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Italy

Sorrento & the Breathtaking Amalfi Coast

Program No. 23156RJ
Discover fascinating Roman and Arab history, delicious Italian delicacies and breathtaking scenery along the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento when the crowds have left and the weather is mild.
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Small GroupCity Discoveries
Length
10 days
Rating (4.91)
Activity Level
Starts at
3,749
Flights start at
950

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
10 days
9 nights
What's Included
18 meals ( 8B, 6L, 4D )
4 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 03:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously)
Afternoon:
After checking in at the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 6:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Educational content will be provided by our knowledgeable Group Leader and local experts. Program-related travel will be primarily via motorcoach — requiring ascending and descending a few steps — unless specified otherwise. Meals and will include wine, coffee, and water with other beverages available for purchase. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. During the winter months, some stores are closed during the afternoon hours. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/ weather conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We’ll then enjoy a welcome drink together before dinner.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow road scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 6 miles, approximately 1/2 hour. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours; cobblestone paths.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will set out with a local expert on a walking field trip to explore Sorrento. , the centuries-old city, called “Campania Felix” by the Romans. Sorrento is a town of culture, art and food and wine excellence, of enchanting scents and colors. Decanted by poets, celebrated in songs, immortalized in paintings, is a unique landscape in the world which, today as in the past, continues to inspire poems and romantic fantasies of artists and travelers. A town with its breathtaking views and centuries-old traditions, a place where legends intertwine with reality, creating a tapestry of unique stories. As we go, we’ll get to know Sorrento’s unique and fantastic cultural amalgam, a combination of a plethora of cultures: Etruscans, Greeks, Lombards, Normans. An incredible fusion of fact and fiction. We will immerse ourselves in a cultural heritage that invites everyone to let themselves be captivated by the sense of mystery, the intriguing legends and rich tradition that makes this land so special.
Lunch:
At a farmhouse in Colli di San Pietro (Sorrento).
Afternoon:
Next, we will ride to the comune of Piano di Sorrento with our local expert.Piano di Sorrento, a small seaside village, is a gem set along the splendid Sorrento Coast, known for its natural beauty, rich history and vibrant local culture. With a history that has its roots in antiquity, Piano di Sorrento is a place where the past blends harmoniously with the present, offering visitors numerous ideas for reflection and discovery. We will explore a coffee roasting factory followed by the tasting. Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon will be free. This period of time has been set aside for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests each of us most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 60 miles, approximately 2.5 hours. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours; uneven terrain, some steps with no railing, cobblestone.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board a motorcoach, ride to Herculaneum, which hosts a very precious archaeological park, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The origin of its name is linked to an ancient legend, which says that the city was founded by the hero Hercules in 1243 BC, and was later dominated by the Greeks, the Samnites and the Romans. The peculiarity of this archaeological site compared to others around here, including Pompeii, is that only in Herculaneum it is possible to take a snapshot of the daily life of a Roman village of the first century AD through the details of the architecture but also of the craftsmanship, decorations and furnishings of common use, perfectly preserved precisely because the great heat that suddenly invaded the area carbonized everything leaving it in its place. On the ruins of the ancient city, Resina was later built, a toponym it retained until 1969 when it was again Herculaneum. The charm of this place depends on the fact that visitors embrace it with a glance, but they don't understand it immediately: Herculaneum seems like a cut in the modern country, it has limits that are not real and perhaps for this very reason it makes you want to overcome them with your imagination. Participants will experience extreme emotion walking through the narrow streets of this city. Suddenly, they will plunge into a magical and mysterious atmosphere and return to the Roman era’s ancient splendor We will then ride to Massa Lubrense and visit a local oil mill. We will learn the various stages of the olive oil production process and we will walk in the garden and learn how to sow and/or harvest vegetables.
Lunch:
At the oil mill on zero-miles products.
Afternoon:
We will then return to Sorrento and enjoy some free time.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 60 miles, approximately 2 hours riding time throughout the day. Walking about 1.5 miles, approximately 2 hours; generally flat terrain, cobblestone paths.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board the motorcoach and ride to Naples, where we will have an expert-led exploration of the historical center of Naples. The city is located on the Gulf of Naples, providing beautiful views of the coastline. It is surrounded by the picturesque hills and mountains of the area, making the city a visually stunning place to visit. It has been continuously inhabited for over 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. It was originally founded by the Greeks around the 8th century BC and became a major cultural center during the Roman Empire. The city is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the historic center of Naples, which is one of the largest in Europe. Key landmarks include the Naples Cathedral, Spaccanapoli (a narrow, vibrant street in the historic center), and the Royal Palace of Naples.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Naples.
Afternoon:
We will visit with our Group Leader the National Archaeological Museum. We will admire mosaics, frescoes and statues from nearby Herculaneum and Pompeii, small wonders that survived the destructive force of Vesuvius. Not only that but also the beautiful collection dedicated to ancient Egypt, second in Italy only to that of Turin and the oldest in Europe. Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon will be free.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 30 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 2 hours; cobblestone paths, no benches along the way.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board the motorcoach and ride to Pompeii for an expert-led walking field trip through the most significant remaining example of Roman civilization. It provides us an amazing opportunity to understand the life of normal Romans, frozen in time. We will get to know the best-preserved Greek ruins in Italy and a legendary archaeological site, the largest ancient city in Italy, a real chest full of answers about the life of over two thousand years. We will ride back to Sorrento. Our Group Leader will give us a onsite lecture on canzone napoletana — Neapolitan song. The Tarantella, the calling card of Sorrento, is considered the most famous folk dance in the world, able to stir emotions of indescribable joy, almost as you were lost in a magical atmosphere. The festive music combined with this dance, the elegant moves and the gaudy colors of their dresses are a real ode to joy and an expression of love for life.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Sorrento. During the lunch, we’ll have the pleasure of hearing music performed by a local guitarist.
