| Cost From: | $4195 |
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| Length: | 8 days |
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| Activity: | Hiking / Trekking, Cultural Adventures |
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| Difficulty: |
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One of our best trips ever. The group, hikes, food, hotels, trip leader, and trip design were outstanding.B. Berlamino—Morris Plains NJ
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Enjoy challenging hiking in an aery realm of grand glacial cirques, crystalline lakes, snow-capped summits, mighty waterfalls, and magnificent beech forests. Along the way we fuel our hikes with hearty mountain fare from cassoulet to Roquefort cheeses.
Special Early Signup Discount of $350 per person to the first 6 signups on each 2010 departure when you sign up by March 15, 2010! *New sign-ups only.
With its head in the clouds and its feet in the sea, the precipitous Amalfi Coast has long been exalted as the most spectacular coast in all Europe. Across the blue Bay of Naples from Amalfi is enticing Capri, a jewel of an island soaring out of azure waters. With hikes on ancient footpaths connecting hilltop villages and seaside hamlets, we explore this glorious realm surrounded by amazing landscapes. We also watch buffalo mozzarella being made, taste homemade pastas, enjoy trailside picnics, explore out-of-the-way Paestum, and finish with a hike on the outer rim of brooding Mt. Vesuvius. Our Italy Trip Leaders are the best, with a true passion for sharing their love of la bella Italia.
$4195 (11-14 members)
$4595 (6-10 members)
Single supplement: $750
Prices are for 2010 dates
May 8-15, 2010 JoAnn Lantz
Sergio Mastroberardino
Sep 11-18, 2010 Sergio Mastroberardino
Amy Barnes
Oct 9-16, 2010 JoAnn Lantz
Giuseppe Aruta
Reading list, click here.
We gather in Naples and head to the fascinating remains of tranquil Herculaneum, unearthed from the lava of Vesuvius with its mosaics and frescoes still intact after 2,000 years. On our walk between Herculaneum’s rows of preserved Roman shops, we stroll along street after street that still show the marks of the ruts worn by chariot wheels in the paving blocks. Overnight is near Paestum, a majestic Greek ruin surrounded by bucolic farmland.
At Paestum, home to three of the best preserved Doric temples in the world, we spend the morning exploring these beautiful sites. Later we watch a demonstration of how this region’s traditional fresh mozzarella (mozzarella di buffala campana) is made from buffalo’s milk, followed by a cheese tasting and a delicious lunch of locally made pasta. Our afternoon hike brings us from Minori, a lovely village of seafront promenades, to top-of-the-world Ravello, perched on a spur high above the glittering Mediterranean. D. H. Lawrence and the composer Wagner are among the greats who succumbed to the spell of this legendary town. The next day’s hike is a leisurely descent on trails, stairs, and pathways from Ravello to the shimmering blue sea past the little hamlets of Scala, Minuta, Pontone, and Vallone delle Ferrieri.
Our panoramic hike across the spectacular Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) leads us through groves of Italian cypress and fields of wildflowers, past ancient stone huts, and across hillsides overlooking the sea. At hike’s end, we reach stunning Positano and ferry to the craggy, flower-bedecked isle of Capri. Here we hike to ancient Villa Jovis, former home of the Emperor Tiberius, and follow stone staircases with panoramas of the Bay of Naples. Our hikes offer eye-popping views across the azure sea and of the famous gray spires of the Faraglioni Rocks, familiar from the many movies filmed in Capri.
A ferry brings us to Sorrento, with its truly inspired location atop rocky cliffs at the end of a peninsula. In the Sorrento countryside, we enjoy a wonderful walk through walnut and olive orchards past an old convent, down through classic farmsteads, and through lemon groves with farewell views back to Capri. We end our journey with a memorable hike on the outer rim of Mt. Vesuvius, the only active volcano on mainland Europe, enjoying views all the way to the Bay of Naples. Depart via Naples on Day 8.
This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure
