Adventure On Italy Travel Itineraries 12 Days in Sorrento and Amalfi Coast

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1 Adventure On Italy Travel Itineraries 12 Days in Sorrento and Amalfi Coast Plan your trip of a lifetime like one of our expert guides. Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

2 Disclaimer: Feel free to share this itinerary, but please respect the author and do not make any changes. This is just a guideline and our opinion for what to see and how much to see in a specific time frame. There will be occasions when your plans will need to change or be different than what is outlined. Adventure On, LLC is not responsible for planning or what happens in Italy. Some sights are not open on certain days, so be sure to check before you go. Transportation and sights can be closed unexpectedly for renovations, strikes and other random events that are also not the responsibility of Adventure On, LLC. The planning and in country experience is up to you. How to use this Itinerary: This itinerary reflects our expert guides style of touring. Visiting the sites, but leaving time to get lost, reflect on the history and art, people watch and enjoy the culture of the city around you. Not for people who want to rush around and see everything in a short amount of time, and never really enjoy anything. Having time to wander without a plan is the best way to find some new places and have a unique experience. At the end of the itinerary you will find some additional suggested sights for flex days and relaxed afternoons. Flex days and afternoons are times we leave for you to add in sights that are more unique to what you want to see. This way you can visit a specific history museum, a garden or a gallery that not everyone wants to visit or leave it unstructured. You can change around, add on, or eliminate anything you want. For example: -See the cities in different order -Change the days to a different order -Stay longer or shorter in each city Some things to remember when planning: -Not all sights are open every day -You may need to book your sights and attractions in advance -You don t need to structure every minute of your time -Your schedule can and will have unforeseen changes at any time, be flexible -Lines can be very long in the high season so plan accordingly -Have fun and enjoy Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

3 A bout the cities Sorrento: Sorrento is a beautiful little city perched high up on a cliff overlooking the bay of Naples. It s a popular vacation town dating back to around 600AD. This is the perfect place to stay to visit Naples, Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, Ischia, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento is also known for it s orange and lemon groves. The center of Sorrento is a bustling square called Piazza Tasso, filled with bars, restaurants, views and more. The little streets leading away from the piazza are charming and filled with quaint shops selling inlaid wood, jewelry, antiques, boutique clothing and more. Depending on how much outside of the town you see visit, we suggest visiting for approximately 5-7 days and no less than 3-4 days. Amalfi Coast: A beautiful, winding, cliff-hanging road leads you down the Amalfi Coast. The views are breathtaking and the road even more so! There are several little towns along the coast to visit for the day or stay at as a jumping off point for seeing the rest of the coast. Some of the major towns include Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. None of these quaint towns takes more than a day or an afternoon to visit, but you can stay and relax on the beaches or go on hikes through the hills. We suggest visiting for approximately 2-3 days. Islands of Capri and Ischia: No trip to this area would be complete without seeing the Island of Capri and, our favorite, Island of Ischia. Capri is smaller and filled boutique shops, quaint cafés and beautiful views. People from around the world visit and stay here often. Ischia is the larger of the two Islands and is not as touristy. Ischia is the island where Italians vacation. It s a beautiful island with much history and culture, including a castle. You would be remiss to leave either of these islands off your itinerary. We suggest visiting Capri for the day and Ischia for 2 days. Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

4 12 Days in Sorrento and the A m alfi Coast Itinerary Day 1: Arriving in Italy We suggest starting your trip on the Island of Ischia! You will most likely be tired this day so rest a little if you need, and don t push yourself to see too much. Today is a great day to just get acquainted with the town you are staying in. Walk around or take a short, guided tour to get the lay of the land. Day 2: The Whole Island After enjoying breakfast in your hotel or at a local coffee bar, pack up your daypack and head to the bus station to start your trip around the island. (Buy either a 1-day or 3-day pass). The major sights you will want to stop at are Soccorso Church in Forio, and Castello Argonese. There will be many places to stop to eat lunch in either location or somewhere in between! Day 3: La Mortella Gardens Today, like everyday in Italy, you will need your camera. Spend the morning packing your luggage and getting ready to check out. After checking out head to La Mortella Gardens for the afternoon. Filled with acres of flowers and plants from all over the world, you will not be disappointed. There are also scenic outlooks for viewing the island and a small café with amazing sandwiches. In the evening you will catch the ferryboat over to Sorrento, your next stop! The ferry departs around 5pm and takes about an hour and half. Day 4: Exploring Sorrento This magnificent town is where we suggest spending most of your time on this 12day trip. Today is a nice walk around town to see the sights of Sorrento. Start by visiting Piazza Tasso, then Sorrento Cathedral, Elevator spot, waterfront, and the quaint fishing village of Marina Grande. Feel free to stop in and additional churches, shops or anywhere else. Marina Grande is a spectacular place to have lunch. The remainder of the day is a relaxed afternoon to do whatever you like. Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

