7 Days the Magnificent South

 

Day 1

Rome
Arrival at the airport and transfer to hotel.

 

Day 2

Rome-Naples (250km/2h30min)-Pompeii (30km/30min)-Sorrento (30km/1h)
Departure from Rome for Naples, where a short visit of the town is featured. Then on the Pompeii, the famous Roman City destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Visit of the excavations. Proceed to Sorrento. Overnight at the hotel.

 

Day 3

Sorrento-Capri-Sorrento (50km/2h30min)
Departure to Capri by steamer. Weather conditions permitting, visit  the Blue Grotto. Return to Marina Grande and then transfer to Anacapri. Visit of Augustus ‘Gardens’, with a view of the Faraglioni. Return to Sorrento for overnight.

 

Day 4

Sorrento-Castel Del Monte-Alberobello (350km/4h)
Departure for Apulia. On the way, stop to visit Castel Del Monte, imposing octagonal castle, with eight octagonal towers at each side built in 1250 by the Emperor Federico II, on a hill  570 meters high that dominates the whole valley. The journey continues to Alberobello, the town of ‘Trulli”,  a Unesco Heritage Site. “Trulli” are typical houses with a cone roof that were uses as homes and to keep the farming utensils. In the afternoon, arrival at the hotel, accommodation and overnight.

 

Day 5

Lecce-Castellana (Caves) (150km/1h30min)
Drive to Lecce and its ‘famous baroque’ form of art and architecture that developed between the end of the XVI century and the first half of the XVII century. The decorations of the church of S. Oronzo are very rich and beautiful and see the Basilica of Santa Croce. Also visit the Celestini Palace. In the square of S. Oronzo admire the roman amphitheatre from the IIth century and the statue of the saint at the top. Departure to Castellana Caves. Discovered in 1938, the entrance is represented by an enormous vertical tunnel 60 meters long. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel for overnight.

 

Day 6

Matera-Sorrento (300km/3h30min) or Rome (500km/5h)
Departure for Matera that has gained international fame for its “Sassi”. The Sassi originated from prehistoric settlements , and are suspected to be some of the first settlements in Italy. The Sassi are housed dug into the "tuff" rock itself, which is characteristic of Basilica and Puglia. Many of these ‘houses’ are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. One of the benefits of this ancient city, is that with there is a great similarity in the look of the Sassi with that of ancient sites in and around Jerusalem. Matera is also a UNESCO Heritage Site. Return to Rome.

 

Day 7

Rome 
Transfer to the airport.