Discovery Italy

Day 1: THE HISTORICAL NAPLES
SPANISH AND FRENCH HERITAGE FROM PLEBISCITO SQUARE TO THE ROYAL PALACE WITH ITS LUXURIOUS SALOONS
Arrival at the Airport, welcome by Discover Italy Now Tour leader, transfer to 3* Hotel or B&B.
Refreshing welcome drink and free time to relax or to begin familiarizing yourself with the enchanting atmosphere of Naples.
Your guided itinerary to discover the historical, artistic and gastronomic Naples, the city of thousand “faces”, starts during the late afternoon.Your guided tour allows you to get to know city’s wonderful "living room": Plebiscite Square, Church of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace with its sumptuous rooms, including the one that gives access to the terrace overlooking the gulf of Naples.
A stop at the old Caffè Gambrinus for a authentic Neapolitan coffee is a “must”.

Evening: an old pizzeria in Naples where obviously you can eat the original pizza Margherita.
Local bar with live music.

Day 2: THE HISTORICAL NAPLES
UMBERTO I GALLERY WITH THE FOUNTAIN DEL CARCIOFO, SAN CARLO THEATRE, NOBLE RESIDENCE VILLA FLORIANDA, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SAN MARINO, SANT´ELMO CASTLE AND OTHER WONDERS
Wine and local gastronomic products tasting
The second day of your itinerant journey in Gulf of Naples continues with discovery of the ancient Naples: you are going to find one of the world’s most famous opera theatres, Teatro San Carlo, Galleria Umberto I, alleys and narrow streets with fascinating ancient fountains.
You will then take the funicular to visit one of the most elegant and bourgeois corners of the city: Vomero hill, with its noble villas such as Villa Floridiana, Certosa di San Martino, the largest religious complex that houses the National Museum of San Martino where objects and beautiful works of art document the city of Naples.
At Vomero you also visit Castel Sant 'Elmo, the fort that is visible from different corners of the city and that dominates it.
Lunch in a typical Neapolitan restaurant and wine tasting and delicious Neapolitan cakes in an old wine cellar.
The journey then continues with Maschio Angioino, another famous fortress of Naples, Mercadante Theatre, Neptune Fountain and Gesù square.
In this last mentioned square can be found some of the most representative monuments of Naples: Church of Jesus and the Monastery of Santa Chiara.

Evening: dinner with flavors of the Neapolitan cooking tradition at “Ciro a Santa Brigida”

Day 3: NAPLES – POMPEI 27 km of trekking + bus
You dedicate this day to new, fascinating atmosphere with spectacular scenery of the archaeological excavations of Pompei.
Your itinerary stretches through the ruins with entrance from Porta Marina to Basilica, passing through the shops of Via Marina, Temple of Apollo, the Forum, Vespasiano Temple, Macellum and all the other beautiful buildings.
You are going to hear the story of Pompei that in 79 a.C was erased by the active volcano Vesuvius.

Evening: Return to Naples

Day 4:
NAPLES – ISCHIA 5 km by ferry or hydrofoil
ISCHIA – PROCIDA 3 km by hydrofoil
Wine and ice cream tasting in Ischia
Today’s visit is going to be to the beautiful Island of Ischia, known not only for its natural beauty but also for its beneficial hot water springs and spas.
You visit the three parts of the island:
-Castello, situated on a small island connected to the larger island by a long bridge
-Ischia Porto, the biggest and most recent settlement
-Ischia Ponte
The port has a special charm as well as the Spa in front of the City Hall.
You get to know the center of Ischia after which you have lunch with seafood dishes, wine and ice cream.
You have two choices regarding the afternoon’s schedule: beneficial treatments in an old spa in Ischia or to visit another beautiful island of Naples’s Gulf: Procida, small and dotted with small fishing villages.
If you are going to be here in July you can attend local festivals like the Festival of the Sea.

Evening: Return to Naples

Day 5: NAPLES – CAPRI 3 km by the hydrofoil
You spend this morning in the Gulf of Naples on the magical Island of Capri, described and celebrated in poems and stories of world’s famous artists. At the port of Marina Grande you get on board a boat and travel to Grotta Azzurra, famous in antiquity but discovered by a fisherman of the island in 1826. You visit the inside of the cave and then return to Marina Grande for lunch and to admire the remains of Palazzo a Mare and the monumental Bagni di Tiberio.
During the afternoon you visit Anacapri with its beautiful Villa San Michele, located on top of the Phoenician scale in the area of Capodimonte.
The villa was commissioned by the swedish doctor Axel Munthe, who arrived in Capri in 1876 and bought a vineyard near the ruins of the chapel of San Michele.
You visit also Villa’s museum with its many antiques and its garden of rare beauty that overlooks the entire lower section of the Island, the Gulf of Naples and the Natural Park "Monte Barbarossa".
After the visit you return to Marina Grande.

Evening: return to Napoli where the schedule has in store for you a delicious dinner and a wonderful walk on the romantic streets of Napoli

Day 6: NAPLES – SORRENTO 48 km of trekking + bus
Liqueurs from Sorrento and ice cream tasting
Once in Sorrento you walk towards “Davide il Gelato” where you are going to taste many different ice creams, including the most famous: ice cream with Sorrento walnuts, chocolate ice cream with candied fruit, rum babà and ice cream with lemon ...
You visit Sorrento’s architectural treasures: the Cathedral, the ancient basilica of St. Anthony and the church of San Francesco which houses a cloister from the fourteenth century.
You have the chance to enjoy spectacular views, already popular during the period of the emperors Augustus and Tiberius and appreciated as well by famous guests like Richard Wagner or Goethe who loved this jewel of the city.
After lunch you trek for a few kilometers to reach and visit Piano di Sorrento, another charming tourism town in the Gulf of Naples.

Day 7 : THE OLD NAPLES
NOBLE BUILDINGS AND POPULAR NEAPOLITANS NEIGHBORHOODS, GALLERIES, ANTIQUE PALACES AND CASTLES
The seventh day in Naples will be enjoyed by starting from Piazza Cavour and Prince of Naples Gallery/Galleria del Principe di Napoli, continuing then with some famous buildings: Church of Santo Spirito, Palazzo Doria d´Angri, Palazzo Carafa di Maddaloni and the charming area of Pizzofalcone where very different realities coexist.
On the summit of Mount Echia you can see the blue bay dominated by the volcano Vesuvius.
You are also going to visit the elegant district of Saint Lucia, walk on the promenade and from Via Partenope you have the chance to admire the small island that lies in front of you: Borgo Marinaro on which stands the magnificent Castel dell'Ovo.

Evening: end of the program and dinner with fish dishes