Afternoon:
We will return to the hotel. Free Time.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 35 miles, approximately 1.5 hours throughout the day. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 2 hours throughout the day; hill trail, uneven terrain, some steps with no railing. Getting on/off a ferry; riding approximately 1 hour on the ferry.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board our motorcoach and transfer to Capaccio Paestum, where we will check in at our hotel. We will stop en route to Positano. Appreciated since ancient times for its strategic position, Positano still preserves precious testimonies of a very long history which has seen it as a protagonist since Roman times, as revealed by the ruins of an ancient villa overlooking the sea. The watchtowers that dot the coast, however, evoke the era of the ancient Saracen raids, while the suggestive network of narrow streets and stairways is the ingenious stratagem to face enemy incursions, especially in the period of the Duchy of Amalfi. Today the village is a triumph of characteristic views and exclusive atmospheres, it is impossible not to remain irremediably attracted to Positano today which, sliding from the Lattari Mountains to the sea, appears like a picturesque nativity scene overlooking the clear waters of the Amalfi Coast. The remainder of the morning will be free in Positano. We will board a ferry that will take us to Amalfi. Amalfi is a picture made of colors and souls. For those who get there, they will feel the emotion of being part of that work of art. The Maritime Republic of Amalfi, pervaded with beauty, colored with citrus fruits and surrounded by the blue of the sea which releases its inebriating scent, is an elegant and austere city. We will visit the village walking through its alleys, its narrow and shaded streets full of colors and scents and we will breathe an atmosphere of times gone.
Lunch:
On your own in Amalfi.
Afternoon:
We will explore the town on foot with our Group Leader through its alleys, its narrow and shaded streets full of colors and scents and we will breathe an atmosphere of times gone. We will visit the Chiostro del Paradiso with its beautiful garden and cloisters. Free time in Amalfi. We will then board the ferry that will take us to Salerno. We will continue our transfer with our motorcoach to Capaccio Paestum check in to our next hotel.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 140 miles, approximately 3 hours throughout the day. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 1.5 hours throughout the day; uneven terrain, some steps with no railing.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board the motorcoach and ride to Padula for an expert-led walking field trip of town. We will visit the Certosa, founded in 1306, one of the largest in Europe. It is a very extensive complex of magnificent buildings including large cloisters, courtyards, the church and all the structures necessary to the monk’s life. It is one of the pearls of Cilento region, a precious historical-artistic heritage, a monumental complex of baroque art among the most important in the South declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.
Lunch:
At a farmhouse in Padula
Afternoon:
Returning to the hotel. Some free time before we will ride to the Masseria Eliseo for a cooking lesson of traditional recipes of Campania with the Baronessa Cecilia Baratta.
Dinner:
At the masseria, we will enjoy the meal we prepared.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 15 miles, approximately 1/2 hour throughout the day. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 1 hour throughout the day; uneven terrain, cobblestone.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will begin with a lecture at the hotel on the Cilento and the Paestum Archeological Park given by a local expert. We will board our motorcoach and ride to a local cheese factory and learn how to make the "mozzarella di bufala", known as the “white gold” of Cilento, mozzarella is one of Italy’s gastronomic treasures, appreciated worldwide for its quality and unique taste. The ancient history of buffalo mozzarella in Cilento is rooted in the Middle Ages. Buffalo, originally from Asia, were introduced to the area by the Normans around the 12th century. Since then, processing buffalo milk into mozzarella has become an integral part of the local culture and economy. The artisanal techniques used to produce the mozzarella have been handed down from generation to generation, thus preserving the authenticity of this product.
Lunch:
At the local cheese factory.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will ride to Paestum and begin our learning adventure with an expert-led walking field trip through the archaeological park. The Park is massive, but the experience is intimate: while carefully curated, it looks wild and unexplored, and the visitor gets to walk freely around the ruins. Compared to the over-crowded Pompei, this feels isolated and nestled in an idyllic landscape. Paestum was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, it comprises three of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world. We'll return to the hotel.
Dinner:
At the hotel. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholars friend during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11.00 a.m. See your program’s "Getting There" information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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Please Note: This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.
May 03, 2026 - May 12, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Sep 21, 2025 - Sep 30, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 05, 2025 - Oct 14, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 12, 2025 - Oct 21, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 19, 2025 - Oct 28, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 26, 2025 - Nov 04, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Nov 02, 2025 - Nov 11, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Nov 16, 2025 - Nov 25, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Nov 30, 2025 - Dec 09, 2025 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Mar 08, 2026 - Mar 17, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Mar 22, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Apr 05, 2026 - Apr 14, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Apr 12, 2026 - Apr 21, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Apr 19, 2026 - Apr 28, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Apr 26, 2026 - May 05, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
May 03, 2026 - May 12, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Sep 20, 2026 - Sep 29, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Sep 27, 2026 - Oct 06, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 04, 2026 - Oct 13, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 11, 2026 - Oct 20, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Oct 18, 2026 - Oct 27, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Nov 08, 2026 - Nov 17, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))
Nov 15, 2026 - Nov 24, 2026 (Sorrento (NA) to Capaccio Paestum (SA))





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