Stray off the beaten path and explore a new side to the Italy you know and love. See the Veiled Christ statue, rumored to be created through alchemy, in Naples' Sansevero Chapel. Sample wines created from the rich volcanic soil just outside of Pompeii. Soak up the sun with a free afternoon in Positano, home to colorful hillside houses and local posh boutiques. Spend 2 nights in a unique cave dwelling in Matera and your last 2 nights in the Puglia region in a personal converted house. Uncover the Baroque excellence of Lecce, an artisan city of limestone. Make your way through southern Italy and experience the Amalfi Coast and the Puglia region.
On some dates additional accommodations may be used.
Services of a tour director
All on-tour transportation and related fees
Hotel-to-hotel baggage handling
Round trip home to airport sedan service provided when you purchase airfare through Member Choice Vacations. One transfer per person, per reservation. (Restrictions apply)
12 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 5 dinners
Itinerary
Engaging Experiences These special places and experiences are considered tour highlights. Look for them in the daily itineraries.
In a country of renowned cuisine, iconic coastlines, and ancient roots, stray off the beaten path and explore a new side of the Italy you know and love. Make your way through southern Italy and experience the Amalfi Coast and the Puglia region.
Gaze out at the deep blue Bay of Naples and looming Mt. Vesuvius as you dine on regional specialties.
Royal Continental Hotel, Naples
Dinner
Included
Begin in Naples, a vibrant mecca for locals and travelers alike. Volcanic landscapes give way to medieval architecture and Grecian lanes, creating a unique culture exclusive to Naples. Settle into your new home for the next 2 nights and admire the view of crashing waves and bobbing boats. Toast to the start of your Italian getaway over dinner, looking out over the deep blue Bay of Naples to Mt. Vesuvius looming in the distance. Today dinner will be included.
Impact Moment: Discover traditional Neapolitan songs and music during a private performance at a local social enterprise. Venture through Naples' historic city center (UNESCO) overflowing with local life and eccentric monuments.
Royal Continental Hotel, Naples
Breakfast
Included
Explore Naples' exuberant historic city center (UNESCO) and underground ancient ruins with a local guide. Visit the Sansevero Chapel, home to the Veiled Christ statue, rumored to be created by alchemy due to its carved flowing cloth. During your afternoon at leisure, consider visiting the nearby National Archeological Museum and peruse relics from Pompeii. Tonight's Impact Moment comes in the form of a private concert, performed by the Napulitanata social enterprise, which supports Italian heritage and abates the city's high unemployment. Today breakfast will be included.
Sample wines just outside of Pompeii, created from the fertile volcanic countryside.
Hotel Villa Romana, Minori, Amalfi Coast or Minori Palace Hotel, Minori, Amalfi Coast
Breakfast,
Lunch,
Dinner
Included
Feel the ghosts of the past as you wander through Pompeii with a guide. After you've explored the public baths and private villas, get a new perspective on the volcanic countryside with a visit to a nearby winery. Layers of ash have transformed the timeworn soil into a fertile vineyard. Enjoy a wine tasting with lunch before continuing to the beloved Amalfi Coast. Watch the sun fade along the horizon in coastal Minori, your new home for the next 4 nights. Today breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included.
Explore a sfusato lemon grove and hike the Amalfi Coast's ancient Path of Lemons.
Hotel Villa Romana, Minori, Amalfi Coast or Minori Palace Hotel, Minori, Amalfi Coast
Breakfast
Included
A fishing village of terraced lemon groves, Minori exudes the quintessential Amalfitana vibe. Start your morning in a garden and learn about sfusato lemons, used in limoncello. Sample this fragrant liqueur in a pastry shop before hiking* along the coast. You'll trek the rugged Path of Lemons - an ancient, hilly route that links Minori with the nearby town Maiori. Explore on your own before returning by boat. The remainder of the day is yours. Today breakfast will be included.
*The hike along the Path of Lemons and/or the boat trip to Maiori may be cancelled in case of inclement weather or adverse sea conditions. The hike is 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometres) long and involves multiple flights of stairs; a boat will be provided for travelers who prefer not to hike.
Make the most of a free afternoon in the popular resort town of Positano.
Hotel Villa Romana, Minori, Amalfi Coast or Minori Palace Hotel, Minori, Amalfi Coast
Breakfast
Included
Journey by boat** to Amalfi, the rocky coast's namesake town. Formerly a maritime republic, Amalfi puts a historic spin on the seaside hubs, containing cobblestone piazzas and towering mosaicked cathedrals. After a few hours on your own, ferry past tumbling cliffs and pastel-colored houses on your way to Positano. Enjoy a free afternoon in this resort town, perhaps browsing the posh boutiques or resting along the beach. Return to Minori by ferry. Today breakfast will be included.
