11-Nights Southern Italy: Sicily, Puglia and the Amalfi Coast - Small Group Journeys from $14,995

Abercrombie & Kent

OFFER ID 1652161

Southern Italy: Sicily, Puglia and the Amalfi Coast

A culinary hot spot and epicenter of history and art, Italy beckons you to discover the true meaning of la dolce vita. Experience the glories of Southern Italy on a panoramic journey that reveals this Mediterranean-flavored region’s distinctive food and culture as well as the slow pace of rural life, from Sicily’s ancient ruins to the colorful cliffsides of the Amalfi Coast.

11 nights from $14,995 per person

Itinerary

1 Arrive Palermo, Italy

Arrive in Palermo, Sicily’s lively capital, and transfer to your hotel located in the city’s historic center. Sicily has a long history of stubborn independence from the political forces of mainland Italy, and today remains an autonomous region with its own distinct history and culture. Join your Resident Tour Director tonight for a welcome dinner.

Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes

Meals:

2 Palermo – Treasures of Norman Architecture

Join a local guide for a walk through a ninth-century Norman Royal Palace with its glittering, mosaic-laden chapel. Still in use today as the headquarters of Sicily’s Parliament, the palace is the oldest royal residence in all of Europe. Then, journey to the hillside town of Monreale and enter its extravagant cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its mosaic-lined walls are breathtaking to behold. Return to Palermo with time free to explore more of this unique port city. Later, on an A&K-exclusive experience, visit beautiful Palazzo Francavilla for a private tour and an apéritif with the owner.

Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes

Meals:

3 Agrigento – The Dark History of Cosa Nostra

Journey across Sicily’s rugged, mountainous countryside to the southern coast. Stop in the small village of Corleone, birthplace of several Mafia bosses (including fictional characters in The Godfather). The Mafia — or, as its members call it, Cosa Nostra (literally, “our thing”) — has been part of Sicilian life for well over a century, as you learn from a local expert. Proceeding to coastal Agrigento, discover the Temple of Concord, a superb example of classical sacred architecture.

Alba Palace

Meals:

4 Piazza Armerina – Ascend Mount Etna

In the town of Piazza Armerina, visit the UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale to view its breathtaking mosaics. Continue to the east coast of Sicily and up to the 6,000-footplus heights of smoldering Mount Etna, taking in panoramic views of the landscape and coast. Later, arrive at your lush resort above the sparkling coast.

Donna Carmela

Meals:

5 Taormina – Majestic Vantage Point

Drive to Taormina for a private, chef-led cooking class in a villa above the sea, and eat what you’ve created. Then explore the town’s Greek amphitheater with a guide.

Donna Carmela

Meals:

6 Matera – Ancient Cave City

In Messina, cross the strait between Sicily and the Italian mainland by ferry. Disembark in Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, and drive into Basilicata and to Matera, the UNESCO-listed Città Sotterranea (Underground City), a site carved into the mountains.

Palazzo Gattini Luxury Hotel

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7 Matera – Guided Tour and Bakery Visit

Explore Matera, walking its narrow, jagged lanes with a guide, and then visiting a bakery that carries on local bread-making traditions.

Palazzo Gattini Luxury Hotel

Meals:

8 Alberobello – The Trulli Houses of Apulia

Journey into Puglia to nearby Locorotondo, one of Italy’s most beautiful towns, for a walking tour. Meet an olive oil producer for a private tasting, followed by a lunch made from local products. Later, visit Alberobello and its rows of conical trulli houses, dwellings unique to this province of Bari.

Palazzo Gattini Luxury Hotel

Meals:

9 Paestum and Naples – Making Mozzarella

Depart for the sparkling Amalfi Coast area, famed for its postcard-perfect villages of pastel-painted houses perched on steep cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. Stop en route in Paestum, an ancient Greek city known for its well-preserved temples, which you view before stopping for lunch at a nearby mozzarella-making farm. In Naples, settle into your hotel. Tonight, eat an iconic Neapolitan specialty at a traditional pizzeria.

Romeo Napoli

Meals:

10 Positano – Glories of the Coast

Journey to Sorrento to visit a lemon nursery and learn about this icon of the Amalfi Coast. Take in a demonstration of Neapolitan cooking, followed by lunch. Then, drive the Amalfi Coast to Positano to take in the stunning views and continue via Amalfi to Ravello for an engaging photo stop. Return to Naples.

