THE BEST OF SOUTHERN ITALY - 2009

10 days incl. air, or 9 days from Rome to Palermo (ZO)

Vacation Overview

This is the perfect trip if you want to learn about Southern Italy. This popular Southern Italy vacation starts in Rome with a special welcome dinner in a lively Roman restaurant. In Rome, your guided sightseeing tour includes all the highlights – the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and more. Drive to Naples on your way to the Isle of Capri and stay overnight in Sorrento. Then, cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily. Three nights in Taormina include a guided walking tour of Syracuse’s archaeological site with a Local Guide. On your way to Agrigento, you can admire the Roman Villa of Casale in Piazza Armerina. In Agrigento, a guided sightseeing tour includes the breathtaking Valley of Temples. In Selinunte, visit the impressive Dorian Temples and Acropolis. Drive to Monreale for a visit to the 12th-century Norman Cathedral, famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious byzantine mosaics. Your trip ends in Palermo, a perfect finale to this grand Southern Italy vacation.

Special Departure:
December 17 - Christmas Eve in Agrigento

Things to see on your vacation: View Vacation Photo Slideshow

A Vacation Story Capri

"Rising like a whale from the ocean, the spectacular island of Capri has held a particular attraction for celebrities trying to “get away from it all” over the centuries. In former times, it lured the writers Goethe, Oscar Wilde and Graham Greene; these days, it attracts American stars like Leonardo di Caprio, Harrison Ford and Mariah Carey. But Capri first became famous in 26 AD, when the Roman Emperor Tiberius “dropped out” here to escape the political in-fighting in Rome. For 16 years, he ruled the Empire from his luxurious cliff-side palace – flashing his orders to the mainland via a lighthouse. Protected by 500 foot cliffs, Capri had only one landing point, and his villa, located on a remote headland offered sweeping 300 degree views of the ocean. B"