Amalfi Coast History & Culture Tour

In the morning, the bakeries and cafés around Naples will fill with the aroma of freshly baked sfogliatelle, which is a traditional pastry with a flaky crust and soft inside that is often stuffed with cream and fruit. Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast eager to introduce you to the splendor of Naples, beginning with the National Archeological Museum. The fascinating galleries were established in the eighteenth century and inside former cavalry barracks. You will follow your guide through the highlights of the museum where you will be able to see the sensational Farnese Marble collection and mosaics that date back to Greek and Roman antiquity. The Alexander Mosaic was crafted in 100 BC and was discovered at the House of the Faun in Pompeii. The remarkable artwork depicts Alexander the Great in battle against Darius III of Persia.

Outside the museum, your guide will lead you through narrow lanes of Naples’s city center where the aroma of fresh espresso will emanate from the popular corner bars. You will visit the Cappella Sansevero, which is a chapel that was constructed in the sixteenth century and was decorated with an elaborate Baroque design.

The morning light will wash over the city as it glints against the azure, Tyrrhenian Sea and showcases the grandeur of the city. The Royal Palace was constructed in the seventeenth century and contains aspects of sophisticated, Baroque design. Your guide will escort you away from the hotel in Naples to the entrance of Pompeii for a private exploration of the excavated, ancient city.

The city now acts as an open-air museum that depicts the daily life of an important Roman port city that has been preserved beneath 20 feet of ash and pumice stone after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago. After beginning the tour at the Roman Forum, you will venture to the top of the Teatro Grande, which can support up to 5,000 spectators. The top row will offer a spectacular view that sweeps across the city and leads to the lingering, nefarious peak of Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

The neighboring Teatro Piccolo is the earliest example of a Roman theater with a roof that was discovered in Italy with foundations that date back to around 75 BC. You will reach the Villa of the Mysteries, which was named after a series of paintings that was uncovered in a single room and illustrates a mysterious young woman who is participating in a cult initiation ritual. The strong depiction of the rites, in addition to the intricate detail of the woman, will produce an enchanting effect on the viewer.

The luscious retreat of Ravello will stands above the Amalfi Coast at nearly 2,000 feet above sea level and will offer views of the Tyrrhenian Sea as it glisten against the rising seaside cliffs. The cathedral will shape the skyline of the main piazza as it looms above the café tables and chairs where locals sip their morning cappuccino. Your guide will greet you at the hotel and will lead you on a remarkable tour of the Amalfi Coast, beginning with Piazza Vescovado at the heart of Ravello. The Duomo was constructed in the eleventh century and was dedicated to St. Pantaleone. The mixture of Moorish and Byzantine influences on the bell tower will capture the remarkable history of the region’s trade across the Mediterranean.

The city of Amalfi was once a naval powerhouse that traded with global powers like the Byzantine Empire. You will follow your guide through the winding lanes and along the cobbled piazzas that open to the lavish beach. You will then visit an eleventh-century cathedral that is located in the center of the city.

Your immersive exploration of the Amalfi Coast and its culture will culminate with a wine tasting back in Ravello. The terraced vineyards are famous for absorbing the nutrients in the limestone cliffs and tastes that are shaped by the sea breeze, mountain vegetation, and Mediterranean climate. This winery is over a century old, and you can wander through the vines with your guide to learn more about the heritage and culture of the wine from this region. In the tasting room, your guide will pour a sample of the Costa d’Amalfi DOC, which blends Falanghina and Biancolella grapes. You will notice the floral aroma that emanates from the glass and mixes with hints of honeysuckle.

The sunrise will return the spectacular view of the Amalfi Coast. A series of marble busts will line the belvedere that frame the glinting blue sky and water. After breakfast, your guide will direct you along the Amalfi Coast and inland through the plains of Campania to reach the treasured ruins of Paestum. The fascinating temples with Greek foundations date back to the fifth century BC, with the largest of the three remaining structures being dedicated to the goddess Hera.

Your guide will point out the complex detail that adorns the columns and consist of 24 flutes instead of the typical 20. The scent of herbaceous grass will fill the air as you follow your guide between the stellar ruins to the Basilica Paleocristiana, which is an early Christian church that overtook the former pagan temple around the fifth century AD. Archeologists have peeled away the Baroque pillars to reveal the authentic Greco-Roman columns along the walls and the original floor that is located over six feet below the ground level.

After strolling along the ruins of Paestum, your guide will lead you to a private farm that is known for making delicious buffalo mozzarella cheese. The water buffalo will graze on the lush grass and spread across the expansive landscape. Inside the farm, your guide will explain the process of making the cheese as the artisan mixes milk, rennet, citric acid, and salt. You will have the opportunity to sample the fresh cheese and find the outer, springy texture that gives way to a luscious, creamy center with a clean, bright flavor. The cheese tasting will be followed with a chocolate experience that allows you to see how using buffalo milk as a base can impact yogurt, ice cream, and chocolates. The artisan will add the raw cocoa to the mixture of fresh buffalo milk to craft the sensational chocolate. You can sample the combination for a unique flavor that will be completed with notes of intense spice and bitterness that will be rounded out with a soft sweetness.

After breakfast, your private driver will take you from the elevated plateau of Ravello to the most eastern city on the Amalfi Coast: Vietri sul Mare. The scenic drive along a stretch of the coastline’s 25-mile-long road winds alongside the cliffs, plunging into the sea. Upon reaching the city, you will notice the way the city center shines with bright Mediterranean colors that originate from the ceramic tiles that adorn the storefronts, homes, and the eighteenth-century dome of the church of San Giovanni Battista.

You will meet your artisan ceramics instructor who carries on the tradition of handmade artwork that date back to the fifteenth century. The private demonstration will become a captivating experience as you watch the fluid movement of the artisan. You will follow the artist’s example after the demonstration by making your own ceramic piece while celebrating the heritage of the city and embracing a part of the local culture with vibrant flair.

In the morning, the cafés in Piazza Vescovado will open their doors, returning the refreshing aroma of espresso to the streets. With time before your private transfer arrives, you can stroll through the gardens of Villa Rufolo, which is a gorgeous, palatial complex that was constructed in the thirteenth century. The nineteenth-century garden contains historic Moorish towers that have inspired the legendary composer Richard Wagner. You can also relax in the soothing ambiance that stems from the impressive view of the overlooking cliffs, lush terraces, and luminous waters before meeting your private transfer and continuing to Naples International Airport for your flight home.