5 days, 4 nights · Best for Ancient caves, baroque towns and Capri's blue waters
The Spectacular South of Italy Tour
Travel from Rome to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, and through Apulia’s gems like Castel del Monte, Castellana Caves, Lecce, Ostuni, Alberobello, Matera, and Sorrento.
Your Adventure Starts Here
This is a starting point. Change the nights, choose the style of hotel, add the experiences you want. Your planner takes it from there.
Stop 1Sorrento, Campania
Sorrento
Clifftop base for Capri, Naples and Pompeii
You sleep two nights on the Sorrento peninsula, the limestone headland that divides the Bay of Naples from the Bay of Salerno. From this base we arrange your full-day tour to Capri, reached by ferry from the Marina Grande port, and your transit stops in Naples and Pompeii on the first day. Naples reveals its Piazza del Plebiscito and the Royal Palace with a local guide. Pompeii's excavated streets and villas speak for themselves under the shadow of Vesuvius.
On Capri you visit the Blue Grotto if conditions allow, where sunlight through the submerged entrance paints the cave walls in luminous cobalt. The Gardens of Augustus command views over the Faraglioni rocks and the switchback Via Krupp below. Between excursions, Sorrento's own centro storico offers lemon groves, ceramic-tiled domes and the clifftop overlooks that built the town's reputation.
Arranged for you: We arrange motor coach transit from Rome, multilingual tour leader, local guides in Naples and on Capri, ferry to Capri, entrance to the Blue Grotto (weather permitting) and Gardens of Augustus, and two nights in Sorrento.
Your hotel
Styles, not names. We name the property once we know your dates and your party.
Interests in Sorrento
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Private boat tour around Capri Day Trips · Half day
Circle the island by wooden gozzo with stops at the Faraglioni, the White Grotto and a swimming cove.
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Cooking class in a Sorrento villa Day Trips · Half day
Make gnocchi alla sorrentina and lemon delizia with a home cook in a garden setting above town.
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Private archaeologist tour of Herculaneum Day Trips · Half day
Walk the smaller, better-preserved sister site to Pompeii with an expert in Roman daily life.
Day by day in Sorrento
The group will meet at 7:30 at a designated meeting point in central Rome, although select hotels will have a pick up time between 6:45 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. A multilingual tour leader will join you on the motor coach for your ride to Naples.
Upon arrival in the beautiful city of Naples, the local guide will take you for a delightful walking tour. You will first visit the beautiful Neapolitan landmark known as the Piazza Del Plebiscito, which is the largest town square in Naples. The Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) is the former home to several kings of Naples and is filled with an impressive array of classic paintings, frescoes and tapestries. The architectural masterpiece known as the Gallery of Umberto I is a shopping mall filled with fantastic mosaics and a glorious 184’ tall arching glass dome. The regal San Carlo Opera House is the oldest public opera house in Europe and is described as a vision of gilded opulence.
Pompeii is the next stop on the tour. Here you will visit a coral and cameo factory to watch the talented artisans at work. Lunch will be enjoyed in a typical Pompeii restaurant. Next on the itinerary is a tour of the famous excavations. This historic site shows the ancient Roman city that was buried and frozen in time when Mount Vesuvius violently erupted in 79 AD.
Sorrento is next on the tour. This beautiful town is situated on a terrace that overlooks the famed Amalfi coast. You will end the night with a delicious dinner and a comfortable overnight stay at a local hotel
Enjoy an American style buffet breakfast at the hotel. You will leave the hotel at 9:15 a.m.to head to the luxuriant island of Capri. You will take the ferry to the Marina Grande, the main port of Capri. Once on the island, you will be able to see the magnificent Blue Grotto if the weather permits. This is a beautiful blue sea cave which reflects the sunlight spilling into the cave, casting a beautiful blue glow. The lush Gardens of Augustus offer beautiful photo opportunities and a breath taking view of the Faraglioni rocks below. The next site will be the famous “Piazzetta” a small, lively town square filled with bars, cafés, and jewelry shops.
Next you will board a minibus that will take you up to Anacapri where you will have lunch. You will then return to Marina Grande for the ferry ride back to Sorrento.
The evening will end with a savory dinner and an overnight stay at a local hotel.
Stop 2Noci, Apulia
Noci
Stone-roofed town in the Valle d'Itria
Two nights in Noci, a market town in the Valle d'Itria where trulli dot the olive groves and the centro storico gathers around a paved piazza. From here we organize your full days to the region's signature sites. Castel del Monte stands alone on a ridge, its octagonal plan and golden limestone unchanged since Frederick II built it in the 1240s. The Castellana Caves drop sixty meters into a limestone underworld of stalactites and flowstone chambers discovered in 1938.
Lecce shows the exuberance of Apulian baroque in its churches and palazzi, every surface carved in the soft local pietra leccese. The column in Piazza Sant'Oronzo carries the city's patron saint above the remains of a Roman amphitheater. Ostuni climbs a hill in concentric rings of whitewashed houses, visible for kilometers across the plain. Alberobello gathers more than a thousand trulli, the conical stone huts now protected by UNESCO, in dense lanes below the Rione Monti quarter.
Arranged for you: We arrange motor coach transit from Sorrento through Apulia, tour leader, entrances to Castel del Monte and Castellana Caves, guided visits in Lecce, Ostuni and Alberobello, and two nights in Noci.
Your hotel
Styles, not names. We name the property once we know your dates and your party.
Interests in Noci
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Burrata making at a caseificio Day Trips · Half day
Watch mozzarella makers stretch the curd and form burrata by hand, then taste it warm from the kitchen.
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Private trulli walk with local historian Day Trips · Half day
Explore Alberobello's lanes with a resident who explains the corbelled construction and painted symbols.
