Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily - Classic Group

15 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
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Small Group Tour
Indulge in Italy’s finest food and views during this 2-week guided tour. When in Rome, you will toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain during a walking tour with a Local Expert. At the Vatican Museums, get a behind-the-scenes look at the Bramante Staircase, a winding masterpiece normally closed to the public. In Sorrento, settle into a luxurious resort and take ...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Wheelchair Accessible
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Choose between two carefully selected activities
    • Capri: Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.
    • Capri: Enjoy a tasting of limoncello, Capri's traditional lemonliqueur.
    • Rome: Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
    • Capri: Enjoy a tasting of limoncello, Capri's traditional lemonliqueur.
    • Palermo: At a local restaurant, enjoy fresh, rustic dishes served with local wine at your Celebration Dinner.
    • Dining Summary: 7 Dinner with Wine (DW), and 13 Breakfast (B)
    • Rome: Sightsee the local way, with a leisurely passeggiata through the backstreets, where a friend in Rome will explain how modern life takes place, around ancient treasures like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
    • Sorrento: Perched upon the cliffs, lookout to see the mighty Mount Vesuvious across the Bay of Naples.
    • Capri: Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.

What's this trip about?

    Indulge in Italy’s finest food and views during this 2-week guided tour. When in Rome, you will toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain during a walking tour with a Local Expert. At the Vatican Museums, get a behind-the-scenes look at the Bramante Staircase, a winding masterpiece normally closed to the public. In Sorrento, settle into a luxurious resort and take in the views of Mount Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii in a sea of lava in 79 A.D. A restaurant’s founder will share why he uses only organic ingredients that he grows himself — and you will indulge in those freshly picked vegetables during a farm-to-table dinner featuring fresh orecchiette pasta. In Palermo, a historian will take you through the old city, showing you its cathedral and the Palatine Chapel in the Palace of the Normans, where glittering 12th century mosaics will surely take your breath away.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizePrivate - your group only
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportRound trip airfare and all internal transport included
Start CityRome
End CityPalermo

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Italy

Attractions

  • Matera
  • Rome
  • Sorrento

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Transfers depart from Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport for your hotel at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Relax and settle in before joinin...

Day 2: Rome with the Locals

Rome is about art, antiquity, piazzas and pizza, and our guided walk with a Local Expert has it in abundance. Toss a coin into the spectacular Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon, the best-preserved monument from the Roman period, and enjoy free time to do as the Romans ...

Day 3: VIP Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica and on to Sorrento

Meet your Local Expert for a guided visit through the Vatican Museums, culminating beneath Michelangelo's famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Your priority visit includes fast-tracked entry and a behind-the-scenes look at the Bramante Staircase, a part of the Vatica...

Day 4: Capri, The Isle of Dreams

Cruise by jetfoil through the impossibly blue sea to the sun-drenched island of Capri. On arrival, enjoy an escorted ride in an open-top taxi to Capri Town and meet your Local Expert for an orientation walk through narrow alleyways. Explore Capri with Insight Choice. ...

Day 5: Pompeii and Alberobello

Start your day in Pompeii, buried in A.D. 79 by the historic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Walk with your Local Expert through the cobbled streets to see a city frozen in time. Venture on to Alberobello.

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri, Alberobello.

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 6: The Trulli of Alberobello Relaxed Start

Admire another of Italy's record number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites with a Local Expert. The Trulli of Alberobello are circular structures with conical roofs that are domed within. They are built from local limestone and stacked without using mortar. In the evening...

Day 7: Alberobello at Leisure Relaxed Start

The day is free for you to enjoy this fascinating town. Perhaps visit Ostuni - reminiscent of a North African Arab Medina - with its stark, whitewashed buildings, narrow cobbled streets and arched stairways? Later, relax and indulge in the amenities of your remarkable hotel.

Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri, Alberobello.

Breakfast

Day 8: Journey South to Matera Relaxed Start

Journey along the country roads to the ancient town of Matera, specially selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2019. Meet with a Local Expert for an in-depth exploration of the extraordinary Sassi, a complex of cave dwellings carved into the mountainside, th...

