon Option: 3 miles downhill with many steps.

VBT Walking Vacation Only guests: This morning, enjoy a late breakfast before boarding a private coach at 10:00 a.m. The coach will drop you at Naples airport, at approximately 11:30 a.m., where your tour ends. A taxi to Naples train station and city center costs approx. 16-17 Euros.

Note: In October and November, you’ll depart the Sorrento hotel at 8:30 a.m., arriving at Naples Capodichino airport at about 10:00 a.m.

VBT Air Package guests: This morning, enjoy a late breakfast before boarding a private coach at 10:00 a.m. You arrive at your Caserta hotel at approximately 12:00 p.m. where you’ll have free time. The hotel is on the main square and near the pedestrian area, full of cafés and restaurants for your lunch on own. At 1:30 p.m. meet your VBT representative and local guide at the hotel. He will answer your questions and lead you on a walking tour and visit of the UNESCO Caserta Royal Palace, a half mile away from the hotel. The imposing palace was constructed by the Bourbon kings during the 18^th century, and is one of the largest royal residences in the world. You will have time to stroll the park at leisure, taking in the beauty of the baroque statues and fountains, inspired by Versailles.

Note: In October and November, when the Royal Palace closes early in the afternoon, you will board your private coach at 8:30 a.m., arriving at your Caserta hotel around 10:30 a.m. and start your guided visit at that time.

Tonight dinner is on your own with plenty of options nearby.

Hotel: Hotel Dei Cavalieri Caserta
Meals: B

After breakfast* this morning, transfer to the Naples airport (30 minutes) for your departing flight**. Please ensure you are ready in the hotel reception area at the designated time.

*Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the reception desk to verify the times when breakfast is served.

**VBT recommends that you check your transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder.” VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Meals: B