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Olive oil tasting at a frantoio Day Trips · Half day
Tour a working mill during harvest season and taste single-estate oils from the Valle d'Itria.
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Orecchiette workshop in a home kitchen Day Trips · Half day
Learn to shape the ear-shaped pasta by hand with a local cook, then lunch on the batch you made.
Day by day in Noci
Indulge on a buffet breakfast at the hotel, and then depart for Apulia, which is an area rich in history, tradition and nature. You will have the opportunity to see the unique octagonal shape of the beautiful Castel Del Monte. It is set along a lush green landscape with a wide open sky. It was constructed in the 1240s by Emperor Frederico II. Lunch follows at your own leisure. After lunch the day continues on to the stunning Castellana Caves, which were discovered in 1938 and opened to the public in 1939. It is around 60 meters deep and filled with small lakes, stalactites and stalagmites. The guided walking tour winds along at a distance of around 3 km. The natural beauty and wonder of the caves is sure to impress all who experience it. You will then travel to Noci where you will enjoy a pleasant dinner and a comfortable night’s rest at a local hotel. Noci is a small picturesque town than sits up on a hill in central Puglia.
After you enjoy a tasty buffet breakfast at the hotel, you will depart to the historic city of Lecce. You will see the rich Baroque influence in this city of approximately 94,000 people. During the day’s sites, you will see the beautiful statue honoring Sant’ Oronzo, the patron saint of this area, perched high upon a beautiful column. The Basilica of Santa Croce will also be seen, with stunning Corinthian columns flanking the main entrance. The Palazzo dei Celestini will show the strong Baroque influence on the ornate façade. The Roman Amphitheatre is another ancient site. It was built in the 2nd century and is now used for various art and religious events.
The next stop is the beautiful village of Ostuni, set upon the top of a hill. The majority of the buildings and homes are white-washed, lending the nickname the “White City.”
Lunch will be at your leisure, and in the afternoon, you will travel to Alberobello. This unique town has roughly 1500 trulli, making it a UNESCO World Heritage site. The trulli are remarkable houses made out of limestone with a charming cone shaped roof.
You will then return to the town of Noci, where you will have a delightful dinner and stay overnight at a local hotel.
Matera, Basilicata
Matera
Cave dwellings carved into the canyon
On your final day before returning to Sorrento or Rome, you visit Matera, where the sassi climb the walls of the Gravina canyon. These cave houses, excavated from the tufa over millennia, form a streetscape so ancient and unchanged that directors use it to double for Jerusalem in biblical films. The oldest sassi are simple caverns dug into the rock. Later dwellings added carved facades and barrel vaults, creating neighborhoods stacked above the seasonal stream below.
UNESCO protection arrived in 1993, and the sassi have since transformed from depopulated slums to a district of boutique caves, churches and cisterns open to visitors. You walk the steep lanes between the Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano quarters, where the rock-cut architecture reveals how inhabitants adapted to the canyon over centuries. After your tour, the motor coach continues to your evening destination.
Arranged for you: We arrange motor coach transit from Noci to Matera and onward to Sorrento or Rome, tour leader and guided visit of the sassi quarter.
Your hotel
Styles, not names. We name the property once we know your dates and your party.
Interests in Matera
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Overnight in a sassi cave hotel Day Trips · Half day
Extend your stay to sleep in a restored cave dwelling with carved stone walls and modern comforts.
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Rupestrian church tour with art historian Day Trips · Half day
Visit the rock-hewn churches with frescoes hidden in the canyon, accompanied by an expert guide.
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Gravina canyon walk and viewpoint Day Trips · Half day
Hike the opposite rim for the classic panorama of the sassi rising above the gorge.
Day 5
NOCI, MATERA, SORRENTO or ROME
After your buffet breakfast at the hotel in Noci, you will depart to Matera. This town lies in a small canyon that was eroded through the years by a river that has since turned into a small stream. It is known for the Sassi di Matera (stones of Matera in English). The Sassi are homes and caverns dug into the rocks. The Sassi have a remarkable similarity to areas around Jerusalem, making this a prime spot for many Biblical productions. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
There will be a bit of time for a snack while in Matera. You will then return to either Sorrento or Rome via Pompeii on your deluxe motor coach. Your arrival in either Sorrento or Rome will officially end the tour.
Why plan with Trips 2 Italy?
Designed around you by Italian-born planners
Guides, drivers and boats for your party alone
Hand-selected hotels in every destination
Local English-speaking guides who know their city
Met at the airport, private transfers throughout
Testimonials
Hear from travelers who have planned Italy with us
They took the time to understand our preferences and designed an itinerary that was comfortable, personalized, and enjoyable. They offered thoughtful recommendations while never being pushy.
We missed our connecting flight in Munich. I had just got through customs and was looking up the number to call when Trips 2 Italy called me. They told me exactly what to do and they already knew what flight we had been rebooked on.
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Questions travelers ask
How is transportation handled on this trip?
Transportation is arranged as part of the itinerary, with vehicle and train transfers as the itinerary requires. Every connection is planned for you, so you can focus on the scenery instead of the logistics.
Who will enjoy this itinerary most?
It suits travelers who want Italy arranged by experts, with guided experiences balanced by free time to explore on your own.
Can we tailor this trip to our wishes?
Yes. This sample itinerary is a starting point, and every Trips 2 Italy package is fully customizable. Your travel consultant will adjust the destinations, hotel category, pace, and experiences to fit your plans. A minimum of 2 travelers applies.
When is the best time to take this trip?
The package is available all year around on request. Spring and fall offer mild walking weather and lighter crowds at the major sights, summer brings long lively evenings, and winter rewards travelers with quieter museums and festive streets.