Rome & Amalfi Coast Food and Wine

Rome & Amalfi Coast Gourmet Tour | 11 Nights/12 Days

Day 01: Rome Arrival → Sorrento | Welcome to Italy! Upon arrival at Rome airport please proceed to collect your luggage inside the customs area. Meet your driver and transfer to Sorrento. Rest of the Day at Leisure. Overnight in Sorrento.

Day 02: Naples Market → Cooking Class & Private Walking Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the lobby and transfer to Naples. The marketplace wakes up early in the morning and the Chef will lead you through the hustle and bustle as the fresh fish arrives at the dock, vendors stock rows and rows of fresh fruits and vegetables arriving from the countryside, the cheesemonger hangs the caciocavallo cheese, and bakers take the first batches of fresh loaves of bread out of the oven. Then return to the kitchen for your hands-on Cooking Class featuring traditional Neapolitan foods with the Chef’s modern touch, including fresh pasta kneaded, rolled and sliced into all different shapes, fresh traditional sauces, meat, fish or vegetarian main courses and fabulous desserts. Menus vary by season to use the best fresh ingredients and can be tailored to accommodate food allergies and diet needs. Lunch follows with the foods prepared in class and a glass of local wine paired by the sommelier included. After lunch it is time to embark on a 3-hour private guided walking tour of the heart of Naples. Visit the Galleria Umberto with its immense vaulted-glass ceiling, the Piazza Plebiscito. We suggest a stop at the Neapolitan landmark cafe for a pastry and cappuccino or a short and steaming Neapolitan espresso served in delicate hand-painted china. Continue to the shops of the cafa lined Via Toledo, visit the famous San Gregorio Armeno also known as the Via dei Presepi, street of the nativities. This quarter of this ancient city is filled with botteghe and bancarelle, with the most intricate, beautiful characters and full nativity scenes. Late afternoon return to your hotel. Overnight in Sorrento.

Day 03: Capri Private Guided Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. This morning you will be private transferred to Sorrento Marina Piccola to meet your guide and to board a fast ferry to Capri. First visit Marina Grande with his classy restaurants and sidewalk cafés. Then to Anacapri, 1,800 feet above sea level, where you will visit Villa San Michele and the Axel Munthe Gardens. Continue to the main town of Capri, where you can visit La Piazzetta, the Gardens of Augustus, Faraglioni, and the distinctive rocks. After lunch in a characteristic Caprese restaurant, you will visit, weather permitting, the incredible Blue Grotto. Capri is a very exclusive travel destination, it is here to spot the occasional unassuming celebrity (Paparazzi as well unfortunately). Late afternoon you will re-board the fast ferry to Sorrento. Have a lovely evening and night in Sorrento.

Day 04: Sorrento Hills Olive Oil and Mozzarella Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. Your private tour today will start with a visit to an extra virgin olive oil farm. Enjoy a demonstration on the production of Olive Oil from the olive on the tree to the bottle. Followed by a delicious tasting of this fine Extra Virgin Olive Oil on freshly baked bread. On your way to the next stop, the mozzarella and cheese makers, we stop for a fantastic photo opportunity over the two bay’s, the bay of Salerno and the bay of Naples, for a bird’s eye view of the famous Amalfi Drive. You will be welcomed with open arms by the family at the cheese farm, who have over 50 years of experience. After touring the farm, watch the making of mozzarella (a cheese that originated from the Naples area), participate in a wonderful explanation of the entire process up to the final product, which you will taste with luncha. Sit back and relax with antipasto of local ‘in season’ vegetables, salami then followed by freshly made pasta. Tasting the fresh mozzarella you have just witnessed being made. Lunch is served with local wine and soft drinks, followed by Limoncello. Then continue your private tour with a Wine tasting at a local winery, with full demonstration, visit to the cellar and tasting of up to 9 wines. The tour ends in the heart of Sorrento for Italy’s famous GELATO. Overnight in Sorrento.

