Chat with us, powered by LiveChat

Learn more about our important COVID Safety Protocols

Southern Italy – Discovering Magna Graecia in the Boot of Italy

Price Starting at $7,195.00

Categories: , Itinerary Upload File:   Product Banner Image:   , , , Products Link PDF:   Departure Date and Year:   Products Link PPT:  

Before the mighty empire of Rome, the Greeks ruled the south of Italy, with bustling cities stretching from Naples down to the tip of Sicily. Some of their most remarkable work was done in these lands, from esteemed temples to the gods to artisan pottery and beyond. Explore this often-missed period of Italy’s history as you delve into the layers of time beneath today’s cities and their many towering monuments. From exploring the mysterious underground in Naples, where ancient walls blend into medieval stones, to walking the surviving streets along the remains of port hubs that have endured for thousands of years, you can’t help but feel the tremors of the past under your feet and the buzz of a million ancient voices in the breezes that brush over the willow trees and through the altars to Hera and Aphrodite. Discover the paradise that humankind has settled time and again, and all the layers of beauty within.

Degree of Difficulty –    

Depart for Naples, where you will be met and escorted to your hotel. Celebrate your arrival with an authentic lunch overlooking the sparkling waters of the Bay of Naples before heading out to the heart of the city on a guided tour of today’s Napoli. Then descend into the underground. The layers of development beneath the city tell the tale of this remarkable place, where Renaissance palaces lean against Roman columns and Roman walls stand on Grecian foundations. Access this mysterious hidden world from the basements of medieval convents and Gothic cathedrals as the stones melt away into Grecian walls or open into an ancient Roman marketplace. HOTEL EXCELSIOR.

(Meals Aloft, L,D)

Prices vary by season and package. Please inquire by phone at (800) 627-1244 or email info@classicescapes.com for more information and a pricing estimate.

YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES:
  • All ground transfers and excursions in private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach.
  • Continental breakfast daily, a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner and other meals as per itinerary. (B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner)
  • Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
  • All museum and attraction entry fees indicated on itinerary.
  • Whispers.
  • Porterage for baggage handling.
  • Complimentary baggage tags and passport wallet.
  • Complimentary emergency evacuation insurance.

With so many Italian offerings, you must wonder when is a good time to travel. Here’s a synopsis.

  • On our National Parks program, the parks are only accessible because of weather conditions during the summer months with best time being mid-July through September, which is also quite sunny, hot and gorgeous for water activities. Our program does include opportunities to experience the great outdoors and beautiful grottoes, from the mountains of central Italy to Rome and
    Naples.
  • The Umbria Jazz Festival takes place every year in July and also in December. The program can be offered year-round as it covers a picturesque part of Italy, but if music is your passion, then it needs to be in July or December.
  • The Verdi festival is in October and Puccini in September. Here, too, you can offer the programs year-round, but Italy, in general, is best visited in April-June and September/October, in order to avoid heat and also crowds.
  • Similarly, the Venice & Verona program features Opera; the Verona Music Festival takes place from end of June through the end of August and some performances will also take place at the renowned Fenice Theatre in Venice. The program can be offered year-round if music is not the main feature.
  • The South of Italy and the archaeological sites can be visited at any time, although best months would be April-June and September-October to avoid the heat of the summer. The temperatures during this time would be in the 70’s ideal weather for viewing the temples, or visiting the beach, or hiking. The summer months could see temperatures in triple digit, and the winter months would be in the 50’s.
  • The rest of our programs are best in April-June and September/October for the reasons stated above, particularly avoiding the heat, especially if the program includes hiking.