Amalfi Coast 2018
April 28 – May 5, SOLD OUT
May 20 – May 27
October 7 – October 14
The Amalfi Coast is yet another beautiful region of Italy. It is in the province of Campania, which is on the southeast coast. It’s topography is steep and mountainous with vineyards and orchards clinging to the terrain. The cluster of small villages climbing up the cliffs add to the visual beauty of the landscape, and make for some hearty walks as well!
For those of you who like to dip a toe in each body of water you visit, in Amalfi it will be the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is technically part of the Mediterranean, but was named for the Tyrrhenian people from the 6th century BC. It’s tropical blue in color, a perfect temperature (in my opinion) and mesmerizing to look at, especially from your terrace after a day of hiking up and down the cobbled streets.
Cuisine
Another benefit to the Amalfi Coast is that you will most likely fly into Naples, which is the birthplace of pizza! We will have lunch there so you can decide whether Pizzeria Da Michele or Di Matteo is the best pizza in the world, as they both claim.
The cuisine of the Amalfi Coast is delicious like the rest of the country, but it has it’s own specialties. Lemons the size of baseballs are the staple for the seafood recipes and the world famous Limoncello. It is a refreshing chilled lemon liqueur served after a meal to cleanse your palate, and leave you longing for more.
Besides the lemon influence in risotto, seafood and pasta, there is a gnocchi type of pasta called ‘ndunderi which is worth travelling to the one village where they serve it. The most typical pasta of the Amalfi Coast is called Scialatelli which is normally served with seafood sauces. And don’t forget how close Amalfi is to Naples and the aforementioned birthplace of pizza! Just about every pizzeria on the entire coast is worthy of your enthusiasm.
Itinerary
We will stay in Amalfi so we can get around most of the week on foot or by boat. We will however take at least one road trip on the famous Amalfi Coast Drive, since you can’t say you’ve been to Amalfi without experiencing “that crazy road”. Yet once is enough for most visitors because of the combination of Italian drivers (think speed) and the sheer drop from the two lane road to the rocky coast below.
We take public boats to the villages of Poistano, Sorrento, Salerno and to the island of Capri. Amalfi’s main Duomo is a church so stunning that it literally stops you in your tracks. Salerno is known for it’s craftsmanship of tile and mosaics, yet for some reason it’s less crowded, which makes it all the sweeter. Sorrento has a larger port and several impressive centuries old castles and estates. And then there is Capri…..
Capri is best known for the jet setters who have gone there for generations. However, there is so much more to see. We will walk on ancient stone foot paths to the cliffs where the exiled Roman emperor Tiberius threw his lovers off the cliffs. You can hear their screams if the wind is blowing in the right direction. The smaller village of Anacapri is home to the locals and is much more low key. The island is also known for the artistry of hand made sandals. And you know how Italians feel about their shoes!
We normally shy away from the overly touristic venues, but taking a short gondola ride in The Blue Grotto is popular for good reason. It is a natural grotto where the stone is illuminated in bright blue from the sunlight passing through the underwater cavity. The gondoliers sing opera and that makes everyone smile!
As you can tell from just these few paragraphs, the Amalfi Coast is a gem. It is popular with people from all over the globe, so you have to expect some crowds. However, our itinerary will try to avoid most of them and to be honest, mid-May and mid-October are the best times to visit this slice of paradise.
Pricing & Terms
Tour length: 7 days
Location: Amalfi Coast
Tour Price: $3,750 USD per person or € 3,215 per person
Supplemental charge: for people traveling alone, there is an additional charge solely due to the fact that rooms are charged based on double occupancy. That supplement is $700 or €618
Deposit: $1,500 USD or €1,500 is due at time of booking to reserve your space
Full Payment: Due 45 days prior to trip start date
Payment Options: Personal Checks or Credit Card payment via PayPal. A 3.5% fee is additional for credit card payments.
Payment Terms: Once you make the full payment, it is non-refundable due to the up front costs incurred by BuonViaggio.tours to secure all arrangements. This is why Travel Insurance, covering the full cost of the trip, is required. If we have a waiting list and are able to fill your spot, we make every effort to do so and return your payment. Please read next item.
Requirements: Travel Insurance. Travel insurance helps to minimize the risk of monetary losses you would incur in the event of a delay of your departure due to weather, airline strike, missed connection, etc… As well, your inability to travel because of illness, injury, or unforeseen financial complications.
Here are two trusted travel insurance companies:
https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com
http://www.travelguard.com
Included:
– All accommodations for 7 evenings
– Daily Breakfast and Dinner, which includes wine (a reasonable amount!), aperitivo, coffee, deserts, etc…
– Transportation while on the tour including boats, taxis and passenger van
– All excursions such as a vineyard tour, villa and museum entry, etc
Not included:
– Airfare
– Travel Insurance
– Transportation to and from Naples Airport: see below for options
– Lunches: this will allow for some spontaneity while on our daily journeys. We can collectively decide to have pizza in one village or panini in the next. Or you can choose to do whatever you like, and we meet up in an hour or so.
– Endless lattes, espressos and gelato you may want to have every day
– Personal expenses and incidentals
Airport Transportation:
Naples airport is 45 miles from Amalfi yet it takes about 1.5 hours to drive because of the terrain and the busy two-lane road. The hotel we will be staying at offers transfer service to and from the airport, via a car, limousine or minibus. If several people arrive at the airport around the same time, they can send the minibus.
The price for a car (1-3 people) and for a mini-van (7-8 people) is the same: € 110 one way or € 200 round trip per vehicle.
Via Train or Bus:
There is no train service that runs on the coast, but there is a rail from Naples to either Sorrento or Salerno, which are on opposite ends of the Amalfi Coast. From either town, you would then have to take a bus or taxi to Amalfi.
https://www.italiarail.com/pages/routes/naples-to-amalfi-coast