Italy

New Year's in Sorrento

Program No. 22188RJ
Experience New Year’s in Sorrento, a picturesque town on the gorgeous southern coastline of Italy. Celebrate the holidays as you learn Italian history and culture from local experts.

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At a Glance

In the charming town of Sorrento, ring in the New Year the Italian way with delectable cuisine, lively company, and gorgeous views of the Mediterranean. Nestled on the scenic cliffs of Italy’s southern coastline and a stone’s throw away from historic sites like Pompeii, Sorrento is the perfect place to celebrate the holidays and experience authentic Italian culture. Travel down the storied Amalfi Coast to discover quaint seaside villages and learn from local experts about Italian history and culture at a host of top-notch museums. Enjoy Italy as you celebrate the holidays in one of the country's most beautiful and fascinating regions!
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to four miles a day. Extended standing during site visits with limited or no public seating. Uneven terrain, limited public handrails, unavoidable stairs, marble and terracotta flooring, cobblestones, steep inclines, loose gravel, dirt paths. Elevator use is limited or restricted in historic sites. Expect crowded conditions in pedestrian centers and museums. Dress accordingly for visits to open-air archeological parks. Program-related travel and transfers will be via bus, boat, convertible, and funicular. Sheltered waiting areas may not be available at docks.
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.

What You'll Learn

  • Discover the incredible remains and ancient artifacts of Pompeii and Herculaneum on expert-led excursions.
  • Ring in the New Year Sorrento style, with delicious Italian food, good friends and an evening concert.
  • Drive down the scenic Amalfi Coast and enjoy spectacular views from the Isle of Capri, with an expert to teach you about local culture and history.

General Notes

Give us a call to combine this learning adventure with, "Christmas in Assisi" (#19220) for even more learning in Italy! We'll even transfer you for free between locations.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Michela Porcelli
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.

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

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 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 Claudio Mollo
Claudio Mollo View biography
Claudio Mollo enjoys traveling and has lived in Italy as well as other countries and continents. In fact, he speaks five languages. A licensed guide, his area of expertise is history and archaeology specializing in the Campania Region comprising Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula, and Amalfi Coast. Claudio has been leading groups in southern Italy for Trinity College cultural programs including Road Scholar for 25 years and always enjoys showcasing his native region.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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9 days
8 nights
18 meals
7 B 6 L 5 D
DAY
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
DAY
2
Arrive Sorrento, Check-in, Welcome Reception & Dinner
Sorrento
L,D
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m. Walking about 1 mile; urban terrain.

Lunch: In the hotel restaurant.

Afternoon: After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our first group activity. We will meet in the lobby at 4:15 p.m. with a local expert for a short neighborhood walk to see the location of banks, pharmacies, and grocery stores. We’ll then circle back to the hotel for a "Welcome to Sorrento" reception where you will meet our Group Leader and fellow Road Scholars.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
3
Orientation, Explore Sorrento, Free Time, Roman Archaeology
Sorrento
B,L,D
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles; uneven terrain, cobblestone pavement, some steps and inclines.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will go over COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. Program-related transportation will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Unless indicated otherwise, meals will be served by gloved and masked wait staff. Breakfasts will be buffets, while lunches and dinners will be set menus. Water is included with all meals; other beverages such as wine, tea, and coffee will be available for purchase; some dinners will have a glass of wine included. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. After a short break, we’ll set out with our Group Leader on a walking field trip to explore more of Sorrento. Among the highlights will be the Marina Grande, the characteristic old port where it’s not uncommon to see fishermen bringing in the catch of the day or repairing their nets. Our walk will circle back to the hotel.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant.

Afternoon: We will gather in the hotel meeting room where a local art historian will give us a presentation on Roman art and architecture in preparation for our field trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum. Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Pompeii, Italy Today
Sorrento
B,L,D
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 16 miles, approximately 1.5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 4 miles, approximately 4 hours; uneven cobblestone and dirt paths, steps, inclines, slippery when wet. Except at entrance/exit, no benches or other places to sit in the archaeological park.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board a motorcoach in front of the hotel and ride to Pompeii for an expert-led exploration of this wonder from the ancient world. Our field trip will last about four hours. Pompeii was a vibrant city when Mount Vesuvius erupted with such disastrous consequences on August 24, 79 CE. It was not rediscovered until the late 16th century. The first systematic excavations began in 1738 and have continued to the present day. The archaeological site covers more than 163 acres (66 hectares), and about 121 acres (49 hectares) have been excavated. We’ll explore the streets of the city frozen in time. We’ll walk into the amphitheater, see where gladiators trained, walk down Via Abbondanza, the main street, and observe 1st century political grafitti. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, the commercial town was covered in ash, while the resort town of Herculaneum was engulfed by mudflows. All remained hidden until excavations began. Extensive areas of these ancient towns were gradually brought back to light. As the UNESCO World Heritage inscription states, they “provide a complete and vivid picture of society and daily life at a specific moment in the past that is without parallel anywhere in the world.”

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll reboard our motorcoach and return to the hotel. Later in the afternoon, we’ll gather in the hotel meeting room for a presentation by a local expert on critical issues facing Italy today, followed by Q&A. We’ll learn about the country’s healthcare system, education, religion, and women’s issues. We’ll also hear about how Italy continues to undergo rapid economic and societal change. Before our special dinner, we walk to the Piazza Tasso in Sorrento to enjoy live folk music and holiday lights in the heart of town.