Romeo Napoli

Meals:

11 Naples – Design Your Day

Begin your last full day of exploring Southern Italy with your choice of one of these Design Your Day activities:

Join a Guide to Tour Herculaneum, destroyed by the lava flows of nearby Vesuvius in AD 79.
Explore the Flavors of “Hidden Naples” on a foodie’s walking tour of this vibrant city noted for its cuisine.
Cruise to the Isle of Capri, where you roam this sun-kissed paradise from the Villa San Michele to the Gardens of Augustus.

Tonight, celebrate your journey with a special farewell dinner.

Romeo Napoli

Meals:

12 Depart Naples

After breakfast, take your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.

Meals:

Featured Destinations

Naples

From Naples visitors can explore the rugged Amalfi coast, Italy's most romantic stretch of coastline. Near Amalfi is the resort of Positano, where visitors enjoy strolling through streets and shopping in small boutiques. Take an excursion to legendary Pompeii, an ancient Roman city covered and preserved by the debris from the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The monuments of this city are considered to be among the finest of any ancient city in Europe, and visitors can spend a day here learning about life in a Roman town during the first century A.D. The Cathedral of San Gennaro, a fine medieval building, has one chapel containing the tomb of Charles of Anjou, while another houses the cathedral's gold and silver treasure. Among the Christian underground burial vaults discovered in an area of suburban heights, the Catacombs of San Gennaro can be visited. Capodimonte Park - a well-kept tropical park - has a royal palace built by Charles III in 1738 that now houses Naples' picture gallery, the National Museum of Capodimonte.

Excursions

Naples and Pompeii - 8 hours

Naples: Food Tour of Naples - 4 hours

Naples: The City of Naples - 8 hours

Naples' historic city centre is the largest in Europe, covering 4,200 acres and enclosing 27 centuries of history. One of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world with Bronze Age Greek settlements dating back to the second millennium BC, the area was re-founded as Neápolis (‘new city’) in the sixth century BC, becoming a lynchpin of Magna Graecia and playing a key role in the merging of Greek culture into Roman society.

Explore Naples today with your expert guide. Highlights include the Spaccanapoli district, the magnificent Duomo cathedral, the Cappella Sansevero with its virtuosic sculptural masterpiece the Cristo Velato, as well as lesser-known gems such as the San Giovanni a Carbonara. Today’s tour encompasses artistic-historic treasures and plenty of local colour. Along the way, enjoy a bite of Naples’ famous street food ‘frittura’, a sinfully delicious mix of deep fried aubergines (eggplant), zucchini, mozzarella, arancini (rice croquettes), cauliflower, or potato croquettes.
Continue your sightseeing tour in the historic centre of Naples. Visit the Castel Nuovo, the imposing medieval structure built by the Angevins to defend the city. You may also wish to visit the adjoining Palazzo Reale (The Royal Palace Museum and Royal apartments), built in the 17th century. The magnificently decorated halls and rooms contain the original Bourbon furnishings, paintings, statues and porcelain. Enjoy a panoramic drive to reach the magnificent Carthusian Monastery, the Certosa di San Martino situated on Vomero Hill, where you may visit the luxuriously decorated Baroque Style church.

Highlights:

Try Naples' famous street food as your guide shows you the historic sights of Italy
Visit the medieval Castel Nuovo, whose magnificently decorated rooms contain original Bourbon furnishings, paintings and statues

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:
•   Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
•   An expert local guide (8 hours)
•   Entrance fees
•   All taxes

Exclusions:
•   All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
•   Gratuities

Naples: Historic Pompeii & Vesuvius - 9 hours

Piazza Armerina

Agrigento

Positano

Laid at the southern feet of the Mounts Lattari, which protect it from the
Northwinds, Positano enjoys - thanks to its favourable position - all the advantages
of a mild, dry climate. It is surrounded by green mounts, which form a sort
of crown: Mount Comune, Mt. S. Maria del Castello, Mt. S. Angelo a Tre Pizzi
(1444 metres high), Mt. Conocchia, Mt. Campo dei Galli and Mt. Paipo; towards
south and east the gaze sweeps over the sea up to Punta Licosa and Capri. Three
miles away from the coast a little arcipelago rises from the sea - "Li Galli"
or "Sirenuse" - composed by three islands: "Gallo Lungo", "Rotonda", "Castelluccio",
which was always supposed to be the abode of the bewitching Syrians.

The origins of Positano, like those of many other towns, are lost in the mists
of time, so that it is difficult to distinguish between history and legend.
As it often happen in the past, myths supplied for the lack of data: one of
these myths tells us that Positano was founded by Poseidon - the Latin Neptune,
the god of the sea - for the sake of the nymph Pasitea, whom he loved. It is
certain that Phoenicians and Greeks, travelling westwards, landed in Positano,
which at that time, was inhabited by Oschi and Piceni. The Romans built near
the 'great' beach a rich patrician villa, which has now been buried by gardens
and by the church devoted to Our Lady of the Assumption. With the fall of the
Roman Empire Positano became a part of the Republic of Amalfi, the first maritime
republic, and went through flourishing period, owing to the commerce with the
other countries of the Mediterranean area.

