+ Included: Dinner
Welcome to Italy, home of world-famous art, ancient ruins and of course, delectable food and wine! You’ll arrive at your hotel on your own before the tour starts in earnest tomorrow.

+ Included: Breakfast and dinner
After a hearty buffet breakfast, complete with cereals, juices, pastries and authentic Italian espresso, board your coach and it will whisk you south along the “sun route” motorway, driving through the regions of Lazio and Campania—you’ll have a great view of the Abbey of Montecassino along the way. Upon arrival in Naples, take a short panoramic tour of this city rich in history. You’ll see the fishing port of Mergellina; Castel dell’Ovo (“Egg Castle”), built in the 1st century; Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square in Naples; the 18th-century Royal Palace; and the Maschio Angioino, also known as the Castel Nuovo (“New Castle”), a 13th-century home for royalty. Stop for lunch on your way to Pompeii to visit the excavations of the Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 A.D. It was covered in ash for hundreds of years until the ancient city was uncovered in 1748. Because the city was so well preserved, it gives archeologists—and visitors—an unusual peek into the daily life of Romans in the 1st century. Leave Pompeii and drive along the coast to arrive in Sorrento in time for dinner.

+ Included: Breakfast and dinner
After breakfast, board a ferryboat to the lovely resort island of Capri, where, weather and sea conditions permitting, you’ll visit the Blue Grotto in small rowing boats. This sea cave appears to be lit from the bottom of the ocean, and gives off a mystical fluorescent-blue hue. Eat lunch with the group, then it’s time to explore Capri on your own. You may want to visit San Michele’s gardens, for a bird’s-eye-view of the island. In the late afternoon, return to your lovely hotel in Sorrento.

+ Included: Breakfast
Your morning is at leisure in Sorrento; perhaps catch up on your sleep, write a few postcards or stroll around town. In the afternoon, you’ll drive by coach toward Naples’ harbor. Here’s you’ll board the Tirrenia ferry boat to make the comfortable overnight journey to Sicily’s principal city, Palermo.

+ Included: Dinner
Arrive in Palermo, known for its Norman architecture, and transfer from the pier to your hotel. City sightseeing is the plan for tomorrow, so with your day of leisure today, you might like to relax at your hotel or linger at an outdoor café. But if you have the energy to take in the sights, check out the solar observatory at Palermo’s observatory; this unique calendar instrument dates back to the 17th century.

+ Included: Breakfast and dinner
City sightseeing this morning includes the ornate Palatine Chapel, with its elegant mosaics; the Cathedral of Palermo, with its many additions over the centuries; and the Cathedral of Monreale and its cloister. You have free time to explore on your own in the afternoon. Consider our recommended optional excursion to see more of Palermo’s intriguing sites: the underground Capachuin catacombs, which contain 8,000 mummies that line the walls; Mondello, a locals’ beach; and the city’s downtown area.

+ Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
After breakfast, depart for Selinunte, a magnificent archaeological site with the remains of five ancient temples. After lunch at a seaside restaurant, proceed to Agrigento, set on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Visit the “Valley of the Temples,” a World Heritage Site, to see the remains of buildings constructed in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Tonight is an extra-special included excursion: you’ll tour Ancient Akragas (also known as the Valley of the Temples) by night, to see the temples’ ruins illuminated.

+ Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Plenty of sightseeing today, with a first stop in Piazza Armerina, a town in the heart of Sicily best known for its splendid Villa Romana del Casale. This luxurious Roman dwelling was built in the 4th century; its wonderful mosaics that cover the floors illustrate the ancient Romans’ way of life. Don’t miss the “bikini women” mosaic that shows women exercising! Continue on to Ragusa, where you stop for a typical Sicilian lunch and then visit Ragusa Ibla to see its magnificent Baroque architecture. A brief stop in Noto, also known for its Sicilian baroque style of buildings. Final destination today is Siracusa, where you’ll have dinner and overnight.

+ Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
A morning departure to see Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe at 3,345 meters (10,895 feet). By coach, you’ll travel up to the “Rifugio Sapienza” at 1,800 meters. Visit the extinguished Craters of Mounts Silvestri and admire the wonderful variety of fauna, flora and moon-like landscapes along the way. Included lunch today features the most authentic Sicilian dishes. Then continue on to Taormina, a pretty and romantic town on Mount Tauro. Free time here to visit the famous Greek Theatre with a splendid view of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. Or perhaps you’d like to do some strolling and shopping along the picturesque lanes of the city center before your included dinner?

+ Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Head out this morning to Messina for sightseeing tour of the city and its 12th-century Cathedral. This ancient holy building contains the remains of Conrad, king of Germany and Sicily in the 13th century. Included lunch features typical regional cuisine at a local farmhouse or charming restaurant. Onward to Cefalù, a quaint fishermen’s village and seaside resort. Here you’ll visit the huge Cathedral, dating back to 1131. You have time on your own to walk through the narrow lanes of the historic center full of shops and restaurants. Transfer to Palermo in time for dinner at your hotel.

+ Included: Breakfast
After breakfast in your hotel, bid arrivederci to the friends you’ve made on your tour of Italy. Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or continue your European vacation on your own. No matter what your travel plans, the experts at Italy 4 Real can help you with the arrangements. Note: This tour ends in Palermo, Sicily.