The Campania - Sorrento, Naples, Herculaneum, Paestum, & the Isle of Capri
with Peter Medhurst

Introduction

The Campania - which is the region of Italy that demarks the components of this tour - possesses a rich culture shaped by ancient Greek and Roman roots, breathtaking volcanic landscapes, and world-famous culinary traditions, that even extend to the invention of the pizza. Using the coastal town of Sorrento as our base, the tour takes in the highlights of the area ranging from the ancient temples of Paestum, and the ‘frozen in time’ cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, to the rugged landscape of Capri, and the vibrant urban life of Naples, with its rich heritage of music.

Day 1

Our tour begins with a morning flight from our designated London airport directly to Naples-Capodichino International Airport. On arrival in Italy we are met by Peter and our local guide, who will transfer us to the 4* Hotel Antiche Mura Sorrento in the centre of Sorento, close to Piazza Tasso. We stay here for five nights on half board basis. After time to settle into our hotel, we have an orientation walking tour of Sorrento, followed by a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 2

Following our morning lecture, the first visit of the day comprises a guided tour through Herculaneum, the ancient Roman resort town, situated on the Bay of Naples. During the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, Herculaneum - along with Pompeii - was sealed under superheated volcanic mud and pyroclastic surges. Although smaller than its famous neighbour, Herculaneum is renowned for its extraordinary level of preservation, and our guided tour of the town will take in its many fine highlights. After our included lunch, we head to the Royal Palace of Caserta, often described as the Italian Versailles. Covering over 300 acres, the Palace was built to reflect absolute royal grandeur and possesses 1,200 rooms, 34 staircases, and 1,742 windows, making it by volume the largest royal palace in the world. We return to the hotel for some free time and relaxation, before going to dinner in a local trattoria.

Day 3

Our time today is spent in Naples, the regional capital of the Campania and the largest city in southern Italy. Our perambulations begin with a walk along Spaccanapoli (Naples splitter), a long, straight, and narrow street dating back 2,500 years to the time of the Greek settlement of the city. We then visit the Church of Pio Monte della Misericordia to view Caravaggio’s masterwork, ‘The Seven Works of Mercy’ (1607) - still in its original position in the church, above the altar. After lunch, we visit the Naples’s Conservatory of Music (San Pietro a Majella), where we enjoy a guided tour and an organ recital by Peter. We follow this with a private tour of the Teatro San Carlo, the oldest continuously active venue for public opera in the world. Following its inauguration in 1737, Teatro San Carlo is famous for premiering operas by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini and Verdi. Once more, dinner is in a local trattoria in Sorrento.

Day 4

Today our travels take us to Paestum, in the south of the Campania. Paestum is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site, originally founded by Greek colonists around 600 BC under the name Poseidonia. It later transformed into a Lucanian stronghold before becoming a thriving Roman colony. Today, Paestum is renowned for its three magnificent Doric temples dedicated to Hera, Neptune and Ceres. The buildings are among the best-preserved temples of their kind. After our included lunch we visit the ruins of Pompeii. As with Herculaneum, the town was preserved by the deluge of lava, giving us an extraordinary insight into ancient Roman life. In some buildings, paintings and sculptures have survived, despite the town not being discovered for 1,600 years after the eruption. Again, dinner will be in a local trattoria near to our hotel.

Day 5

Today we make our way over the water by hydrofoil to the island of Capri, a resort destination since the time of the Romans. Capri is famous for its natural beauty and its historic sites, as well as its tourism industry. Our local guide will conduct us around the major sights of this beautiful island, after which there will be time to free-flow through some of its delightful little streets and squares. While on the island (subject to permission), Peter will play the organs at the Chiesa di Santo Stefano, the former Cathedral of Capri, and at the Chiesa di Sant’Andrea, a fisherman’s chapel. Lunch is on the island, and dinner will be in a restaurant close to our hotel.

Day 6

After checkout, we travel once more to Naples, where we pay a visit to the Museo di Capodimonte, which houses not only the National Gallery collection and part of the Farnese collection of classical sculpture, but also the finest range of paintings by the Neapolitan School. After a private tour of the Gallery, we have time to explore the collection at leisure. Highlights include works by Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Giovanni Bellini, Giorgio Vasari and El Greco. Later, after our final lunch together, we transfer to Naples Airport for our direct scheduled flight back to our designated London airport.

NB:- Please note we reserve the right to alter the above itinerary if required for operational reasons. Given the historic nature of the places visited, a certain degree of walking will be involved, and this holiday may not be suitable for those with mobility problems. This holiday and the flights are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Tailored Travel's ATOL number is 5605.

We stay five nights on bed and breakfast basis at the 4* Hotel Antiche Mura Sorrento (www.hotelantichemura.com) in the centre of Sorento, close to Piazza Tasso. Dinner is included at a local restaurant every night. All rooms are ensuite with air conditioning, a safe and a hairdryer.

Insurance (including Covid cover) £92

Double room for sole use supplement £299

Gratuities

Local accommodation tax to be paid directly to the hotel

Click Here to download the Brochure and Booking Form and then post the completed Booking Form with your deposit payment as instructed on the Booking Form. Please note that you cannot book this holiday online. Once you receive a Confirmation & Invoice from us as confirmation of your booking, you can pay the final balance by following the instructions set out in your Confirmation & Invoice.