Compare Amalfi Coast, Capri & Rome Break by Original Travel vs Mamma Mia! - 13 days/12 nights by Italy on Budget Tours

Day 1: UK – Naples

Accommodation: Casa Angelina

There are several flights a day from London and other UK airports, with the flights ranging from two and a half to three hours. Upon arrival at Naples airport, meet your driver in arrivals to be chauffeured to your hotel on the beautiful Amalfi Coast.

The journey should take around an hour and a half and along the way you’ll catch your first glimpses of the rocky clifftop views Amalfi is so famous for. Once checked in and freshened up, head out for your first, wonderfully Italian, meal of the holiday.

Day 2: Pompeii

Recover from perhaps rather an over indulgence of lovely Italian wine last night with a leisurely breakfast and lots of coffee, polished off on your hotel's terrace. By mid-morning and now feeling ready for the day, it's time to hit the road with a private transfer one hour north to the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Completely buried (sometimes to a depth of 20ft) by burning hot ash after the devastating eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, these astonishingly well preserved Roman towns were rediscovered under the now solidified pumice rock in 1788, and are now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The beautiful volcanic backdrop is a poignant reminder of the power of nature. Amazingly you can still walk down intact Roman streets and wander into what would have been temples, shops and cafes; and your private guide will really help you to get to grips with the layout and day to day activities that once filled this fascinating place. Our guides are exceptionally well qualified and know the crowd free areas of Pompeii and Herculaneaum like the back of their hands, so if you want to design your own route or have a particular sight you really want to see, then they can easily adapt the tour to suit

Day 3: Path of the Gods

Get up nice and early this morning as we’ve planned a spectacular walk for you, and you don’t want to be doing it in the midday heat! A hearty breakfast is also going to be key, so enjoy it in the sunshine as you slowly wake up. The walk we recommend is along the Sentiero degli Dei, or Path of the Gods.

To get there you’ll take a half an hour taxi from the hotel to the start of the trail, which is on the outskirts of Bomerano. From here it is an easy three hour walk to Nocelle, where your driver will be waiting to meet you and take you back to the hotel - after a long leisurely lunch of course! We think the trail certainly lives up to its name and provides some of the most dramatic and haunting panoramic views in Europe. Plus, it’s almost always blissfully quiet so as you take in the clifftop ocean views, it can like just you and the mountains. John Steinbeck rhapsodised in 1953 that the Amalfi Coast was, ‘a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there but becomes beckoningly real after you are gone.’ Sounds about right. Spend your last night on the Amalfi coast capturing some final shots of the cliff edge and the sunset over the ocean. When you’re ready, head to Restaurant Il Refettorio at Monastero Santa Rosa for dinner, where Chef Bob will ensure your meal is full of fresh local ingredients and precision-perfect flavour. The fusilli with baby squid, Piennolo’s tomatoes and basil scented aubergine comes particularly highly recommended.

Day 4: Amalfi Coast – Capri

Accommodation: Capri Palace hotel or JK Place Capri

After breakfast this morning you will be collected from the hotel and driven to the port in Sorrento or Amalfi (depending on where you are staying) where you will board a fast ferry to Capri - which should take anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour, with an impressive arrival into the harbour in Capri. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Capri which should take around 15 minutes.

Enjoy lunch either at the hotel or at one of the lovely restaurants on the island recommended in our detailed Dossier. This afternoon you can relax by the pool until evening and then indulge in that most Italian of traditions, the passeggiata, or evening stroll. By now the day-trippers have departed the island and it will be you and the Caprese locals wandering the pretty streets of Capri town. The Piazzetta is the 'finish line', and this tiny square is home to four fun bars, the best of which is the original, Al Piccolo. Try and grab a table on the first floor terrace (gold dust) and watch the square fill up while nursing a Bellini made with fresh island-grown peaches. Next stop, dinner, and we can pre-book a table at Aurora, home to the pizza all'aqua (a lighter take on the traditional Neapolitan pizza base) and every visiting A-lister. Blag yourself a table (again, gold dust, but we can help) outside on buzzing Via Fuorlovado for prime people watching and choose an oversize bottle from the peerless Italian wine list.

Day 5: The Isle of Capri

You’ve only got one full day on Capri, so make the most of it. Spend the morning wandering around the town stocking up on classic Capri pants for the ladies and dapper trousers from Laboratorio for the chaps before descending the sinuous steps down a cliff face to the water’s edge for lunch at Caprese institution Fontelina restaurant overlooking the iconic limestone Faraglioni rocks that rise vertiginously from the sea just offshore.

Despite its charmingly low-key vibe (thatched roof, open sides, beach umbrellas), so popular has the place become that they do two lunchtime sittings, and we will have booked you a table here. Order the spaghetti vongole and a jug of the delicious house sangria and when you’ve finished go for a refreshing swim around the rocks before you are picked up from the Fontelina jetty for an afternoon cruise around the island. Your skipper will keep you stocked up with chilled Peronis as you motor around and between the Faraglioni rocks before Capri heading around to the other side of the island and the Blue Grotto, a large sea cave that glows a mysterious piercing azure as if there’s an internal light source shining up from the cave floor. During the day the cave is crowded with visitors who are rowed in in tiny rowing boats.

