Joys of Rome and Southern Italy Itinerary for Seniors

In the morning, the contemporary city erupts with movement as locals take to corner cafes to sip espresso before continuing to work. The streets fill with the aroma of freshly baked brioche that has been dusted with powdered or caramelized sugars. Your guide will greet you in your hotel lobby after breakfast ready to take you back in time to the glories of Ancient Rome. The past will come to vivacious life along Via dei Fori Imperiali . The Colosseum towers over the walkways with its fourth story reaching a height of nearly 160 feet tall and your guide will offer unique tales of wonder and tragedy as you wander through the halls of the Colosseum to view the home of gladiators and exotic battles brought before the people of Rome.

Between the Colosseum’s gargantuan walls and the historical walkways of the Roman Forum stands the Arch of Titus. The victory arch stands 50 feet tall with the inner arcade reaching a height of 27 feet. Your guide will point to the reliefs inside the archway, which depict scenes of Emperor Titus’s parade along the Via Sacra, the main road in the Roman Forum. A giant candelabrum and collection of silver trumpets symbolize the spoils taken from Herod’s Temple.

Restaurants around Rome are filled with chefs working their dough to craft fresh pastas for the day. Waiters in the cafes of Piazza Navona set chairs out along the plaza to accompany the artists that are capturing the 17th-century embellishments of the surrounding villas and fountains. Your guide will greet you at your hotel after breakfast and escort you to Vatican City for a tour that will be focused on the grandeur of the historical artwork and the elegance of Vatican Museums. Columns border the oval shape of Piazza San Pietro with the gilded dome of St. Peter’s Basilica acting as a crown on the regal air of Vatican City, and the museums glisten with marble floors awash with light as it pours in the open windows.

The aroma of cypress and oak drifts into the entrance from the open courtyard, and your guide will offer spectacular insight that will take a museum with seemingly insurmountable artwork into a manageable tour of the most fascinating works on display. At the end of the tour, you will enter into the celebrated gallery of the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo decorated more than 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and front wall under the patronage of Pope Julius II over a period of four years. The aroma of frankincense lingers in the paint as you look up to bask in the beauty of the ceiling to find the iconic panel that features the Birth of Man.

The town of Tivoli is located just outside of Rome and once acted as a summer getaway for the aristocracy and emperors, who chose to take advantage of the cool breeze found in the hills. Your guide will escort you up the limestone ridge that overlooks the lush ravine as the medieval castle of Rocca Pia looms above the old drawbridge. You will make your way to the grounds of Hadrian’s Villa, an estate constructed in the 2nd century to encompass nearly 300 acres. The emperor was so inspired by his travels across the empire that he desired to build the grand structures he had seen for himself, including those in Greece and Egypt. Sculptures that reproduced the grace of Hellenistic style continues to adorn the gardens.

The villa has become an open-air museum, with mosaics decorating the historical baths as colonnades frame the walkways of the gardens. The maritime theater features Ionic architectural styles as represented in the preserved columns and brick. The water reflects the colonnades to create tranquil ambiance far away from the bustling streets of Rome. After strolling through history at Hadrian’s Villa, you will arrive at the personification of Italianate gardens in Villa d’Este. Elaborate fountains spout alongside beautiful walkways with pools cascading down the hillsides as grottos hide beneath promontories and terraces offer spectacular views across the countryside for a different view of the preserved past.

Your private transfer will greet you after breakfast and escort you south towards the bustling city of Naples. The Mediterranean Sea shimmers with indigo and sapphire colors against the city’s Baroque and Rococo tower homes. The aroma of baking dough emanates from the celebrated pizzerias around the city as you arrive at the gates of Pompeii, an ancient city preserved in pumice and ash since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Lemon groves thrive in the warmth of the Mediterranean, and the scent of citrus fills the air to blend with the aroma of mineral-rich soil that drifts through the ancient streets.

You will be able to see the peak of Mount Vesuvius looming in the background, and a 10-foot tall platform remains in the plaza’s northern edge to mark the placement of the Temple of Jupiter. Your guide will explain the history of the city that dates back to the 7th-century BC, as Campanian Oscans, Greeks, and Samnites filled the streets before Pompeii became a Roman colony in 80 BC. Reach the Stabian Baths to view the colonnaded gymnasium where stoves separate the male and female baths where attendants heated the water. Continue to the House of Menander to view the grounds once owned by a wealthy merchant, with artistry connoting the aesthetic of the times.

The Amalfi Coast travels for 25 miles along the soaring mountain ridges that plunge into the Mediterranean Sea, stretching from the town of Positano in the north to Vietri sul Mare in the south. After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel ready to lead you on an engaging tour of the towns and villages found long the shore. Citrus orchards and olive groves thrive in the Mediterranean climate and along the terraced ridges of the rolling hills ad the scent of the sea accompanies the aromas of lemon and orange from the overflowing groves. You will stop first at Positano to stroll along the cobbled lanes that are nestled between the tower homes that wind up the hillside.

Wisterias drape down over restaurants and boutique shops as stone stairways lead to the homes and offer panoramic views of town amongst the stucco outlines and pasted décor. Step into the shop of a third generation artisan who crafts the perfect pair of handmade sandals. Before leaving Positano, you can board a small boat bound for the cave known as the Emerald Grotto. The brief ride will allow the sea breeze to blow against your cheeks as the cave entrance hangs low. You will enter into the cavern where stalactites and stalagmites shimmer with emerald hues due to the reflection of the sunlight on the water.

Today you will board the morning ferry bound for the island of Capri, taking you over the sapphire and cobalt waters in view of the 200-foot cliffs along the island’s edges. The ferry will dock in Marina Grande where small fishing boats decorate the pebbled shore against the rows of tower-homes. A funicular will carry you to the top of the hill, landing in Piazza Umberto I, the main piazza of Capri Town. The island has captivated visitors for more than two millennia, including the likes of Roman emperors Tiberius and Augustus.

You will find Certosa di San Giacomo at the heart of Capri Town, which was founded in the 14th century. The grounds of the monastery maintain their Gothic doorway and 17th-century frescoes that are spread across two cloisters. The white stone exterior becomes iridescent in the Mediterranean light, standing out from the surrounding jade canopy. Roman marble columns adorn the small cloister, and the large features elements of sensational Renaissance design. Continue to the Gardens of Augustus to indulge in the manicured gardens and terrace that offer a view to the Faraglioni sea stacks. The precipice reaches nearly 300 feet above the stoic waters below as boats speckle the cobalt hues with visitors eager to view the sea stacks up close.

The town of Amalfi carries with it an aristocratic ambiance that dates back to its foundations, which legend tells was established by Constantine the Great. The morning light washes over the cobbled streets and shines against the gateway door to the harbor known as Porta della Marina as a ceramic panel commemorates the trade routes once utilized by Amalfi sailors at the height of the city’s power, showcasing where merchants traded for wood, gold, spices, and silks.

The black and white stripes along the central Cathedral paints a striking image against the neighboring colorful tower-homes. Locals and visitors alike lounge at the café tables near the stairway that leads to the entrance of the Cathedral to sip the rich espresso or a cappuccinos while watching passersby. After one last perfect Italian morning, your private transfer will greet you at your hotel to escort you around the Bay of Naples to reach Naples International Airport for your flight home.