**The ferry boat service does not operate between November and March. During these months a substitute bus service will be provided. In case of adverse sea conditions, the ferry service may be suspended at any time, in which case a substitute bus service will be provided.
Hotel Villa Romana, Minori, Amalfi Coast or Minori Palace Hotel, Minori, Amalfi Coast
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Look down upon the Amalfi Coast from Ravello, a picturesque village with the best vantage point of the winding coastline. Then, it's your choice! Visit the gardens of Villa Rufolo, making your way through a latticework of hedges and flowers to gaze out at the azure waves below -OR- hike the half-mile trail down to the remote gardens of Villa Cimbrone*** before returning to Minori for an afternoon at leisure. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Experience the Italian landscape like never before and spend 2 nights in a unique cave-dwelling accommodation.
Locanda di San Martino Hotel, Matera
Breakfast,
Lunch
Included
This morning, discover one of Italy's delectable cheese products during a visit to a dairy farm. Taste freshly made mozzarella for lunch before continuing south to Matera (UNESCO), whose inimitable scenery has been featured in blockbuster films. Experience the town's cave dwellings, your home for the next 2 nights. Each cave is unique, half-excavated and half-carved from the land. In these unparalleled accommodations,**** connect with the Italian landscape like never before. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.
****While on occasion you may be accommodated in more traditional hotels, the most part of your accommodations in Matera and Alberobello will be in 'scattered hotels' with rooms located in various buildings close to a central lobby and breakfast room.
Locanda di San Martino Hotel, Matera
Breakfast
Included
Hike into Matera's 9,000-year-old history on a guided walking tour along its hillside caves, narrow passages and steep alleys known to locals as the Sassi. The afternoon is yours to explore more of Matera's heritage. Perhaps you'll visit the remarkable Palombaro Lungo underground water cistern or head out of town for a hike through the surrounding countryside dotted with prehistoric caves and medieval rock churches. Today breakfast will be included.
Santa Chiara Suite Hotel, Lecce, Puglia
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Cross into the Puglia region and pause at an olive grove to learn about the different kinds of oil before continuing to Lecce, a Baroque powerhouse of limestone. Get to know the city with a local expert and take in its iconic architecture and papier-mâché craftsmanship. Dine your way around Lecce in the evening with a multi-stop dinner in the city center. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Santa Chiara Suite Hotel, Lecce, Puglia
Breakfast
Included
The day is yours. Lose yourself in the city's charismatic ambience - full of winding lanes, sun-kissed piazzas, and hidden cafes. Perhaps you'll join an optional excursion to Otranto and a nearby winery, featuring a tasting of wine from the region's dark-purple grapes. No matter how you spend the day, reconvene in the evening for a private folk music and dance performance, highlighting the traditional pizzica e taranta. According to legend, spider bites cause the women to dance with feverish energy. Today breakfast will be included.
Zoom through Ostuni like a local - in the backseat of a 3-wheeled Ape Calessino car.
Stop in Ostuni, a whitewashed town surrounded by olive trees. Zoom through the town like a local in the backseat of an open-air Ape Calessino, a traditional 3-wheeled car. Enjoy time on your own before arriving in Alberobello. Make your way to your personal room,**** a converted house that will serve as your home for the next 2 nights. Make the most of a free evening to independently discover the town's secrets. Today breakfast will be included.
****While on occasion you may be accommodated in more traditional hotels, the most part of your accommodations in Matera and Alberobello will be in 'scattered hotels' with rooms located in various buildings close to a central lobby and breakfast room.
Say "buongiorno" to Alberobello (UNESCO), a whimsical city that hosts a collection of cone-shaped trulli homes. Meander through a labyrinth of these gnomish houses, sometimes featuring symbols with superstitious connotations. The afternoon is yours to explore. As the day draws to a close, wish Italy goodbye at a farewell dinner. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Breakfast
Included
Depart for home with treasured memories of rocky shores and cobblestone streets. Today breakfast will be included.
Itinerary featured is for June 2024 - May 2025 tour departures. Departures prior will vary. On some dates alternate hotels may be used.
Pricing is per person,
double occupancy,
land only, based on June 6, 2024 travel date.
Single supplement from $760.
Call AAA for current airfare rates and availability. Airfare to the destination is not included, on-tour flights, when applicable, are included..
All this makes it AAA Vacations®
AAA Complimentary Inclusion: $75 per person credit toward a pre-paid optional excursion
Member Benefit: $50 per person savings
Best Price Guarantee
24/7 Member Care
OTHER SUGGESTED PACKAGES
Package: Guided
2025 Jubilee: The Holy Year A Pilgrimage To Rome & Assisi
Trust your AAA Travel Agent as your one-stop source for your next vacation. Travel with confidence knowing AAA Travel will be here for you before, during and after your vacation.