Dinner: At the hotel a special New Year's Eve dinner and celebration.

Evening: Join the locals as they celebrate the new year in the main square of Sorrento or watch the fireworks from the roof top patio at the hotel.

DAY
5
Capri, Villa of San Michele, Ciuccio di fuoco
Sorrento
B,L,D
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 1 mile from hotel to marina. Getting on/off ferry to island of Capri, boat ride 1 hour total. Funicular to town of Capri, taxis to town of Anacapri. Driving 8 miles, 20 minutes riding time. Walking up to 3 miles; uneven terrain, cobblestones, inclines.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll take a short motorcoach ride to the Sorrento marina, then board a large boat to the island of Capri for a full day on the Mediterranean’s most lush island while roaming intricate cobblestone lanes and chic neighborhoods. From the Capri marina, we’ll ride the funicular, or cable railway up to the town of Capri, where we’ll walk to the scenic and fragrant Cesare Augusto Gardens. We’ll also have some time for independent exploration. You might like to stroll along the scenic Via Tragara to the Belvedere for breathtaking views of the Faraglioni rock formations, or savor a gelato or beverage at a café. We’ll rendezvous in the main square of Capri town at an announced time. Weather permitting, we’ll enjoy the scenic ride to Anacapri, the village at the summit of the island, in convertible taxis with the top down.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Our local expert will lead us on a walk to the Villa of San Michele, home of the Swedish physician Axel Munthe, who visited Capri in 1885 and built his dream house “open to the sun, to the wind, and the voice of the sea, just like a Greek temple, and light everywhere.” We’ll explore the villa and terraced gardens. Next, we’ll hop into convertible taxis and ride down to the marina. We’ll reboard the boat that will return to Sorrento by late afternoon and ride back to the hotel by motorcoach. Before our special dinner, we walk to the Piazza Tasso in Sorrento to enjoy live folk music and holiday lights in the heart of town.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
6
Tarsia Museum of Marquetry, Free Time, Music Concert
Sorrento
B,L
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Walking 2 miles; uneven stone pavement, some inclines, stairs in museum to reach upper level.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll set out on a walking field trip to the Tarsia Museum that displays the materials, tools, and traditional motifs used by master craftsmen of marquetry, or inlaid wood design. To ensure continuity for the decorative art tradition the museum is also a workshop to teach the craft to local youth.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant we will enjoy our New Year's Day lunch.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. In the late afternoon, we will walk to a local church for a late afternoon concert of chamber music.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
7
Positano, Amalfi
Sorrento
B,L
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 40 miles, about 2 hours riding time. Getting on/off a boat, riding approximately 3/4 hour. In the event of bad weather that prevents the boat from leaving Positano for Amalfi, we will walk up the hill along town sidewalks to the parking lot and board our motorcoach to Amalfi. Walking up to 3 miles; uneven terrain, steps, inclines.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will set out by motorcoach for a learning adventure that will begin on the Amalfi Coast Drive: the scenic, narrow, winding road cut into the steep cliffs above the Mediterranean Sea. En route, we will stop at the elegant seaside town of Positano, with its characteristic white and pastel colored houses that cling in tiers to the rock face. In Positano, we will board a boat bound for Amalfi from where we can fully appreciate the cascading houses and luscious gardens on the mountain face.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: A local expert will lead our exploration of Amalfi, including sites such as Piazza del Duomo, the main square, and more. We’ll then have some time on our own to explore Amalfi or visit the interior of the 13th-century cathedral of Sant’Andrea. Our field trip will then continue to Ravello, where we will take in the stunning views of the Amalfi Coast from the Villa Rufolo. We will ride back to Sorrento after our field trip.

Dinner: On your own to sample the local fare.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
8
Herculaneum, Countryside Cooking Demo
Sorrento
B,D
Hotel Antiche Mura

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; total driving 55 miles, about 2 hours riding time. Walking up to 3 miles; uneven cobblestone and gravel paths in archaeological park, inclines, few places to sit and rest. Note: Ride out to the farm restaurant is 50 minutes via a scenic winding road; ride back is direct, about 10 minutes. Walking about 50 feet, uneven terrain, steps, inclines from motorcoach drop-off point to farm restaurant.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board a motorcoach and ride to Herculaneum. Unlike Pompeii that was buried in ash in 79 CE, this upscale resort town was destroyed by mudflows. According to legend, Herculaneum was founded by and named for Hercules in 1243 BCE. This once upscale resort town was enveloped along with Pompeii in 79 CE by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It was rediscovered in 1707 when a well was being dug, but excavations did not ensue until 1738. Because of differences in the kind and rate of volcanic damage, the buildings here were better preserved than those in Pompeii. One of the most significant is the so-called Villa of the Papyri where some 1,800 carbonized scrolls were found; the excavated Villa of the Papyri was the inspiration for the Getty Museum in Malibu, California. We’ll ride back to the hotel after our field trip.

Lunch: On your own to have what you like.

Afternoon: We’ll board a motorcoach and set out on a panoramic ride through the Sorrento countryside to a working farm. Our hosts will welcome us with a drink and appetizers as we observe a demonstration of mozzarella cheese forming from a bowl of fresh milk and rennet. We’ll learn the process of making olive oil and wine, then tie on an apron and assist the cook in preparation of our farm-to-table dinner.

Dinner: At the agriturismo. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
9
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
In Flight
B

Activity note: Hotel check out 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Travel Information” regarding transfers.

Breakfast: At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes the program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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