Unfortunately this period was followed by gloomy ones, particularly during
the Angevin and Aragonese domination, when our village was more than once exposed
to the offence of the Saracen pirates, first, and, then of the Turkmen. A legend
referring to that period says that the Saracen pirates, during an incursion,
sacked the main Church and brought away, among other things, the Byzantine picture
of Black Virgin, which was kept in the church and is now to be found in the
apse over the high altar; they had just left the shore, when a voice was heard,
that said: "Posa, posa". The pirates became aware of having committed a sacrilege,
repented came back ashore and restored all the ill-gotten goods. To defend themselves
from the very frequent raids of the pirates the inhabitants of Positano built
three guard-towers, which can still be seen today in the quarters called "Fornillo",
"La Trasita", "La Sponda" and some others in the inner part of the village.
In the same period the mountain villages of Montepertuso and Nocelle enlarged
to harbour the inhabitants of Positano and Laurito, who feared the pirates.

In 1700 there was a thriving period as it is shown by many villas in the late
Baroque style, built on the East coast. The Unification of Italy forced many
inhabitants of Positano, as it happened for so many other people of South Italy,
to migrate to America, where fortune smiled on some of them. After the First
World War - during which Positano also paid its great tribute of blood - this
village, which was already the refuge of some Italian artists, like Vincenzo
Caprile, harboured many Russian, German artists and men of letters, who chose
it for its peace and quiet. Among others we can remember: Semenov, Zagoruiko,
Essad Bey, Clavel, Escher, Massine, Kovaliska, Ghillausen, etc., who with their
works maid this flat of land known all over the world.

The tourism booming took place after the Second World War; but despite of an
intense expansion our village preserve its characteristic vertical structure
and its bright architecture with suggestive, panoramique corners. Thanks to
the innate sense of hospitality of its inhabitants Positano became one of the
most famous tourist places all over the world. Our village is also internationally
known for its clothing production: many little, but elegant boutiques, which
are almost everywhere on both sides of streets and lanes, can satisfy all the
requests of a cosmopolitan clientele. Its favourable position put it in the
centre of a land rich of history and natural beauties. During the summer a series
of patronal feasts - among which we can remember that on the 2nd of July in
Montepertuso and that on the 15th of August in Positano - and cultural events
- like the International Award for the Art of Dancing to the memory of the great
dancer-choreographer Leonide Massine - gladden the evenings, making the stay
in this charming place, also called the "Gem of the divine coast", more pleasant
and suggestive.

Alberobello

Matera

Taormina

Palermo

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

05/08/2026 - 05/19/2026

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05/15/2026 - 05/26/2026

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05/29/2026 - 06/09/2026

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06/12/2026 - 06/23/2026

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06/26/2026 - 07/07/2026

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07/10/2026 - 07/21/2026

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07/24/2026 - 08/04/2026

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09/04/2026 - 09/15/2026

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09/11/2026 - 09/22/2026

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09/18/2026 - 09/29/2026

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09/25/2026 - 10/06/2026

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10/02/2026 - 10/13/2026

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10/16/2026 - 10/27/2026

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10/30/2026 - 11/10/2026

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* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $14,995 per person

Length

11 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury
The finest hotels in the world, luxury lodging is characterized by luxury accommodations, impeccable service and the highest standards of comfort and pampering. Luxury hotels and resorts are often found in the most desirable locations. Building from the amenities and guest services offered at a deluxe hotel or resort, the luxury establishment usually puts on the finishing touches - fresh flowers around the hotel and original works of art throughout. Hotel restaurants often employ world renowned chefs to create delectable dishes and a unique dining experience. Attention to detail and personalized service are the hallmarks of luxury hotels and resorts.

Remarks

Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1652161

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Ford's Travel

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Sun City, AZ 85351
USA

(623) 933-8256
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11-Nights Southern Italy: Sicily, Puglia and the Amalfi Coast - Small Group Journeys from $14,995

Excursions

Naples and Pompeii - 8 hours

Naples: Food Tour of Naples - 4 hours

Naples: The City of Naples - 8 hours

Naples: Historic Pompeii & Vesuvius - 9 hours

Excursions

Taormina and Mt Etna Day - 8 hours

Excursions

Palermo and Monreale - 8 hours

Vacation Details

Ford's Travel