Rome, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast

We meet our Tour Manager and group of fellow travellers at our central hotel in Italy's dynamic capital this evening, where we stay for two nights. There's time to settle in before we gather for dinner at our hotel. After our meal you may like to step into the vibrant city streets to soak up the atmosphere, or savor panoramic views of Rome from the hotel's roof terrace.

• Dinner

Our day starts with a guided tour of Rome's spectacular sights. We see the awe-inspiring Colosseum, Italy's most renowned classical site, the vast Roman Forum, once the center of ancient Rome, Piazza Venezia and the Roman Pantheon, an architectural masterpiece. We stop for a coffee near the fabulous Trevi Fountain, and our tour ends at lunchtime in Piazza Navona - a lively square with a Baroque fountain, where you're free for the rest of the day with many options to choose from in this atmospheric city.

If you're keen to visit the Vatican, we recommend booking ahead online - the Pope's residence is just across the historic Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II which spans the River Tiber.

A short walk from Piazza Navona is another world-renowned monument, the Spanish Steps. At the top is Villa Borghese park, where you can relax in landscaped gardens or view art and sculpture in the Borghese Gallery.

Rome offers an endless array of inviting places to eat, many with alfresco seating where you could order a fresh pasta dish with a crisp glass of wine, soak up la dolce vita and watch the world go by.

• Breakfast

After a leisurely breakfast we walk across to the train station to start our First-Class rail journey to Naples. Arriving late morning in buzzing Naples, we are transferred by coach to glorious Sorrento where we arrive at lunchtime. This beautiful town is set in its own small bay, within the vast Bay of Naples, and is perched on a natural terrace above dramatic cliffs that overlook the sea. The narrow, cobbled streets feature Renaissance palaces and Romanesque churches, and the town is surrounded by hillsides of fragrant lemon orchards.

Our base for the next six nights is the Hilton Sorrento Palace, which has excellent facilities and delightful views across the picturesque town to the Bay of Naples. After free time to have lunch independently we meet for an hour-long tour of the town with a local guide. Once we have been introduced to Sorrento, we are at leisure to explore for ourselves. This evening we gather for dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A free day stretches out ahead of you, to get to know charming Sorrento at your own pace. You could wander through the cobbled streets among beautiful Renaissance buildings, or enjoy people watching in Piazza Tasso, the town's central square. You will find plenty of options for lunch in the Centro Storico, whose colourful streets and cool piazzas teem with tempting restaurants and cafés. This quarter is also known for its artisan craft shops, selling locally-produced ceramics, lacework and wooden items.

Of course, you may be perfectly happy to spend time relaxing at our hotel, enjoying views from the fragrant citrus garden, or from the infinity pool on the roof terrace.

The old town buzzes with life at night, while the Marina Grande has the enchanting ambience of a fishing village. Just above here is the Villa Comunale Park, with gardens and a terrace overlooking the Gulf of Naples - the park can be reached by an elevator and is the ideal spot to watch the sun setting over the sea. The beautiful Chiesa di San Francesco nearby is also worth a visit, and is a venue for classical music concerts in summer.

• Breakfast

This morning, we enjoy a highlight of our tour - we travel back in time to Pompeii, the city buried and preserved by volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. We are transferred by coach to the railway station where we take a short train journey to this fascinating archaeological site for a guided tour of the best-preserved Roman city in the world.

Our tour takes us through the incredibly intact streets of Pompeii, and we walk among the shops, impressive villas, baths, temples, and restaurants of this UNESCO World Heritage site. We also see the amphitheatre - the oldest in the world - and some of the ancient city's extraordinary frescoes. After retracing our journey by train and coach transfer back to our hotel, your afternoon and evening is free in Sorrento.

• Breakfast

Today we discover the captivating Amalfi Coast from the glistening Tyrrhenian Sea. This UNESCO-listed coastline stretches along the Gulf of Salerno, south of the Sorrentine Peninsula. First, we transfer to Sorrento harbor to board our boat. Then we cruise to lovely Amalfi, the 'Jewel of the Amalfi Coast', where there's free time to visit the stunning cathedral, Duomo di Sant'Andrea, overlooking the town's main piazza. Around the square are cafés and a gelateria, the perfect setting for a refreshment.

Our cruise continues to Positano, where pastel houses stud the hillsides and fishermen haul their wooden boats ashore, as they have for many decades. With time at leisure here, you could try the local seafood at a café in the colorful harbor.

We return to Sorrento with time to relax before a fun excursion this evening. We're driven a short distance to take part in a pizza-making experience at a local restaurant. Led by a master pizzaiolo, we discover the secrets to this revered Italian dish before sitting down to dine on our delicious creations, accompanied by a glass of wine and a dessert.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today brings another opportunity to explore lovely Sorrento, or to visit a neighboring place. Maybe start by soaking up the views on a leisurely walk around the town - on a clear day, you can see the city of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the island of Ischia.

One uplifting way to spend the day is to visit the gorgeous island of Capri by boat. To see Capri at its best, before it fills with a daily throng of visitors, we recommend setting out early and travelling by hydrofoil.

This afternoon or evening, you could head to one of the many inviting cafés or restaurants in the Centro Storico, or on the laid-back Marina Grande, and indulge in delicious cuisine. Sorrento is the perfect place to enjoy a long, lazy lunch made of the freshest local ingredients, ideally while overlooking the glittering sea. Among many tempting local specialities is the Sorrento gnocchi, or Scialatielli ai frutti di mare, a traditional seafood pasta dish.

• Breakfast

After breakfast today we travel by coach to Herculaneum, a lesser-known Roman city that was also buried, and magically preserved, under the volcanic ashes of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Due to its close proximity to Mount Vesuvius, the eruption that blasted Pompeii had a similar effect here, fossilizing much of the town. We make our way through the ruins, taking in the fascinating sights of ancient life. Herculaneum was wealthier than Pompeii and is known for its magnificent palaces and mansions, some featuring beautiful frescoes.

After exploring this ancient site, we continue by coach to a local agriturismo - the traditional farmhouse of a large agricultural farm, established and run for four generations by the same family - where we're served a delicious lunch of fresh produce from the estate, including homemade limoncello and mozzarella. The terraces of this lovely farmhouse offer an oasis of peace and tranquillity, surrounded by ancient olive groves, lemon orchards and vineyards. We return to our hotel in the afternoon and this evening, our last night in Sorrento, is at leisure to enjoy as you wish.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning our idyllic vacation in Rome and Amalfi coast draws to a close. After a final breakfast, we transfer back to Naples station where you are free to make your onward journey. Please note, the group transfer is scheduled to arrive into Naples at around 11am.

As you continue your journey, no doubt you'll reflect on the experiences of our Italian tour and the special places we have seen - from the iconic landmarks of Rome and incredible sights of Pompeii to the gorgeous coastal scenery of Amalfi - and will return home with cherished memories.

• Breakfast