Southern Italy Escape

Welcome to Naples! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner. (D)

A Slice of Life in Napoli Your Southern Italian adventure begins with a guided sightseeing tour of Naples, a vibrant city oozing in character and culture. Your Local Guide will show you the main highlights, featuring an orientation drive and stop in the iconic Piazza Plebiscito. Enjoy some free time to discover more and perhaps try one of Naples’ most famous specialties – Neapolitan pizza! (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Naples delivers Old World charm in spades as one of Italy’s oldest cities. From its regal Palazzo Reale to the 13th-century Duomo di San Gennaro’s frescoed masterpieces to nearby Mount Vesuvius to the most famous pizza in the world served throughout the city in Neapolitan style. A stroll along the promenade beside the Bay of Naples reveals why locals and visitors choose this spot to soak in the sunset on the Mediterranean Sea.

Hidden Gem Drive into the hilly region of Basilicata to reach Matera, one of the oldest towns in the world. Join a Local Guide on a fascinating walk to see the historic center with its complex of “Sassi” houses built into the local caves, and visit one of the Casa Grotta (house caves). Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and evening. (B,D) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Matera is a city like no other, entirely carved out of the rocky slopes of a mountain in the Basilicata region and has been extended over millennia. Explore the secrets of this unique city that has been the setting for many famous films from Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” to the James Bond film, “No Time to Die.”

Cultivating Culture A scenic drive into Apulia, the charismatic region with the longest coastline, that forms the heel of Italy’s “boot.” [LOCAL FAVORITE] Enjoy an interesting visit to the Primitivo wine museum to learn about the local production, followed by a tasting. Continue to Lecce and join your Local Guide on a walking tour to discover Lecce’s beautiful historic center. Visit the Duomo with its distinctive bell tower and the Basilica of Santa Croce that took over 200 years to complete. (B) LOCAL FAVORITE Wine holds a significant cultural and historical importance in Italy, making it one of the world's leading wine-producing countries. The Italian wine culture is deeply intertwined with the country's regional diversity. The Primitivo grape is the primary grape variety cultivated in the Manduria region. This grape is known for producing robust and full-bodied red wines with rich fruit flavors and hold its name as this type of grape matures early.