A Hands-On Culinary Tour of Amalfi Coast & Bay of Naples

In the morning, the Mediterranean Sea will splash at the shores of the Marine Grande as fishing boats venture out along the sea in search of fresh fish to sell at the market. The narrow winding lanes of old Sorrento fill with activity, from the locals that make their way to the Basilica of Sant’Antonio to the shops that line the main alleyways that open their doors to passersby. The aroma of zesty espresso drifts out of the cafes along Piazza Tasso as the locals linger with their morning paper.

After a brief exploration of the sun-drenched town, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you over the hills to the Gulf of Salerno to travel the scenic roadway that hugs the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. Minori has maintained its fishing village ambiance through the years of development along the coastline. The relaxed atmosphere adds to the gorgeous landscape of emerald forest blanketing the terraced hills overlooking the sapphire waters. Pink, peach, and white homes rise along the undulating landscape and watch over the parasols shading the beach loungers.

The remainder of the day in Minori is at your leisure to relax in the beauty of the laid-back town. Sporadic cafes fill the lanes with the scent of espresso and café latte in the afternoons. Make your way to a narrow stretch of beach at the edge of town to dip your feet into the refreshing sea. The pebbles of the beach are smoothed with time, and the cool water is briny against your bare skin. Before dinner, you will visit a small pastry shop also known for its seasonal gelato flavors. Sample their delicious treats on a perfectly warm Italian afternoon before your guide teaches you the proper techniques to make the celebrated dessert. Complete your day with a lavish meal as you make your way to the small town of Maiori, next to Minori, for your dinner inside a converted historical tower that soars above the sea named Torre Normanna.

A natural spring filters into the fountains at Piazza Centrale at the heart of Minori. Tunnels provide shade to the lanes in the summer and connect the town through the cliffs and hills along the water. After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and escort you through town to the entrance of the Villa Romana, a 1st-century Roman villa located along the bay of the Amalfi Coast at the mouth of the Regina Minor River. Roman aristocracy vacationed along these same coves and harbors of the coastline.

Information about the villa was discovered in the 19th-century in correlation with the nearby Roman baths. Arcades surround an open courtyard and a traditional Roman garden with a central swimming pool. A stairway leads deeper into the villa beneath the main floor, and frescoes were uncovered along the walls of the main floor, including a black and white representation of a hunting scene. The scent of the sea is still prevalent along the villa grounds as you make your way to a home along the narrow lanes of Minori to meet your private cooking instructor.

The traditions of the regional cuisine are not just the types of food made by locals but the stories that come with the food, along with the emotions the food represents. Your instructor will provide a brief history of the dishes as you prepare the ingredients. The highlight of the meal comes as you make pasta from scratch. The most common type of pasta you have found in Campania is scialatielli, a thick ribbon similar to fettuccini, and which dates back to medieval times. The aroma of mouthwatering garlic and fragrant tomato sauce will fill the kitchen.

Fishing boats return to the shoreline in the morning with their nets full of seafood ready for the daily market. The market erupts with activity each day, filled with vendors eager to sell their produce and fish, along with locals in search of the perfect ingredients for dinner. At breakfast, the aroma of fresh brioche and frothy cappuccino fills the restaurant. You will meet your private guide in the lobby after your meal and make your way to the town of Vietri sul Mare. The ceramics capital of the coastline, Vietri sul Mare has maintained its rich tradition as it passes the artisan work down to new generations. Your introduction to the importance of ceramics in the Vietri sul Mare comes as you walk through the narrow lanes.

Houses have mounted beautiful tiles along their outer walls to add unique character and vibrant light to the townscape. The church of San Giovanni Battista includes a gorgeous blue and yellow majolica-tiled dome erected in the 18th-century. Ceramic shops line the street of Via Madonna degli Angeli and offer a range of styles and colorful ambiance to the buildings. You will meet your private ceramics instructor who will provide a brief history of ceramics in the town, which dates back to the 15th-century. Your guide will lead you through a step-by-step process to produce a celebrating handcraft ceramic that you will personalize with your design. At the end of class, you can take your handmade souvenir with you.

The island of Capri is celebrated for its rugged beauty and famous inhabitants, including two Roman emperors. After breakfast, your private transfer will escort you to the ferry at the marina in Amalfi to reach the stunning shores of Capri. The seaside cliffs reach a height of 200 feet above the water. The island’s tallest point, Monte Solaro, reaches an altitude of nearly 2,000 and offers a splendid view of the rolling interior hills and steep cliffs that drop into the sapphire Mediterranean Sea. Your guide will meet you at Marina Grande as the ferry docks.

