1-WEEK ITALIAN EXCELLENCES PRIVATE TOUR
Southern Italy

Benvenuti in Italia, welcome to Italy.

The area south of Rome is known as “Castelli Romani” (Roman Castles). The entire area originated from a series of volcanic eruptions that shook an original crater, creating some lakes. The area, a traditional destination for the out-of-town excursions of the Romans, is dotted with several pretty hill towns famous for their ancient history and highly regarded wine: Castelgandolfo, the summer residence of the pope, Rocca di Papa and Grottaferrata, known for their culture and gastronomic delicacies, Frascati, famous for its breathtaking views and its sweet and refreshing white wine named after the city, are only some of them.

Visiting Naples's historic centre means travelling through 20 centuries of history. The design of its streets, piazzas, churches, monuments, public buildings and castles constitute a jewel box of artistic and historical treasures of exceptional importance. Together, they earned their spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. Naples is a real treasure of art and history, of indelible signs from past dominations, each of which has contributed to this city's construction.

The city dominates the Gulf of Naples, expanding from the Sorrentine Peninsula to the volcanic area of the Phlegraean Fields. The most famous Neapolitan piazza is Piazza del Plebiscito, displaying the grand colonnade designed by Gioacchino Murat; in front of it is the magnificent Royal Palace designed by Domenico Fontana. Castel Nuovo's different but well-integrated architectural lines, otherwise known as “Maschio Angioino”, evoke the double role of palace and fortress that this building played during the domination of the Anjou and Aragon families.

The churches in this city are countless. Over time, the Cathedral - erected upon pre-existing buildings, has undergone radical modifications to repair the damages caused by the earthquakes, especially on the outside. The interior hosts the famous “Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro” (“Chapel of St. Gennaro’s Treasure”), with the two vials containing the Saint's blood.

And last but not least, you will not miss the Sansevero Chapel, commonly called “Pietatella” (Little Pietà). Here you will be astonished by the “Cristo Velato” (Veiled Christ) by Giuseppe Sammartino, a masterpiece striking the eye with the extraordinary craftsmanship employed to sculpt the marble shroud over the body of Christ.

Naples is famous all over the world for its pizza. Yet, there is much more to this unique city’s culinary traditions. You will be pleasantly surprised by the variety and richness of flavours and recipes you’ll discover through our walking food tour. Your Guide will walk you into some of the best food venues in the city, known only to locals. Moving to the heart of the town, with its meandering streets and artisan shops, you will taste authentic mozzarella and try the best street food, such as pizza fritta or frittatina di maccheroni. Of course, we couldn’t do without a delicious bruschetta with Colatura di alici (a special dressing with origins dating back to Roman times). For an overview of Neapolitan cuisine read the article in our BLOG).

Welcome to the Amalfi Coast!

Costiera Amalfitana is Italy's most scenic stretch of coastline, a landscape of pastel-coloured villages terraced into hillsides, steep panoramic roads, luxuriant gardens and enchanting vistas over turquoise waters and green mountains.

Considered by UNESCO "an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values," the coast has been a World Heritage Site since 1997. You may go from town to town at the discovery of Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello, three of the most beautiful villages in Southern Italy, world-famous for their charm and colourful architecture.

Amalfi typically has Mediterranean architecture with lanes and characteristic white houses piled one upon the other. In the Middle Ages, it was one of Italy's four powerful maritime republics (with Venice, Pisa, and Genoa). All sea trade in the Mediterranean was once governed by the 12th century “Tavole Amalfitane”, one of the world's oldest maritime codes. A must-see in Amalfi is the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, fronted by an intricately patterned façade, redone in the 19th century. Founded in the 9th century, the Cathedral's subsequent alterations have spared its principal glory, the main portal's 11th-century Byzantine bronze doors. Next to the church lies the Chiostro del Paradiso (1268), or Cloister of Paradise, whose serious Romanesque tone is animated by the Arab elements in its sinuous columns. To escape the bustle of Amalfi, let’s take the famous walk along the “Valle dei Mulini”, a steep-sided valley dotted with ruined watermills – “i mulini” - once used to make paper, an industry for which Amalfi was, and still is, famous.Here you will enjoy a particular “Lemon Experience” with our friend Salvatore, the owner of the biggest lemon farm in Amalfi, who will introduce you to all the secrets of lemons and limoncello.

Positano sits in a splendid panoramic position on one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline. Its enchanting town centre of delightful pastel-coloured houses surrounds the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta; its streets are lined with quaint, colourful shops, and its numerous beaches are world-famous.

Ravello is more elevated than the other pearls of the Amalfi Coast, boasting exceptional views of the coast and its marvellous villas and gardens. French novelist André Gide said they are “closer to the sky than the sea”. Here you may visit Villa Rufolo, built in the 13th century, which hosted popes and kings, and Richard Wagner, who composed part of his opera Parsifal here in 1880. Views from its idyllic gardens are magnificent!

