Capri, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast with Ischia

Arrive in Italy, meet your tour manager and board our coach for the scenic journey to the Bay of Naples, and on to your chosen hotel, in or close to Sorrento.

Relax this evening with dinner at the hotel.

Today you're free to rest and relax, either enjoying the facilities of the hotel, or perhaps venturing into the centre of delightful Sorrento. The town, perched upon its cliff-top, seems built between the sky and the sea, and offers everything you might need for an enjoyable stay. Its colourful heart is the Piazza Tasso, pedestrianised in the evenings, when the bars and cafés that surround it become a perfect place to watch the locals meeting friends and strolling through the city on their nightly passeggiata.

On the shore, Sorrento's two tiny ports are backed by even tinier beaches and several boardwalks dotted with beach huts and sunloungers. Out on the water, pleasure-craft of all shapes and sizes (and the occasional cruise ship) add to the colourful scene.

Return for dinner at the hotel.

Following breakfast, today’s included excursion begins with a visit to the ruins of Roman Pompeii in the company of a local guide for a walking tour. Destroyed, and yet miraculously preserved, by the eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, Pompeii lay buried and forgotten for hundreds of years. It was rediscovered in the 18th century, and since then excavations have continued to reveal more and more of this ancient, once magnificent city where the villas, temples and frescoed houses give a very vivid insight into Roman life.

From Pompeii you'll journey around the bay, passing the brooding hulk of the famous volcano to one of Italy’s most colourful cities, the great southern Italian capital, Naples. Highlights of your guided panoramic tour here will include Garibaldi and Plebiscito squares in the UNESCO-listed heart of the city, with their fine statues; the San Carlo Opera House, second only in importance to Milan’s famed La Scala; and the Royal Palace. You’ll also take in medieval, turreted Castel Nuovo, and the spectacular view from Posillipo Hill, which rises up above the city, before you return to Sorrento for dinner at the end of a wonderful day.

One of the most scenic coastal roads in Europe forms the backdrop for today's included excursion after breakfast. Here, fantastical rock faces plunge vertically into the sea, and bridges span deep gorges while, in contrast, gently-contoured hillsides covered in vines, fruit and olive trees roll away inland.

Take in the view above the town of Positano, with its Moorish-style pink and white houses, and enjoy a visit to beautiful Amalfi, a thriving holiday resort with houses rising up the hillsides and a main square dominated by the beautiful cathedral. Whilst in Amalfi, you'll be taken by shuttle service to Maiori, a colourful, lively town, which boasts the largest beach on the 50 km Amalfi coastline where you'll find a lovely waterfront promenade with restaurants, cafés, and shops.

Dinner will be served back at the hotel.

Rest and relax in Sorrento, or join today’s optional excursion for a fascinating insight into some of the traditions and cuisine of the region once you’ve had breakfast. Begin with a walking tour of Sorrento’s oldest quarters, then journey into the countryside of Campania. Your day will include visits to a local wine cellar, an ancient olive press and a working farm, where the region's famous cows milk mozzarella is still hand-made.

There will be opportunities to taste and purchase regional produce, and your day will also include a scenic drive through some of the Sorrentine peninsula’s smaller towns, where spectacular views of the "due golfi" – Naples and Salerno – add to the enjoyment of the day before dinner.

Today will prove one of the highlights of your holiday following breakfast, as you meet your guide and board the jet-foil for the 20-minute crossing from Sorrento to the wonderful Isle of Capri. When you arrive in this famous hideaway of poets and artists, a minibus will take you to the picturesque village of Anacapri on the slopes of Monte Solaro.

You’ll have time to take a chair-lift ride to the summit of Solaro (payable locally) before you continue to the island’s main town to visit the Augustus Gardens, overlooking the Canzone del Mare, former home to the legendary Gracie Fields.

Join the other travellers for dinner at the hotel.

Enjoy breakfast and spend your last day enjoying the surroundings of the hotel, Sorrento and all of its charms. For a deeper insight into the history of one of Campania’s most tragic cities, opt to visit Herculaneum, one of the largest Italian cities that was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Though perhaps not as well-known as nearby Pompeii, this lost city is often considered the best preserved in the area, and you can see the houses, markets and even organic goods of the time excavated from the thick volcanic mud.

On your visit, you’ll explore the city’s vast thermal baths, complete with well-preserved mosaic floors and complex ancient engineering systems, and the vast Augusteum, the remains of a spectacular Roman temple. Another highlight will be the coastal Villa of Papyri, which remarkably preserved more than 1,800 scrolls during the eruption.

Dinner will be served this evening at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out and travel to the port of Sorrento, where you'll board a hydrofoil to the island of Ischia. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and settle in for three nights on this peaceful island.

Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel.

Today's yours to spend as you please following breakfast. If you fancy exploring further, Ischia Porto, the island's bustling harbour capital, is worth a wander, or you could make your own way along the coast to the Aragonese Castle, an imposing fortress reached by a medieval stone bridge that's stood for more than 600 years, with ramparts giving panoramic views over the Bay of Naples (best admired from outside, though entry fees apply if you'd like to explore further, including its gardens, gallery and museum). Just beyond, the village of Ischia Ponte is a charming spot for lunch, with winding alleys, fishermen's cottages, and a lively street market.

Return to the hotel for dinner.

Spend another day at your own pace, perhaps venturing further afield to discover more of the island's character. Local buses or taxis can take you to Barano d'Ischia, known for its long-held traditions, or Serrara Fontana, with views over Mt Epomeo, the island's largest volcano. On the west coast, Forio is home to the popular Poseidon Thermal Gardens and La Mortella, a colourful botanical garden dating back to the 1950s, while Lacco Ameno, renowned for its spa culture, looks out over Il Fungo, a mushroom-shaped rock stack.

A final dinner will be served with your fellow travellers this evening.

Enjoy your final breakfast, check out and travel to the port of Ischia. Board a ferry to Naples, then continue by coach to Naples airport for your return flight home.