Day 6: Capri – Rome

Accommodation: Hotel de Russie

After an earlyish breakfast you will be transferred back to the harbour in time for you to take the hydrofoil or fast catamaran ferry back to the mainland – this time into Naples - which will take around an hour.

You will be transferred around two and a half hours north into the city centre of Rome. As before, we’ve planned this so you will arrive in time for lunch, and our trusty Dossier should again come in use. This afternoon is yours to spend wandering and acclimatising to the buzz of city life. As evening settles in, sip an Aperol Spritz or two and then explore bohemian Trastevere - the old Jewish Quarter and home to many of the city’s best restaurants - in search of the perfect Italian dinner.

Day 7: When in Rome

Feeling fully refuelled after a good night's sleep, it's time for a full day of exploration. Despite the wealth of things to do and sites to see, Rome is a surprisingly small city, and arguably best explored on foot.

For first timers it's probably best to start at the beginning with a tour of the ancient city centre - the Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum, and we have booked a local guide who can bring an already colourful story even more vividly to life on a morning tour of Imperial Rome. Then, after lunch, pay a visit to the smallest country on Earth - Vatican City. We will have pre-arranged tickets to view the Sistine Chapel but if you want to splash the cash we can also arrange a private view of Michelangelo's masterpiece.

Additional Activities

Private Tours - we can arrange private tours of Palazzo Colonna, Palazzo del Quirinale or Galleria Villa Borghese

Foodie Rome Tour

Hidden Rome - a half day guided tour with an archaeologist to explore underground Rome, a labyrinth of ancient crypts, sewers, tunnels and buildings

Day 8: Rome - UK

It might be your final day but the trip isn’t over yet. A visit to the effortlessly fashionable Italian capital wouldn’t be complete without a spot of shopping; so whether you treat yourself to a new Prada handbag, a classic Italian scarf, or just a great bottle of wine, make sure you do go home with some goodies.

Depending on what time your flight is, there might be time for one last lunch and a gelato (can we tell we’re rather parial to Italian ice cream?) in the sun, before a private transfer to the airport for the two and a half to three hour flight.

Day 1: Arrival To Rome

Meals: Dinner

Welcome to Italy! Check in one of our partner hostels in Rome. Meet your tour leader and the other travelers at the accommodation in Rome at 5:30pm for a  short briefing about the itinerary and on what lies ahead on your trip.  During the introduction the guide will be at your disposal to answer your question and take down the booking of any optional activities you wish to add. You willl all continue for an evening orientation walk of the Eternal city passing by the Colosseum and the Roman forum to admire one of the most important Italian sites during the sunset.  The tour will finish with a welcome dinner in a local restaurant to start appreciating the Italian cuisine and to get to know better the other travellers.

Day 2: Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Vatican City & Lots More

Meet our guide in the morning for an orientation walk through the winding roman back streets to discover the most famous sites including Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Don't forget to throw a coin and make a wish! Be prepared to walk all day as there is no better way to explore a new city like Rome than on foot.  Reach finally the Vatican city where you will be left free to visit the St. Peter's Basilica house of the Pope or join an exciting but informative 2h walking tour of the Vatican Museums including the Sistine Chapel  ( tickets of the Vatican museums are included ) with a licensed tour guide. Free evening or meet your guide for drinks.

Day 3: Free Full Day In Rome

This day is up to you! You will have a full day to explore Rome in complete freedom, do some souvenir shopping or simply relax. Add extra to your booking the 2/3h walking tour starting at 09:00am with professional and licensed tour guides of the Colosseum and the Roman forum to learn more about the gladiators and the Roman senate.

Day 4: Pompeii - Sorrento

Meet your guide in the morning to travel by private bus towards the South of Italy. First stop of the day will be Pompeii where you will have the time to enter the site and admire the antique Roman settlements. If you wish to book our guided tour inside the site with a licensed tour guide, make sure you add it to your booking or inform the guide on day one. This tour comes really recommended because as locals we know how important this historical site is and how important it is to have a licensed tour guides of Pompeii showing you around and pointing out the main parts instead of looking out at old rocks without knowing what you are looking at.

After Pompeii we will continue towards Sorrento driving along the coast with spectacular views of the Vesuvio. Our accommodation for the next 3 nigths will be in a caming village located on top of the hill with a terrific scenary of Sorrento and the coast. After check in  you will be taken for a walk around the city center and to a limoncello shop to taste and learn how this typical liqueur of the South is produced. Join in the evening your guide to a local restaurant for an optional dinner based on some decilious pasta or gnocchi, traditional of the area.

Day 5: Boat Trip To Capri Island

What a perfect way to start the day with a boat trip to and around Capri island. Our boat will leave directly from our campsite at 8:30am in the morning. Bring your beach towel and suimsuit because you will have the opportunity to swim . Once in Capri you will be free to explore the island, relax on the beach, take the chairlift up to the top of Mt. Solaro for a breathtaking 360 degree view of the island and visit the Blue Grotto. All this in complete freedom or follow your tour leader for an insight view of the island. Once back to the accommodation you will be free to spend the evening as you prefer or join the guide for dinner at one the most famous pizzeria in Sorrento.

Day 6: Positano And Amalfi Coast

A full day trip by private bus to explore the Amalfi coast and its wonders. The bus will pick us up from the accommodation and drive us on the famous windy road with an amazing scenary also featured in many movies. During the journey we will pass by the " Galli" