Odysseys Unlimited

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Naples, Italy

Day 2: Arrive Naples/Amalfi After arriving in Naples this morning, we travel to seaside Amalfi, a popular resort and our base for exploring Italy’s Campania region. We dine at our hotel tonight, as we will throughout our stay here. D

Day 3: Amalfi/Ravello This morning we experience this breathtaking coast by sea as we cruise from our hotel to Amalfi Center (weather permitting). Here we enjoy a brief tour of the region’s largest town then have lunch on our own. Next we ascend to mountaintop Ravello, with its spectacular gardens and coastal views. B,D

Day 4: Pompeii/Amalfi Coast/Sorrento Our full-­day excursion begins in Pompeii, the city frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE but not excavated until 1748. After a tour and lunch on our own here we embark on a breathtaking drive along the winding Amalfi Coast high above the azure Mediterranean – with stops for photos and in Sorrento along the way. We return to our hotel late this afternoon. B,D

Day 5: Amalfi/Montecassino/Rome En route to Rome today we visit the town of Montecassino, whose Abbey is the mother church of the ­Benedictine order and a center of medieval art. A German stronghold during World War II, the hilltop Abbey was de­stroyed by Allied bombing then rebuilt as a replica of the 17th-century original. We tour the Abbey, then continue on to the Eternal City. We arrive at our well-located hotel mid-afternoon; our tour director will lead an informal walk of the nearby area. B

Day 6: Rome This morning we tour the heart of ancient Rome: the 55,000-seat Colosseum, built in 72 CE to stage gladiator spectacles; and the temples of the Forum, ancient Rome’s political and legal center. The afternoon is free to explore on our own; the possibilities endless: shopping along the fashionable Via Ven­eto; sipping espresso in beautiful Piazza Navona; seeing the Pantheon, the city’s best preserved ancient building; tossing a coin into Trevi Fountain; or visiting any number of renowned museums and churches. B

Day 7: Rome Another morning of touring follow­ed by a free afternoon. Today we visit the Vatican for a tour of St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums. Highlights include Michelangelo’s “Pieta” in St. Peter’s, considered one of the greatest sculptures of all time; his frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, now restored to its original glory; and art-filled St. Peter’s itself, the most important church in all Chris­tendom. B

Day 8: Rome/Umbria Leaving Rome, we travel north through a pastoral landscape of gentle agricultural land bounded by mountain wilderness and dotted with traditional villages and medieval hill towns. Along the way we visit Orvieto, perched high on a plateau above a vineyard-clad plain, where we attend a simple cooking demonstration followed by dinner at Zeppelin Restaurant. Early this evening we reach our intimate hotel in the heart of Todi, a medieval Umbrian village. B,D

Day 9: Todi We tour this peaceful town this morn­ing, visiting the plain but lovely 16th-century duomo that dominates one of Italy’s finest medieval squares, and the museum housing Etruscan and Roman arti­­facts found nearby. This afternoon is at leisure. B

Day 10: Todi/Assisi Today’s excursion is to Assisi, considered a gem of an Umbrian town with inviting plazas, flowers everywhere, buildings of white marble, and a pervasive medieval air. We visit St. Clare Church and the renowned Basilica di San Francesco, the burial place of St. Francis and a sacred pilgrimage site that dominates the town. Inside are Giotto’s priceless frescoes “The Life of St. Francis.” There’s time on our own to stroll the fountain-splashed piazzas and to enjoy lo­cal specialties for lunch. We return to our hotel late this afternoon. B

Day 11: Todi/Perugia/Siena Continuing our journey, we leave Umbria for the equally alluring region of Tuscany. We stop along the way in Deruta, known for its prized hand-painted Majolica ceramics, and in charming Perugia. Late afternoon we reach Villa Lecchi, our restored 18th-century country villa hotel outside Siena. Tonight’s dinner at this small family-run ­lodging is the first of several here featuring savory Tuscan fare. B,D

Day 12: Siena Today we visit walled Siena, ­whose ochre-colored buildings and ancient ramparts evoke the city’s medieval past. Fan-shaped Piazza del Campo is one of Europe’s greatest public squares; its duomo, one of Italy’s finest. We set out on a guided walking tour that includes an inside visit to the duomo, housing masterpieces by Michelangelo and Donatello, then have free time to explore and have lunch on our own. We return to our hotel for dinner together. B,D

Day 13: Florence A living monument to the Renaiss­ance, Florence is the crown jewel of Tuscany. We encounter this splendid city on a full-day excur­sion that includes a morning walking tour. Together we visit the Galleria dell’Accademia to view Michel­an­ge­lo’s sublime “David,” as well as his pieces for the papal tombs; and the revered duomo, with its stupendous dome by Brunelleschi. This afternoon is free to enjoy Florence as we wish before we return to our hotel where we dine tonight. B,D

Day 14: San Gimignano We encounter classic Tuscany today as we visit the hill town of San Gimignano, known for the 13 watchtowers that have left its skyline virtually unchanged since medieval times. Later we visit a local winery and enjoy a tasting before returning to our lodgings mid-afternoon. Dinner is at our hotel tonight. B,D

Day 15: Siena/Venice Leaving Tuscany today, we travel through the Veneto region to Venice, arriving early this afternoon. We’re free to begin enjoying this wondrous city on our own. B

Day 16: Venice This morning we take a guided walk through vast St. Mark’s Square and su­rround­ings. Our afternoon is free to explore Venice independently; tonight we bid “arrivederci” to Italy and our fellow travelers at a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 17: Depart for U.S. We depart early this morning for our connecting flights to the U.S. B

Please note: This trip involves considerable walking uphill, on uneven or cobblestone streets, and at sites of ancient ruins. In addition, several of our small hotels do not have elevators. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest.