Italian Gardens along the Amalfi Coast

September 9-17, 2005
Sponsored by The Federated Garden Clubs




This week long garden tour of the Italian Amalfi Coast includes the following: 7 nights in the 4 star Hotel Majestic Palace in Sorrento, breakfast daily, 6 lunches, 2dinners, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford  coach pick up, tours and transfers as per itinerary.  
 
Trip price: $3000 (double occupancy), details below.  



The Amalfi coast, one of Italy’s most spectacular stretches of coastline sets the stage for our idyllic fall garden tour. You unpack only once, as we spend seven nights at a 4-star hotel in the picturesque hilltop town of Sorrento. During our week long tour we explore lush and tranquil public and private gardens. Breathtaking views and stunning landscapes spread before us as we enjoy lovely seaside towns, the tranquil isle of Capri, and the ancient city of Pompeii. Our trips are always a sellout. So you will want to reserve your place quickly. Deposits due before May 9.  






1.  Friday , September 9     Departure
Our trip begins with transportation to JFK, picking up members in Hartford, New Haven and Stamford. We depart at 6:10pm on Alitalia Airlines’ non-stop flight to Rome. Dinner is served on board.



2.  Saturday, September 10     Arrival
Upon arrival in Rome we connect to the Naples airport, arriving at 11:20am. Our local guide greets us and  assists to our waiting coach. On our drive to Sorrento you will be captivated by the breathtaking views and abundant sunshine along the famed Amalfi coast.  After an orientation walk and lunch we check into the 4 star Majestic Palace Hotel, set among beautiful orange and lemon groves, with views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Amenities include a restaurant, coffee shop and two bar lounges, as well as an outdoor swimming pool. We enjoy a welcome dinner.



3.  Sunday, September 11     Sorrento and Ravello
Our introduction to the region begins in Sorrento. We visit a 14th century cloister dotted with flowering vines. At the Museo Correale di Terranova, a former palace, we see displays of ancient statues, Italian art and lovely gardens.    
 
After lunch we continue to Ravello where we take a short stroll through the steep, winding streets to the Villa Cimbrone. Suspended over the azure sea and set amid rose-laden gardens, this magical place was once the holiday hideaway of Greta Garbo. The Gothic castello-palazzo is set in idyllic gardens, which are divided by a grand allée that offers a stupendous view over the entire Bay of Salerno. We visit the grand estate gardens of Villa Rufolo where Norman and Arab architecture mingle in profusion of lush  color-filled gardens.



4.  Monday, September 12     Capri Excursion
Today’s delight is an excursion to the Isle of Capri. The island's beauty is an epic one: cliffs that are the very embodiment of time, bougainvillea-shaded pathways overlooking the sea and trees seemingly hewn out of rock by the Greeks.  We visit Augustus’ Gardens, the choice spot on Capri for spectacular views of the emerald waters. These belonged to the villa of Friedrich Alfred Krupp, son of the founder of the great German steelworks. Built on the ruins of ancient Roman structures, the gardens were donated to the town of Capri, which later named them for the Roman emperor. We have lunch  and after more sightseeing we return to the hotel in late afternoon.  



5.  Tuesday, September 13     Poisitano and Amalfi
We spend the day wending our way along the glorious mountainous coastline. We visit the fabled resort town of  Positano, a Moorish-style hillside village on the southern strip of the Amalfi Drive. Positano is set above the Tyrrhenian Sea with its legendary  Sirenuse Islands, the setting for Homer's Odyssey.    
 
After lunch, we continue to Amalfi, with its winding stairways that connect the town, and the towering cliffs above. Every inch of land is prized; buildings are stacked above one another on the steep slopes, and open areas are intensively cultivated.  



6.  Wednesday, September 14     Naples
Today we visit Naples. After a panoramic tour we tour the Botanic Garden, founded by Joseph Bonaparte  almost 200 years ago. The gardens cover 30 acres and are one of the largest botanical gardens in Italy, with an enormous collection of exotic plants from all over the world  and many stunning flowering plants.  
 
We continue to the grand Gardens of Augustus, which were actually founded by the famous Roman emperor, Julius Caesar. The beautiful gardens feature an enormous collection of mature trees, shrubs and many other specimen plants, which all thrive in the fertile soil. With terraces offering one of the most spectacular views in the whole of Italy, it is easy to see why Caesar enjoyed these gardens so much. We enjoy lunch in the old port.    



7.  Thursday, September 15     Pompeii
Our day begins with a visit to Pompeii, the ancient city buried by Vesuvius's eruption. When Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, Pliny the Younger, who later recorded the event, thought the end of the world had come. The ruined Roman city of Pompeii, now dug out from the layers of dried lava that once swept through the settlement, vividly brings to light the life of 19 centuries ago and has sparked the imagination of the world. We see the elegant restored villas and the forum.  After lunch  we visit the magnificent gardens at the Royal Palace of Caserta, which was built to rival Versailles. Among the garden features are an English Garden and French style garden as well as a traditional Italian landscape garden with water and statuary. We return to the hotel for dinner.  



8.  Friday, September 16      Paestum
Today we stray off the beaten path to see the ruins of the ancient Greek community of Paestum.  Its gleaming white marble temples, set against the silver mountains and deep blue sea, provide a uniquely Greek experience in Italy. The three Doric temples of Paestum are said to be the best preserved Greek temples in the world and the walls around Paestum are the most complete of that period.  The afternoon is free at the hotel.  Why not enjoy the hotel pool or stroll the surroundings.    
 
Tonight, following our farewell dinner  you’ll be delighted  by a Tarantella Show. The famous songs which form the show’s repertoire, “Funiculi Funiculà”, and the eye-catching theatrical scenery evoke the natural beauty of Sorrento.  



9.  Saturday, September 16     Arriverderci
After breakfast, we transfer to Naples Airport for 11:00 flight to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport where you will transfer to your transatlantic Alitalia flight, arriving JFK at 5:10pm.  
 





This engaging experience includes:

  • Airfare
  • 7 nights in the 4 star Hotel Majestic Palace in Sorrento
  • Breakfast daily, 1 lunch
  • 7 dinners at the hotel
  • Local guide for guided excursions
  • Capri excursion including transfers by minivan, ferry and visits according to itinerary
  • Pompeii excursion
  • Tarantella show in Sorrento
  • Entrances as per itinerary
PROGRAM PRICES  
Per person (double occupancy) from New York:$2999  
Single Supplement:$525  
Air Taxes:$175