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Italy

Beyond the View: The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento

Program No. 18213RJ
Explore the ruins of Pompeii, enjoy a cooking class in Sorrento, see the gardens that inspired Wagner’s Parsifal and revel in the sites as you take a deeper look at the Amalfi Coast.

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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
Activity Level: Keep the Pace (11)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Aug 22 - Sep 3, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Sep 12 - Sep 24, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Sep 19 - Oct 1, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Sep 26 - Oct 8, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Oct 3 - Oct 15, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Oct 10 - Oct 22, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Filling Fast!
Oct 17 - Oct 29, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Oct 24 - Nov 5, 2023
Starting at
4,649
Oct 31 - Nov 12, 2023
Starting at
4,099
Nov 14 - Nov 26, 2023
Starting at
4,099
Nov 28 - Dec 10, 2023
Starting at
4,099
Activity Level: Keep the Pace (11)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Aug 22 - Sep 3, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Filling Fast!
Sep 12 - Sep 24, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Sep 19 - Oct 1, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Filling Fast!
Sep 26 - Oct 8, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Filling Fast!
Oct 3 - Oct 15, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Oct 10 - Oct 22, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Oct 17 - Oct 29, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Oct 24 - Nov 5, 2023
Starting at
5,319
Oct 31 - Nov 12, 2023
Starting at
4,679
Filling Fast!
Nov 14 - Nov 26, 2023
Starting at
4,679
Filling Fast!
Nov 28 - Dec 10, 2023
Starting at
4,679
Activity Level: Let's Go! (16)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Mar 26 - Apr 7, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Apr 9 - Apr 21, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Apr 16 - Apr 28, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Apr 23 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
4,799
May 7 - May 19, 2024
Starting at
4,949
May 14 - May 26, 2024
Starting at
4,949
May 21 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Sep 3 - Sep 15, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Sep 10 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Sep 17 - Sep 29, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Oct 1 - Oct 13, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Oct 15 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Oct 22 - Nov 3, 2024
Starting at
4,949
Oct 29 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Nov 5 - Nov 17, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Dec 3 - Dec 15, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Activity Level: Let's Go! (16)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Mar 26 - Apr 7, 2024
Starting at
5,499
Filling Fast!
Apr 9 - Apr 21, 2024
Starting at
5,499
Filling Fast!
Apr 16 - Apr 28, 2024
Starting at
5,499
Filling Fast!
Apr 23 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
5,499
Filling Fast!
May 7 - May 19, 2024
Starting at
5,769
May 14 - May 26, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Filling Fast!
May 21 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Filling Fast!
Sep 3 - Sep 15, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Sep 10 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Sep 17 - Sep 29, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Filling Fast!
Oct 1 - Oct 13, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Oct 15 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Oct 22 - Nov 3, 2024
Starting at
5,769
Oct 29 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
5,149
Nov 5 - Nov 17, 2024
Starting at
5,149
Dec 3 - Dec 15, 2024
Starting at
5,149

At a Glance

The cliff-top road along the Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful stretches in the world, but this sun-kissed region has so much more to offer than just a scenic drive. Experience life in the artisan’s paradise of Sorrento and the tiny town of Minori, see the pride and skill that goes into intarsia woodworking and the making of the infused liqueur known as limoncello, and, yes, have your breath taken away as you drive and boat along the rugged coastline.
Activity Level
Varies by date
Extended walking and standing during site visits; uneven terrain, especially at archaeological sites. Boarding small boats and ferries.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Appreciate the picture-postcard view of the houses and gardens clinging perilously to the cliffs via boat excursion along the Amalfi Coast.
  • Investigate the lost cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum for frozen-in-time structures and valued artifacts.
  • Step inside the famous Villa Rufolo with its imposing Arab architecture and lovely gardens that inspired Wagner as he penned Parsifal.

General Notes

Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Jan Gilbert
Jan Gilbert has been coordinating Road Scholar programs in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast since 1990. A native English speaker, Jan has lived most of her adult life in the Sorrentine peninsula. She has the unique ability to present just enough facts of her beloved slice of Italy to Road Scholar explorers so they can make their own discoveries of the magnificent natural beauty and charm of people of the Amalfi Coast.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Jan Gilbert
Jan Gilbert View biography
Jan Gilbert has been coordinating Road Scholar programs in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast since 1990. A native English speaker, Jan has lived most of her adult life in the Sorrentine peninsula. She has the unique ability to present just enough facts of her beloved slice of Italy to Road Scholar explorers so they can make their own discoveries of the magnificent natural beauty and charm of people of the Amalfi Coast.
Profile Image of Linda O'Brien
Linda O'Brien View biography
Linda O'Brien taught art history for the European Division of the University of Maryland and lectures in Road Scholar programs in Florence and Sorrento. She began her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, and then moved to Brussels, Belgium to continue her studies. She was awarded an advanced degree in art history and archaeology with honors from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. She completed post-graduate work in symbolic anthropology at Stanford University and the Sorbonne.
Profile Image of Michela Porcelli
Michela Porcelli View biography
Michela Porcelli was awarded an advanced degree in linguistic anthropology from the University of Naples. Fluent in English, Swedish, Spanish and French, Michela studied in the U.S. at the University of California Santa Barbara. Currently, she lives in Naples where she is involved in several research projects in linguistics at the university there.
Profile Image of Domenico Cuomo
Domenico Cuomo View biography
Domenico Cuomo nearly completed law school at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, but then fell in love with leading cultural travel groups. Mimmo has over twenty years of experience working on educational tours throughout Europe. He grew up and still resides in the Campi Flegrei, situated to the west of Naples. He loves working with Road Scholar participants as it offers him the opportunity for cultural exchange and sharing his knowledge of European cultures. Mimmo is fluent in English and Italian.
Profile Image of Domenico Nucci
Domenico Nucci View biography
Domenico Nucci studied Greek, Latin, physics and philosophy during high school in Naples. He earned an associate's in art history, and later a degree at the Università di Napoli Federico II, and further studies in environmental and humanitarian legislation at American University. He then worked for many years in aid and reconstruction programs in Africa and Asia. When not on Road Scholar programs, he works in fruit tree care, home renovation, and property management.
Profile Image of Vincenzo Coppola
Vincenzo Coppola View biography
Vincenzo Coppola is an ethnomusicologist and licensed guide for the Amalfi Coast area. He has a passion for music in the Neapolitan tradition. A lecturer at Naples University and Conservatory of Music, his seminars include Opera and Oriental Traits in Neapolitan popular music and the Japanese Theater of Noh.
Profile Image of Michelle Bassett
Michelle Bassett View biography
Michelle Bassett was born in England and has spent most of her adult life there. She has a degree in applied social science from the Open University and is a qualified human resources professional. In 2011, Michelle moved to Italy and began working as a group manager and event planner. She and her husband live on a small farm near Sorrento with olive and lemon groves, a vegetable garden and a dog. Michelle enjoys working on the farm, running, and reading.
Profile Image of Enrica Guida
Enrica Guida View biography
Enrica Guida studied at a classical lyceum and earned a degree in Political Science and Economy with honors from the University of Naples. She honed her English language skills at Cambridge University, England, and is also fluent in French and Spanish. She continued studies in Greek and Roman history, archaeology of Magna Grecia, and Pompeian antiquities at the University of Naples. She is a member of the Amici di Pompeii Association. Licensed by the Region of Campania, Enrica loves sharing the region’s history and culture.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The House in Amalfi
by Elizabeth Adler
Master of suspense and romance, Adler deftly intertwines lush descriptions of place with fast-paced intrigue in her 16th novel.
The Fires of Vesuvius, Pompeii Lost and Found
by Mary Beard
With the panache of a gifted classicist, Mary Beard (Wonders of the World) conjures daily life in celebrated Pompeii, not only demolishing with particular relish the many myths that have grown up around the place but also emphasizing the limits of our knowledge. Some things we simply shall never know for certain.
The Ancient Shore
by Shirley Hazzard
Hazzard's lyrical collection of essays on the history, beauty, complexities and contradictions of Naples. Includes a celebrated New Yorker essay by husband Francis Steegmuller.
Spartacus Road, A Journey Through Ancient Italy
by Peter Stothard
Stothard retraces the 2,000-mile journey of the rebel gladiator and his army from Rome to Pompei and Sorrento in this tale of travel, myth and slave revolt in the first century B.C.
Eyewitness Guide Naples & Amalfi Coast
by Eyewitness Guides
Covering Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Amalfi coast, this superb guide focuses on culture, history and art.
Rediscovering the Ancient World on the Bay of Naples, 1710-1890
by Carol C. Mattusch
This extensively illustrated volume details various reactions to the early excavations of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and their international influence in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Gomorrah
by Roberto Saviano, Virginia Jewiss (Translator)
Savaiano's expose of the Naples mob documents in graphic detail the depredations and violence of the killers, criminals and thugs of the Camorra.
La Bella Figura, A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
by Beppe Severgnini
Italians themselves love this guide to the Italian character, which addresses their never-ending passion for beauty, disorder and high emotion. The book opens with a snapshot of Malpensa Airport, then moves on to Tuscany, Rome, Naples and Sardinia.
Herculaneum: Italy's Buried Treasure
by Joseph Jay Deiss
An artful and wonderfully written description of the daily life of the Romans at the time of the destruction of Herculaneum.
The Italians
by Luigi Barzini
The definitive portrait of the Italian people, this is a classic, scholarly essay on the Italian character. Though first published in 1964, it's still worth reading for its insight, grace and wit.
Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum
by Paul Roberts
Drawing on sharp, full-color photographs of more than 200 objects excavated from Pompeii and Herculaneum, Roberts, a curator at the British Museum, discusses what life was like in the ancient cities. He covers everything from birth certificates to the prevalence of bakeries and taverns.
Pompeii, The Day a City Died
by Robert Etienne
This indispensable pocket guide illustrates daily life in the city as revealed by its evocative frescoes, mosaics and treasures.
Blue Guide Southern Italy
by Paul Blanchard
A comprehensive guide to Southern Italy and especially its archaeology, history and culture. With maps and site plans.
Pompeii, Public and Private Life
by Paul Zanker, Deborah Schneider (Translator)
A comprehensive guide to the architecture, people and culture of Pompeii, focusing on both grand public spaces and private villas. With 21 color illustrations and 55 halftones, including site plans, models, mosaics and sculpture.
Campania Basilicata Map
by Touring Club Italiano
A colorful, durable map of Campania, including Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
Vesuvius
by Gillian Darley
Darley unveils human responses to Mount Vesuvius, a place both feared and celebrated, from a cast of characters as far-flung as Pliny the Younger and David Hockney. This entry in Harvard University Press's excellent Wonders of the World series is a perfect introduction for travelers to Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Italian Folktales
by Italo Calvino
A treasured collection of 200 lively folk tales presented by one of the modern masters of Italian fiction. Calvino's elegant rendering of these old stories reveals his great affection for the folkloric traditions of his childhood.
Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook
by Lonely Planet
A handy, palm-sized guide to pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.





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