Pastel homes line the promenade and keep watch over the moored fishing boats that are set along the narrow sandbar. Venture to Capri Town on the funicular that leads to the plateau. Chic boutiques and elegant restaurants create a rich atmosphere that overlooks the natural landscape. Kings, queens, and even Hollywood royalty have visited Capri, beginning with emperors Augustus Tiberius who built villas around the island. The lanes feel labyrinthine at first, but soon your guide shows you that all roads lead to the picturesque Piazzetta.

You have an enchanting view of the Faraglioni, an islet of three limestone rocks that extend from the shoreline. The chairlift up to Monte Solaro provides a sweeping view of the island before your guide will escort you to a private home to learn the flavors of Capri. Begin your course as you mix a cocktail of the classic southern Italian digestif known as Limoncello. Combine lemon rinds from lemons taken straight from the tree in the chef’s garden, along with sugar and pure alcohol, which steep for up to 40 days. Luckily, your guide has brought a bottle of properly aged Limoncello for you to taste and take with you before you return to Minori.

In the morning, beachgoers will set out on the sand and catch the early sunlight to warm their skin. Granitas offer a refreshing, citrus flavored treat to the southern Italian heat. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and lead you on the roadway around the Bay of Naples until you reach the ancient city of Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and covered the once vibrant city in ash and pumice to preserve Pompeii, an important port, as it was nearly two millennia ago.

Hotels, bars, public baths, and taverns line the cobblestone streets and continue to offer insight into the daily life of city dwellers. The scent of ash and earth continues to emanate from the portions of the city yet to be excavated. In the western district, your guide will point out the House of the Faun, a palatial mansion. Although the artistry once inside the home is now on display in Naples, the exterior structure shows the wealth of the city’s inhabitants. A bakery next-door contains an inscription on the doorframe that translates to “Long Live Profit.”

For a deeper look at the remaining beauty of Pompeii, your guide will lead you to the newly excavated neighborhoods where frescoes line the walls and furniture provides a better understanding of a citizen’s daily life during Pompeii’s final period. After your thorough exploration of the preserved city, you will travel to the foothills of Mount Vesuvius to find a historic winery with vines that grow out of the slopes of the volcano. Archeologists have discovered that the wine produced by the winery is the closest equivalent to the wine consumed by Ancient Romans. After you tour the grounds, enter the tasting room to enjoy a sampling of the variety of wines produced on the unique landscape.

Naples is a boisterous city in view of the Mediterranean Sea and the looming summit of Mount Vesuvius. The harbor has acted as the gateway to the Mediterranean for millennia, and now includes a gorgeous promenade that is filled with chic restaurants with tables set along the waterfront. After breakfast, your guide will lead you on a tour through the heart of historical Naples and then through the captivating collections of the National Archeological Museum, situated in a Baroque 18th-century palace.

The museum opened under the authority of King Charles III and now exhibits artifacts from excavations as near as Pompeii and Herculaneum, along with treasures brought from the sea. On the second floor, discover the incredible ancient mosaic of Alexander’s Battle, taken from one of the mansions at Pompeii. The mosaic is nearly nine feet in height and almost 17 feet in length and contains the vibrant colors of its original creation in 100 BC. The work depicts an active battle scene of Alexander the Great fighting Darius II of Persia.

In the afternoon, your guide will introduce you to a private chef eager to teach you the art of making pizza where, according to the culinary legend, the dish was first invented. Your instructor will introduce each ingredient and explain a brief history of the dish, the components, and the importance of having fun while cooking. You will dig your hands into the flour and knead the dough to produce a perfect circle ready for toppings. The pizza cooks at a high temperature in a brick oven before your instructor will pull the mouthwatering crust from the heat and place it on the counter to be eaten.

In the historical quarter of the city, the scent of fresh brioche drifts along the cobbled streets and blends with the aroma of frothy cappuccino. Small cafes set out umbrellas over the tables to shade patrons from the spreading sunlight. The nave of the church of San Domenico Maggiore glints in the new light with an ornately paneled ceiling that leads to the high altar. The chapel at the end of the nave incorporates Renaissance work with the 10th-century architecture of the original structure. Naples effortlessly combines its layered history with its connection to culinary tradition. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel ready to escort you to Naples International Airport. Instead of returning home, you could extend your time in Italy and venture east to the Adriatic coast or south to Sicily.