Day 9: To Sicily and the Taormina Riviera

In the morning, travel along the Purple Coast to the very toe of Italy and board your ferry bound for Sicily, across the Strait of Messina. According to Grecian legend, this was home to the mythical sea monsters Scylla, a six-headed rock monster, and Charybdis, a whir...

Day 10: Free Time on the Taormina Riviera Relaxed Start

The day is at leisure to relax at your resort's private beach, or perhaps explore the medieval quarter? Don't miss the chance of an optional drive through the national park to Mount Etna, Europe's largest volcano.

RG Naxos Hotel, Taormina.

Breakfast

Day 11: A New Dawn in Sicily Relaxed Start

Early risers may experience what D.H. Lawrence christened the ‘dawn coast of Europe.' The day is free to explore Taormina at your leisure, or to embark on an Optional Experience to Syracuse.In the evening, venture to a local restaurant for a tasty meal accompanied by wine.

RG Naxos Hotel, Taormina.

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 12: Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples and on to Palermo

Drive to Agrigento and walk along the fortified ridge of the Valley of the Temples with a Local Expert. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno, overlooking the sea. In the afternoon, continue to the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

NH Palermo.

Breakfast

Day 13: Palermo and the Golden Age of the Normans

Join a historian on a guided walk to see the gems of the old city. Visit the amazing Palatine Chapel in the Palace of the Normans. Outside, there are few clues to its astonishing interior, completely covered in glittering 12th century mosaics. Continue to the Palermo ...

Day 14: Depart Palermo

Your journey draws to an end. Departure transfers arrive at Palermo Falcone–Borsellino Airport at 06:00 and 08:00.

Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,495
Price per day$300
Last Updated: 4/21/2024

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Insight Vacations.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Insight Vacations Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
7,456
Great
1,857
Average
589
Disappointing
161
Terrible
147
D

Donna Withrow

Oct 2022

Written on

Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily

On this trip, I especially enjoyed traveling to places that were off the beaten track that you don't usually hear about, such as those on the east coast of Italy. T...

A

Anne Szabo

Oct 2022

Written on

Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily

I like travelling to areas of the world that are somewhat "off the beaten track" without compromising safety, quality of accommodations and southern Italy and Sicil...

H

Hilda Broer

Oct 2022

Written on

Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily

Good mix of scenery and stops along the way! Awesome architecture, scenery and history! Nice to have a few relaxed starts and stays of longer than one day. A few r...

J

Jeffrey Clinton

Sep 2022

Written on

Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily

We enjoyed the itinerary and the sights we saw. It would have been nice to tour the Pantheon but we just walked past it. We later discovered on Sunday admission wa...

R

Ruth Norwood

Sep 2022

Written on

Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily

We traveled to places that we had wanted to see, and the guides en...

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Trusted Customer

Apr 2024

Written on

Overall great experience.

The flight schedule coming home we had 3 flights. Coming...

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Tour Operator

Insight Vacations

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As the global leader in premium tours, Insight Vacations delivers all the sights and insights of destinations up close and personal. Each tour is crafted in true comfort and style with premium 5 and 4 star hotels, small groups and customized coaches with extra leg room. The brand’s category leading dining options including the unique dine-around and dine-at-home experiences means that guests enjoy a culinary journey through the places they visit. An extensive Vegetarian option across all tour series further compliments the elevated dining offering. With a Make Travel Matter Experience®, that creates a positive impact for both the visitor and visited, plus also supports the United Nations sustainable Development Goals, included on each and every trip, Insight Vacations leads the way in immersive responsible travel.

Insight Vacations is part of the family-owned and run The Travel Corporation (TTC), driven by service for over one hundred years.

Why we love this operator
They really care about everyone's individual needs on each tour and they have an incredible attention to detail.
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Premium worldwide tours for curious travelers who want to get closer to the destination in comfort and style.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Welcome Piram Hotel, Rome. Hotel Isabella, Sorrento. Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri, Alberobello. MH Matera Hotel. RG Naxos Hotel, Taormina. NH Palermo.,
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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
insightvacations-E725N17

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