Day 05: Sorrento  → Positano  → Amalfi | Breakfast at the Hotel. Private Transfer to your Hotel on the Amalfi Coast. On route enjoy several location visits on one of the most intriguing coastline in the world. You will first visit Positano. When you walk through the historical centre you are overwhelmed by the amount of shops selling any sort of stuff, the lemon liqueurs, the candles, the pictures and everywhere, even hanging over balconies the most incredible colours of linen clothes locally called “Moda Positano”. As you walk to the bottom of the village, free of traffic, you get to the local church still further down to the local beach. After Positano dreamful experience continue your journey by visiting Furore. The old village lies on the foothills of the Monti Lattari. The landscape has a rugged Dolomites beauty. Here you will visit Marisa Cuomo Winery in Furore for a property and a Wine Tasting Tour. The Winery is situated on the steep slopes that stretch out in the sun and rocks and plunge into the crystal-clear water of the Amalfi Coast. Among enchanting bays and coves, the vineyards of Cantine Marisa Cuomo dominate the “Fiordo di Furore” fjord overlooking the Gulf of Salerno. Visit the estate’s cellars and vineyards, sample the unique flavour of its extreme wines and taste the gastronomic specialities of Furore. After lunch in a scenic restaurant set next door just off the property, continue your journey by visiting the beautiful town of Amalfi. Historically the most important town of the area, Amalfi was one of the 4 Maritime Republic, and it has some of the oldest paper factories Italy; motherland of the inventor of the sea compass, etc. What is left of that glorious past is the Duomo, with and impressive facade decorated with gorgeous mosaics. Late afternoon continue to your Hotel in Amalfi. Overnight in Amalfi.

Day 06: Amalfi Coast Cooking Class | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the Hotel lobby. This morning you will take a panoramic drive to the top of the mountains to Ravello. The small Village, situated at 1100 feet above the sea level, offers views of the coast below, for sure the most breath-taking scenery. Here you will attend Private Cooking Class at Villa Maria Cooking School. You will be warmly welcomed as you enter this beautiful “off the beaten path” property. At the beginning of the class the culinary history of dishes and ingredients will be explained. You will be accompanied in Villa Maria’s organic garden where you will gather produce that will be used and enjoyed during the meal preparation. Very interesting also is the cave with a medieval chapel, located in the garden and open to the guests. In this place, in the past, the farmers gathered in prayer in their times of rest from work. The Class starts with a demonstration of the preparation of fior di latte, fresh Mozzarella. An expert cheesemaker will transform the curd into mozzarella with the help of the participants, who will taste the product they have made. The list of dishes in the menu of the day is always made up of: – a starter – a first – a second – dessert. All the planned menu will be prepared in collaboration between your chef and you. There will be a practical demonstration of how to make the dishes by the kitchen Maestro who will assist the “you” as you prepare the dishes with your Chef. At the end of the class, you will enjoy the meal you have prepared, with local wines – a culinary experience you will never forget! In the afternoon spend some time at leisure in Ravello. The town is the best place where to leave the crowds and enjoy the quiet of a village, where most of the historical centre is still untamed, and still recalling the magnificence of the grand private residences. Here you may want visit Villa Rufolo. The villa was built in the 13th century for the wealthy Rufolo dynasty and was home to several Popes as well as King Robert of Anjou. Wagner was so inspired by the gardens when he visited in 1880 that he modelled the garden of Klingsor (the setting for the second act of the opera Parsifal). Late afternoon return to your Hotel. Overnight in Amalfi.

Day 07: Paestum Private Guided Tour with Buffalo Mozzarella Demo | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the lobby and travel along the Gulf of Salerno to reach Paestum Archeological Park. The Greek temples of Paestum are some of the most stunning ancient monuments in Italy. Still standing after 2500 years, they embody the Greek ideals of beauty, rationality, and the sacred. This day trip takes you along the Amalfi Coast and the Bay of Salerno to the low, often flower-filled plain looking out to the sea where the three temples stand. You will have time to explore the vast site consisting also of a Roman town with forum constructed on top of the original Greek settlement. The museum is worth a look for the wonderful Tomb of the Diver, terra cotta clay pots still filled with now-crystallized honey, and other treasures from the site. These fertile grassy plains are perfect for nourishing the famous water buffalo of Campania, most likely brought from Sicily by the Normans in 1000 AD. After lunch at a local characteristic restaurant, your next stop will be at the Tenuta Vannullo where it is produced the famous Certified Organic Buffalo Mozzarella, entirely made by hand exclusively with Buffalo organic milk. Here you will have a guided tour visiting the stable where are used the most avant-garde techniques of milking to safeguard animal welfare, hygiene and milk quality, visit the leather shop and the museum with tools and equipment of various periods and finish with a taste of the dairy production. They grow fodder for our 600 buffaloes: Each of them is treated only with homeopathic remedies. On the way back to Amalfi, there will be a visit to a picturesque spot called Vietri sul Mare. Its economy depends greatly on its production of hand-made ceramics. The much loved artistic ceramics are known as “ceramica vietrese.” on the Amalfi Coast.