A trip to Cetara is an absolute must. The village is renowned for a particular gourmet speciality, “colatura di acciughe” (anchovy sauce), produced according to an ancient procedure for generations. Spaghetti with colatura di alici is the area's typical recipe, a dish you will remember forever. Discover the secrets of the liquid gold of the Coast in the article in our BLOG.

At dinner, don’t miss Spaghetti with clams in olive oil and garlic sauce, or Seafood Risotto, with a glass of excellent Greco di Tufo white wine.

Located in the South-East of the Gulf of Salerno, Paestum is an archaeological site of extreme importance, recognised by UNESCO as part of the World Cultural Heritage. Built by the Greeks around the 7th century BC with the name of Poseidon, the city was later occupied by Romans, who made it a thriving colony, giving it its current name.

In addition to its cultural value, the importance of Paestum is linked to the excellent state of conservation of properties, starting from its walls, built by the Greeks and later strengthened by the Romans. Inside them, three majestic temples on a green plain reflect a different light depending on the hours and seasons. Many writers, poets and artists like Goethe, Shelley, Canova and Piranesi were fascinated by this sight, which later inspired them for their works.

These large buildings are a remarkable example of Doric-style architecture. The Temple of Hera, dating to the 6th century BC, is the most ancient building. The Temple of Neptune (5th century BC) is a massive construction made of travertine marble in a warm golden colour that varies at different times of the day. The Temple of Ceres (6th century BC), dedicated to the goddess Athena, was transformed into a church back in medieval times.

Besides its temples, Paestum is famous also for a gourmet speciality that you should taste on site: its “mozzarella di bufala”. Made with the best buffalo milk from the area, “mozzarella di bufala” is closely linked to the land of Campania; the skill it is made reflects the love the cheesemakers put into creating this Italian excellence. We will visit a cheese factory in the area to understand how it is created and taste it freshly made, an unforgettable experience!

Matera is one of the oldest cities in the world, whose territory holds evidence of human settlements starting from the Paleolithic and without interruption until today. Touring Matera is like experiencing a forgotten past - you feel like setting foot in a nativity scene when you visit this charming city in Lucania. It’s no coincidence it’s referred to as “the second Bethlehem” and was the setting for Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” and the last James Bond, “No time to die”.

Matera is widely known as the city of the “Sassi”, the original urban nucleus, developed from the natural caves carved into the rock and subsequently modelled in increasingly complex structures.

In the 1950s, when the inhabitants who lived in the caves dug out of the mountain were forced to abandon those dwellings to settle in modern districts, no one would have ever thought that those grottos - the Sassi - would have become the symbol of a reborn city. UNESCO added the Sassi of Matera to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1993 as a whole and a millennial way of life to be preserved and handed down to our descendants. In fact, it was recognized as a model for living harmoniously with the environment while integrating with it and taking advantage of resources without disturbing the environment.

Geologists call it calcarenite, and ordinary folk refer to it as “tuff”: it’s the rock surrounding Matera that this land’s master artisans learned to work with in ancient times. This brittle, adaptable material is abundant in the mountain that dominates the city, so it seemed only natural for the people from Matera to go up there and dig out that rock to build a home. The extracted material was processed to make the façade of the dwelling. After the first home, others were constructed until the network of houses, tunnels and alleyways became that magical place called Sassi - a gigantic sculpture, a miracle of town planning!

In Matera, you’ll discover one of the most beloved Italian breads. “Pane di Matera" is a bakery product for which only hard wheat semolina and sourdough are used. The characteristics to recognize the bread of Matera are the shapes, croissant or high bread, and a straw-yellow crumb. But besides bread, you’ll not miss other local specialities such as the Caciocavallo cheese or the “Lucanica” sausage.

The Trulli are famous worldwide for their beauty and unique characteristics and represent one of the most extraordinary examples of Italian folk architecture. They were built in a particular historical period when the construction of stable dwellings was highly taxed; the region's inhabitants thus boasted a great capacity to adapt and an exceptional cleverness in coming up with the Trulli, temporary houses built with the local stone. From precariousness to stability - the process of transformation and recovery and the deference to the originality of the work earned the Trulli of Alberobello their recognition as a World Heritage Site.

In Alberobello, the capital of the Trulli, each Trullo has a different shape and size. Unique constructions are sometimes combined in a complex of communicating houses, while others are built on two levels. Most feature a grey cone-shaped roof, ending with a sphere or hemisphere shape. The interior, arranged as a single chamber, comprises niches for a fireplace, bed and furniture. The structure assures excellent indoor climate control: cool in summer and warm in winter!

Martina Franca is a charming baroque town 400 metres above sea level. The era of greatest splendour for this city was undoubtedly the 18th century when the most important monuments and churches still dominating the historic centre were built. Baroque is the predominant style; it can be seen in many buildings, and in this city, it has taken on characteristic connotations that distinguish it from the other variations of this artistic and architectural current; in fact, we speak of “Martinese” Baroque.

The tour is over, but the memories of a fantastic journey will accompany you for a lifetime!

Arrivederci for another tour with VITOR, Visit Italy on the Road.