17 Days | Discover Italy as you kick off in Rome and tour through the countryside
This Italian adventure takes in some of the most stunning and ancient sites in history. Explore the bustling streets of Rome and then travel through truly beautiful countryside past villas, vineyards and rolling hills as you visit historical sites like Pompeii, Lecce and the Sassi dwellings in Matera. There’s plenty of free time available to explore the area and take in the sights at your own pace, whether you want to indulge in food and wine or visit local sights and enjoy local experiences.
Trip overview
- Start
- Rome, Italy
- Finish
- Bari, Italy
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Italy
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- ZMSSC
- Wander around Rome's famous landmarks including the Colosseum, Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and much more. This is a city that bucket lists were made for
- Explore the vast, frozen in time ruins of ancient Pompeii, which emerged from the ashes after thousands of years, and take a peak inside the steaming crater of Mt Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed it
- Hike among the olive groves on the Path of the Gods along the spectacular Amalfi Coast
- Stay in a bit of local history and feel like a true Alberobello resident with a night in Alberobello’s unique trulli
- Explore the otherworldly Sassi of Matera – stone houses formed from natural grottoes and tufo cliffs overlooking a dramatic gorge
- The primary means of transportation on this trip is by train. Train travel is a fast way to traverse long distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right into the city centre. Trains are comfortable and all have toilets, however can often be quite busy.
- Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the trains, and up and down stairs at train stations and at hotels, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'Packing' section of the Essential Trip Information. You may want to consider taking a backpack rather than a wheelie bag, however this is up to your personal preference and what you feel more comfortable with.
- Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Additionally, please be aware that July, August and the first half of September is high season along the Southern Italian coast, which means that the local infrastructure is under a lot of pressure with a lot of people in the towns we visit. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
- Hotel rooms in Europe can seem rather small by American or Australian standards and often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together.
- On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
15 breakfasts
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle, Boat, Metro, Taxi
Hotel (16 nights)
- Naples - Leader-led orientation walk
- Naples - café sospeso
- Pompeii - Archaeological Site
- Pompeii - Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Mt Vesuvius - Crater Rim Walk & Summit Climb
- Sorrento - Limoncello Tasting
- Sorrento - Gelato Making Demonstration
- Amalfi - Walk of the Gods Hike (Sentiero degli Dei)
- Amalfi - Coastal Ferry Cruise Positano to Amalfi
- Trani - City Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Lecce - Aperitivo with Local Specialties
- Alberobello - Olive Oil Mill Visit and Tasting
- Matera - Ipogeo Underground Cistern
- Matera - City Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Rome - Castel Sant'Angelo - EUR14
- Rome - Christian Catacombs - EUR10
- Rome - Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill - EUR19
- Rome - Keats-Shelley Memorial House - EUR6
- Rome - Galleria Borghese - EUR16
- Rome - Pantheon - EUR5
- Vatican City - St Peter's Dome Climb & Elevator - EUR10
- Rome - Venezia Palace - EUR17
- Naples - Archaeological Museum - EUR15
- Naples - Duomo - Free
- Naples - St Claire's Church and Cloister - EUR6
- Pompeii - Herculaneum Ruins - EUR14
- Pompeii - Sanctuary of St Mary of the Rosary - Free
- Capri - Hydrofoil Sorrento to Capri - EUR44
- Amalfi - Chiostro del Paradiso - EUR3
- Amalfi - Valley of the Mills Hike - Free
- Amalfi - Ravello & Valley of the Dragons - Free
- Amalfi - Cattedrale S.Andrea - Free
- Capri - Hydrofoil Amalfi to Capri - EUR44
- Ravello - Villa Cimbrone - EUR10
- Ravello - Villa Rufolo - EUR7
- Trani - Cathedral - Free
- Trani - Castello di Trani - EUR7
- Trani - Cathedral Bell Tower - EUR5
- Trani - Synagogue of Scolanova - Free
- Polignano - Stopover enroute to Lecce - EUR3
- Lecce - Roman Amphitheatre - EUR6
- Lecce - Castello di Carlo V - EUR8
- Lecce - Basilica di Santa Croce - Free
- Lecce - History Museum - EUR5
- Lecce - Museo Faggiano - EUR5
- Matera - Museo della Scultura Contemporanea - EUR5
- Matera - Cathedral - Free
- Matera - Casa Noha Multimedia Exhibit - EUR7
- Bari - Pinacoteca Provinciale - EUR5
- Bari - Basilica di San Nicola - Free
- Bari - Cattedrale di San Sabino - Free
- Bari - Castello Svevo - EUR8
- Bari - Pane e Pomodoro Beach - Free
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip. Availability is limited due to small properties we use. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. You don't have a lot of time in Rome at the start of the trip, so if you're keen to explore this spectacular city in depth we recommend you arrive a day or two before the start of the trip, especially if you would like to see the Vatican Museum as it is closed most Sundays. Please check opening times here: vatican.va.
3. As this is a combination of 2 trips, your leader and the composition of your group may change in Amalfi.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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