Day 08: Amalfi Coast → Pompeii Private Guided → Rome | Meet the driver at the hotel. Today private transfer to your Hotel in Rome. On route stop in Pompeii to meet your Private Guide and enjoy a Private Guided Tour of Pompeii Archeological Ruins. Pompeii, buried under lava and ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and lay forgotten for hundreds of years. Enjoy a walking tour of Pompeii that will include: visits to the interiors of the homes of Pompeii’s wealthier citizens, Ancient streets where locals dined and where you’ll learn about traditional Roman cuisine, the amphitheatre where we’ll talk of the Gladiators and the events staged in the arena. As well as enjoying numerous anecdotes about life in Pompeii that will include some of the Graffiti dating back to Roman times that are still visible throughout the ruins. Continue with a visit to the Ancient Forum, Pompeii’s centre for religious, civil and economic life (the major public offices were located here) where we’ll walk through the ancient Macellum which was a covered food market that occupied a corner of the forum. Of the three different areas, the central section was intended for use by the imperial house, those to the sides for the sale of meat, whilst an area in the middle was for the cleaning and sale of fish. One of the most interesting aspects of Pompeii is its pictorial decoration. You will also visit the Casa Dei Vettii to see the splendid frescoes, statues and decorations from ancient times. The house belonged to two rich merchants and with the narration of our expert local guide you will be able to visualize how life was conducted inside these Roman houses. After the Tour continue to your Hotel in Rome. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Rome

Day 09: Rome Food and Main Highlights Private Guided Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the lobby for a Rome Culinary Private Tour. Rome might be famous for its artistic and historical wonder, but the eternal city has another spectacular tradition that cannot be overlooked: cuisine. Start the day with a morning coffee of your choice at one of Rome’s most beloved cafas while our local food and wine expert explains the history and secrets of Italian made coffee. This tour is about exploring food in a cultural context. We’ll visit a market and learn about seasonal foods and also the local cucina povera. We’ll stop in at a local forno, where bread has been made by the same family for decades, to try some pizza bianca. A visit to the Jewish Ghetto will allow us to discover how a culture that has been a part of Rome for hundreds of years still has a tremendous influence on the cuisine of the city today, while sampling either carciofi alla giudia or fritti misti depending on the season. Next comes a stop in a cheese shop to taste artisanal cheeses accompanied by both white and red wine. After a morning filled with trying local foods, pasties, olive oil and more, we’ll finish off this delicious and delectable tour with a gelato. In the afternoon enjoy a Private Tour of Rome main monuments and fountains. Visit Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps and of course the Pantheon. Late afternoon return to your hotel. Overnight in Rome.

Day 10: Private Guided Vatican Tour | In the morning meet your driver at the Hotel lobby. Transfer to the Vatican to meet your Private Guide for a 4 hours Vatican Private Guided tour. First Visit Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms. Here we will spend plenty of time to absorb the atmosphere of this unique building. You will learn about the life and times of Michelangelo at the Vatican, his relationship with Pope Julius II and relive how he worked and lived. You will then move onto visit Saint Peter’s Basilica – the world’s most famous and largest Catholic Church. The final part of the tour will focus on Saint Peter’s Square; here you will have time to admire Michelangelo’s Dome and Bernini’s colonnades. Late morning return you to the hotel. Overnight in Rome.

Day 11: Private Guided Ancient Rome Tour | After breakfast meet your driver and guide at the hotel lobby. Morning Private tour of the wonders of the Ancient Romans. You will be transported back to the days of the Caesars and the Roman legions as you visit, together with your private local guide. This tour begins with a visit to the most famous monument of Ancient Rome – the Colosseum. From here, your guide will take you through the Roman Forum, which was the center of politics as well as public life in Ancient Rome. Lunch and afternoon at leisure. *Afternoon Optional Tours available. Overnight in Rome.

Day 12: Rome Departure | Breakfast at the Hotel. Arrivederci. Ciao! Enjoy a Private Transfer to Rome Airport.

• 4 Nights Sorrento
• 3 Nights Amalfi Coast
• 4 Nights in Rome
• Private Transportation by Mercedes E or V Class with English Speaking Driver
• Private Guided Tours with Professional Local Guides | Door to Door Service
• Entrances to Museums, Galleries, Archeological Parks and other Venues
• Breakfast at Hotels, All Food & Wine Tours/Enogastronomic and Most Lunches.
• 24/7 Assistance and Support from our Ground Operational Office in Italy
• Details up on request