Archaeological Wonders of Southern Italy and Sicily
Overview
Highlights
- Gain special access to the excavations of Pompeii with a local expert and peer into the crater of Mount Vesuvius alongside a volcanologist.
- Gaze at the spectacular mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale and descend into fascinating catacombs in Palermo.
- Visit eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, from the dramatic Amalfi Coast and ancient Syracuse to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento.
- Hike through a landscape transformed by lava on Mount Etna and enjoy breathtaking views of Taormina and the coast.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Trip includes
- Accommodations
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
- Pre-departure information
- Entrance fees, excursions, and sightseeing noted as included in the itinerary
- Ground transportation during the expedition
- Transfers to and from group flights where applicable
- Services of an adventure consultant, guides and any other staff, and on designated “Photography” departures, a National Geographic Photographer
- Taxes, port charges, baggage handling, and service charges
- For itineraries that include camping, camp and cook staffs, tents, kitchen and dining tents and necessary Trip equipment (e.g., sea kayaks, rafts, personal floatation devices, etc.) Are provided
- Internal airfare is included on some international expeditions as indicated in the itinerary
Itinerary

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Imperial Hotel Tramontano
Depart on an overnight flight to Naples. Upon arrival, take a scenic drive to Sorrento, a picturesque seaside town that will be our home for the next three days. After free time this afternoon, meet for a welcome reception and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Imperial Hotel Tramontano
Spend the morning in Pompeii, a city frozen in time when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, blanketing the area in a thick layer of ash and debris. The site was only discovered many centuri...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Imperial Hotel Tramontano
Journey south through the province of Salerno to the Greco-Roman city of Paestum, a World Heritage site. Wander among its three magnificent Doric temples, and see impressive frescoe...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Hotel et Des Palmes
Spend the morning at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, home to a grand collection of Roman artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as an extensive collection of Greek antiquities. We fly to Palermo, Sicily, this afternoon and check into our hotel in the old city.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel et Des Palmes
After a panoramic tour of Palermo, travel to nearby Monreale for a visit to its Norman cathedral. Wander through Moorish-style arcades and cloisters and examine its exquisite gold mosaics ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Baglio della Luna
Head west to Segesta, where a beautifully preserved hilltop temple was begun in the fifth century by the indigenous Elymian people and never completed. Continue south to Selinunte, home of th...
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay
Journey into Sicily's mountainous interior to the World Heritage site of the Villa Romana del Casale, near the town of Piazza Armerina. The villa's exquisite mosaics—some of the best preserved in t...
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay
Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna dominates eastern Sicily. Ascend to 10,000 feet above sea level by cable car and 4x4 to the very rim of this legendary volcano and behold a fasci...
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the Catania airport for your return flight.
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Dates & Availability
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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.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- Optional gratuities
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Accommodation
7 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 5 Dinners
- Taormina and Rome - Post-Trip Extension, 4 Days
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