5 Day 5: Pompeii and Vesuvius This day starts early to make the most of it. After your quick breakfast, make your way to the Circumvesuviana train and head out to visit the archeological site Pompeii. This is not a small town; you can literally walk miles and not see the entire place. It is wise to hire a guide or follow a guidebook. Outside of about highlights, most of Pompeii looks the same. You will also find a lot of times when some places you want to see are closed, so be aware. After visiting Pompeii you can catch a bus most of the way up Mt. Vesuvius. There is a hike the remainder of the way to the top of the mountain. Remember it s colder up there, so take a jacket. Day 6: Free Day On a 12-day trip, we always suggest taking a couple of days and leaving them unplanned. There are suggestions of things to do and see at the end of this itinerary. Enjoy your flex day! Day 7: Naples and Herculaneum Naples and Herculaneum are just a few miles apart and only an hour ride away. Catch the Circumvesuviana (try to avoid rush-hour since this is a commuter train, or be willing to stand most of the way) in the morning and get off at the Herculaneum stop. Walk straight down the hill (less than a mile) to the site. You won t need as much time here as you did in Pompeii, but you will appreciate how intact everything is in comparison. After you finish here, get back on the train and head into Naples. The National Archeological Museum is a must see. It is filled with artifacts, paintings, frescoes, mosaics and statues from Pompeii. It also has an extensive collection of other beautiful statues. Day 8: The Amalfi Coast Say goodbye to Sorrento and head either to the bus station, hire a taxi or catch the ferry to the town of Amalfi (or Positano is that s where you decide to stay). Our favorite way is by boat, sitting on the open-air deck snapping pictures of the towns and islands as you pass. Once in town head to your hotel to check-in. It s a great night to wander around and see what you see. Be sure to head into the Cathedral. Day 9: Hill top town, Ravello The busses in this area are very easy to use and run often. Buy a ticket and head up to the beautiful town of Ravello. Ravello looks out over the rest of the Amalfi Coast from high above. Visit Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufalo. Both have gorgeous gardens, and sensational views. Have a meal or a coffee and gelato and relax up there shopping and sightseeing until you are ready to head back to Amalfi. Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

6 Day 10: Free Day Your second flex day of the trip. Use this day to visit Positano (or Amalfi if you are staying in Positano) or any other of the towns along the coast. Day 11: Island of Capri A beautiful boat ride up the coast then out to the Island of Capri starts this day off with a bang. On Capri you will find plenty to do. There are shops everywhere, especially in Capri. You can visit the blue grotto, head up to Anacapri, ride the chairlift (highly suggest) or just sit, relax and people watch. There are busses and taxis all over the island, to maximize your time, hire a taxi or join a small tour group. You have limited time between when the boat drops you off and when you catch it to go back to the mainland. Don t miss your boat back, the next one is in the morning. Day 12: Depart Italy Pack your bags and head to the airport or to another location in Italy, Europe, or the World. If continuing on in Italy we have more itineraries to help you plan. Rome, Venice, Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, or even Sicily! Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

7 A dditional sites to see: Sorrento: Lemon Groves Famous in this area Shopping neat shopping street near hotel (I ll show you) Town Tour Bus City Sightseeing great way to see the city and the area Positano Day trip beautiful town down the coast (fun bus ride) Café Sit and enjoy your surroundings Beaches relax by the water Amalfi Coast: Trail of Gods a trail above the coast that you can hike around on Bus the coast Awesome and sometimes scary because of the cliffs (like a rollercoaster) Visit nearby towns Take the bus up or down the coast and stop at the little towns to explore Cermaics shops Along the coast and up in Ravello Shopping In Amalfi town and Positano down the tiny streets Café Sit and enjoy your surroundings Beaches relax by the water Paestum day trip Ancient greek ruins a bit of a trip down the coast, but cool. Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC

8 More Information Looking for more locations? We have itineraries for: Rome Venice Sorrento, Amalfi Coast and Islands Florence, Cinque Terre and Tuscany Sicily Coming Soon Milan and Lake Como Coming Soon If you would like more information or more itineraries please contact us at You can also find additional information on our website About Adventure On, LLC (pull from LinkedIn) Buon Viaggio! Kerri Wood Tour Director Adventure On, LLC Copyright 2015 Adventure On, LLC