Capri, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast with Rome

Arrive in Italy, meet your tour manager, and board a coach for the transfer along the Bay of Naples to your chosen hotel, where dinner will be served later in the evening.

After breakfast, you’ll be 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 lively 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 (post-dinner stroll).

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

However you choose to spend your day, reconvene at the hotel for dinner.

Get ready for one of the tour’s major highlights with breakfast at the hotel and begin the day’s exploration with a guided visit to ill-fated Pompeii. Destroyed, and yet miraculously preserved, by the eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, 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 vivid insight into Roman life.

From Pompeii, you'll pass mighty Vesuvius and travel along the bay to one of Italy’s most recognisable cities, 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 at the end of a wonderful day.

Dinner will be served back at the hotel this evening.

Rise early for breakfast and set out on another fascinating included excursions. One of the most idyllic coastal roads in Europe forms the backdrop for today's exploration. Here, fantastical rock faces plunge vertically into the sea, and dizzy 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 its imposing cathedral. While in Amalfi, you'll be taken by shuttle service to Maiori, home to the largest beach on the 50 km Amalfi coastline. Here, you'll find a lovely waterfront promenade with restaurants, cafés, and shops.

Afterwards, return to the hotel for dinner.

Rest and relax in Sorrento, with breakfast at hotel, and perhaps join today’s optional excursion for a fascinating insight into some of the traditions and cuisine of the region. Begin with a walking tour of Sorrento’s oldest quarters, then head 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 cow’s milk mozzarella is still hand-made.

There will be opportunities to taste and purchase regional produce, and your day will also include a 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.

Enjoy another dinner in Sorrento at the hotel this evening.

Breakfast will be served this morning ahead of one of the highlights of your holiday, as you meet your guide and board a jetfoil 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.

Return to Sorrento for an evening at leisure and dinner.

Spend your last day enjoying the surroundings of the hotel, Sorrento and all of its highlights.

Have a final breakfast at your Amalfi Coast hotel and head back to Naples for a scenic rail journey to Rome, Italy’s spectacular capital city. On arrival at the city’s Termini Station, travel through the city to the centrally located Starhotels Metropole, your four-star base for the next three nights.

If you’re keen for some initial exploration, you’ll find plenty of attractions nearby which are perfect for an introduction to Rome. Delve into the city’s ancient heritage with a tour of the National Roman Museum’s classical art collection, or perhaps visit the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major for its intricate mosaics.

It’s your first full day at leisure in Rome, and after breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be free to spend it however you see fit. If you’d prefer to relax, the hotel’s bistro is the perfect spot to unwind with a chilled glass of local wine.

With easy access to Termini station, you’ll also be perfectly placed to take in the city’s classical wonders under your own steam. View the glorious figure of the Colosseum and the nearby Roman Forum from Palatine Hill (entry payable locally) or perhaps venture further into the city to admire the famous Trevi Fountain. There’s also the Monti district close to the hotel, with its traditional shopfronts, Bohemian atmosphere and parts of Trajan’s Market still on display.

Also of interest, if you’re keen to delve deeper into the heart of Rome, is the Castel Sant’Angelo (entry not included), a Renaissance bastion overlooking the Tiber River, and the religious wonders of the Vatican. You can explore Piazza San Pietro, free of charge, and see the Vatican’s spectacular collection of colonnades, chapels, and imposing St. Peter’s Basilica from the outside.

However you choose to spend your day, and once you’ve found dinner locally at one of the city’s varied dining options, return to the hotel for the rest of the evening at leisure.

Once you’ve had breakfast this morning, make the most of another full day at leisure in Rome and continue exploring this enthralling city under your own steam. If you haven’t already done so, this’ll be the ideal opportunity to tick any remaining highlights off your travel wish-list.

This morning, enjoy one more breakfast in Rome and bid Italy farewell as you fly back to the UK.