CAMPANIA TO CALABRIA

The tour starts at 11.00am on Friday 4 October, at Rome airport, for a transfer to Naples.

The tour ends after breakfast on Sunday 20 October, at the Medinblue Hotel, Reggio.

Meet your tour leader at Rome airport for a group transfer to Naples. Upon arrival, we begin our tour with a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Sperlonga, famed for its elaborate ensemble of ancient sculptures discovered in the grounds of what has been interpreted as Emperor Tiberius’s former villa. Tonight we dine at a local restaurant. Overnight Naples (D)

Naples’ 900 churches boast a range of architectural styles and repositories of spectacular artworks. This morning we take a walking tour of Central Naples and stroll back through vibrant Spaccanapoli along the decumani, the ancient Greco-Roman thoroughfares. We’ll stop at Museo Cappella San Severo, then the Pio Monte della Misericordia to view Caravaggio’s 1607 painting Seven Acts of Mercy. Later in the day we’ll visit the grand Bourbon palace of Capodimonte, home to southern Italy’s largest and richest art gallery. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant. Overnight Overnight Naples (B, D)

This morning we venture underground to Napoli Sotterranea to explore the complex layered history of the city. Later in the day we visit Italy’s most important archaeological museum, which boasts an outstanding collection of paintings, mosaics, sculptures and everyday objects from Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Bay of Naples. We also see the ‘Farnese collection’, Roman works assembled in the Renaissance by an aristocratic family. Housed in a splendid palace, the museum testifies to the influence of the European Enlightenment in Naples. Overnight Naples (B)

We travel to Pompeii today, once a flourishing market town south of ancient Rome, nestled along the coast of Italy in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Its most famous eruption took place in the year 79 CE, when it buried the city under a thick carpet of volcanic ash. Pompeii offers a huge variety of artifacts and we spend the day exploring the private and public buildings which have captured the imagination of visitors since the ruins were discovered in the 18th century. Returning to Naples, tonight we enjoy dinner in a local pizzeria. Overnight Naples (B, L, D)

Today’s itinerary takes us first to Herculaneum, a ‘resort’ town on the coast featuring large seafront houses, baths, shops and other public buildings typical of Roman towns. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the massive Imperial ‘Villa of Poppea’ at Oplontis with its stunning frescoes, believed by some to have been used by the second wife of the Emperor Nero. Later, there will be a talk in the hotel. Naples (B)

Departing Naples this morning, we first visit Paestum, the best preserved of the ancient Greek settlements in the region. En route we’ll travel along the Amalfi coast and take a short morning visit to explore the town of Amalfi. Then it’s on to the ancient town of Paestum to view the three fine Doric temples, impressive town walls and other structures. Later we’ll stop at the archaeological site’s excellent museum, which contains the famed ‘Tomb of the Diver’ and other important examples of pre-Roman culture. Arriving in Rossano in the early evening, dinner tonight will be in a local restaurant. Overnight Rossano (B, D)

We depart by coach to Corigliano, situated on hills that offer panoramic views of the Ionian Sea.  We begin by exploring the well-preserved Ducale Castle. First built as a fortress, it underwent a series of transformations through its history, and now is a national monument. Later we return to Rossano and the Museum of the Ancient Codex, where we’ll see a small collection of ancient artworks and artefacts. Tonight, we’ll dine at a local restaurant. Overnight Rossano (B, D)

This morning we travel to The Pollino in the southern Apennines before our final stop at the village of Civita. Cut off from the nearest town, Civita can now only be accessed by a pedestrian bridge. The charming village of Altomonte is our next stop. Rich in rivers and hilly landscapes, the town has preserved its medieval setting with narrow alleys and houses that lean against one another. Overnight Rossano (B)

Today we depart by coach to Cantanzaro. We first visit Capo Colonna and the ruins of the Temple of Juno Lacinia, one the most important sanctuaries of the Magna Grecia. Later, we’ll visit Le Castella, a small, captivating fairytale castle with an epic history, linked by a small strip of land to the mainland. This evening we enjoy dinner together. Overnight Catanzaro (B, D)

Once a Greek settlement with Byzantine influences, Catanzaro, the capital of Calabria, today is a popular holiday spot for Italians. During the Middle Ages, Catanzaro was involved in various feuds between the Kings of Sicily and Norman invaders. This morning, we take a walking tour of the city. We will then coach to the Scolacium Archaeological Park, discovering monuments from the Roman era. This afternoon there is some free time. Overnight Catanzaro (B)

We depart for a full day excursion to the medieval town of Stilo, an important Byzantine city and today considered one of the most beautiful in Italy. Built on the slopes of Mount Consolino overlooking the Ionian Sea, the village is dominated by the ruins of what was once an imposing Norman castle. Our tour today takes in the remnants of the old medieval city wall, several Byzantine churches arranged in the shape of a Latin cross and the evocative Fountain of the Dolphins, which reflects Arab influence on the art of the region. Overnight Catanzaro (B)

Today we’ll depart Catanzaro for the village of Tropea and its aristocratic palaces that perch on a famous rocky cliff above crystal-clear turquoise waters. En route, we’ll visit the Archaeological Park of Locri Epizefiri, with artefacts attributed to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The remains of this Greek city include walls, sanctuaries, a theatre and private buildings that encompass over 4000 years of history. We’ll also stop by the medieval town of Gerace, offering a well-preserved historical centre. Tonight we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Tropea (B, D)

This morning we head to Pizzo Calabro, a charming little fishing hamlet with ancient origins. Our first stop is the Chiesetta di Piedigrotta just outside of Pizzo, originally
a fishermen’s chapel in a cave that became at the turn of the 19th century. This little gem overlooks a small beach and is home to several groups of sculptures. Our touring continues in Pizzo, where we’ll visit the unaltered quadrangular Arganonese castle, Castello Murat, built as an ancient fort in the 14th century. Overnight Tropea (B)

Today we depart for the vibrant city of Reggio, stopping first in the town of Scilla, named for a fearsome monster of Greek mythology that guarded one end of a narrow strait. At the other end was Charybdis, giving sailors a terrible decision to make – hence the idiom “choosing the lesser of two evils.” We’ll have lunch in a delightful waterside restaurant in Chianalea, considered “Venice of the South” before continuing to Reggio. Overnight Reggio (B, L)

Following a talk in the hotel, we’ll have a walking tour of Reggio, taking in the main street, castle, cathedral, theatre and waterfront. We end our tour at the fascinating Magna Grecia Museum, which houses prehistoric and protohistoric period objects including “the Bronzes of Riace,” magnificent Greek statues of naked warriors from about 450BC. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight Reggio (B)

Our first stop today is a walking tour of the village of Pentedattilo situated on a mountain once shaped like five fingers and once-settlement of ancient Greeks. Later, we continue to Bova, one of two Greek-speaking areas in Southern Italy. This evening, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Reggio (B, D)

The tour concludes after breakfast in Reggio. Please refer to your individual documents for your onward journey. (B)

Hotels have been selected principally for their central location.

• Naples, Grand Hotel St Lucia (5 nights)

• Rossano, Tenuta Ciminata Greco (3 nights)

• Catanzaro, Best Western Plus Hotel Perla del Porto Catanzaro Lido (2 nights)

• Tropea, Hotel Rocca Della Sena (2 nights)

• Reggio, Grand Hotel Excelsior (3 nights)