Self Drive: A Southern Visit: Campania & Puglia Discovery - 8D/7N

Trulli in PugliaThis itinerary can depart and arrive in either Naples or Rome and has been prepared for those who want to explore the south of Italy, it allows you to combine a visit of the area of the Amalfi coast and Sorrento with an exploration of Puglia, taking in both the ancient trulli of Alberobello and the religious site of San Giovanni Rotondo, splendidly located in the Gargano Peninsula.

Campania, the region of Naples, and one of the most heterogeneous of Italy, was settled by so many different cultures: here came the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese and the Bourbons, all of whom have left some of their style behind. A must visit is the world renowned Amalfi Coast, so incredibly beautiful that even Sorrento was named after the myth of the mermaids whose singing allured the seamen and got them to loose their way. Ulysses and his comrades, according to the legend, escaped them plugging their ears with wax and the mermaids were turned by the gods into rocks (called today Li Galli and sited in front of Positano). There is so much history, there are so many things to see: take a day-trip to the isle of Capri, the island of Tiberius, visit the Greek temples of Paestum, tour the Royal Palace at Caserta, which rivals the one at Versailles, discover Roman life at Herculaneum and Pompeii or simply enjoy this spectacular coastline which embraces the charming resort towns of Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi and Ravello, where the narrow road laces its way around precipices defying gravity providing us with one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the world.

Puglia is Italy’s boot heel and the ancient gateway to the East, a region overlooking the southernmost part of the Adriatic Sea, conquered by legions of foreign rulers, which normally never stopped here. The recorded notable exception was Frederick II, the last Emperor of the Hohenstaufen, who built many of the castles still gracing the land. In the southern part of Puglia is the magical land of the trulli, ancient nuragic conical structures of stone with no mortar and topped with gray stone roofs. Alberobello is the capital of the trulli and here you will find many of these original ancient dwellings, mixed in with new ones built in the same style and turned into shops and restaurants. In the north you will find the Peninsula of the Gargano, suspended between sky and sea, with the Umbra (shade) forest and the imposing sanctuary of St. Giovanni Rotondo, where the remains of Padre Pio lie.

INCLUDED: Necessary days of self-drive car Cat C, AS PER ITINERARY, fully inclusive of unlimited mileage, VAT, Insurance, CDW in the category type, Hotels nights as listed and depending on property’s availability at time of request, Daily local breakfast at the hotel, Detailed itinerary, Local hotel taxes and service charges, We can also Include: Additional hotel nights in either Florence and/or Rome as per your choice, Special Bulk Airfares at highly competitive rates from your home city, Additional city tours, visits and transfers.

NOT INCLUDED: Any airfares. Passport and visa expenses. Any personal expenses and any items not specifically mentioned as included in the program. PLEASE NOTE: All tours are usually presented as LAND ONLY (no airfare is included) and best airfare from your departing city will be included at time of departure. All tour programs are subject to your acceptance of our Terms and Conditions, which is understood when you progress into the reservation. Please review Terms & Conditions. INSURANCE NOTE: Cancellation policies are strictly enforced!

DEPARTURES: ANY DAY
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SKETCH ITINERARY:

  • Day 1: Sorrento or Amalfi Coast
  • Day 2: Sorrento or Amalfi Coast
  • Day 3: Alberobello
  • Day 4: Alberobello
  • Day 5: San Giovanni Rotondo
  • Day 6: San Giovanni Rotondo
  • Day 7: Montesilvano
  • Day 8: End of Self Drive Tour

Also tagged with: Independent Journeys, Europe, Italy, Self Drive, Module


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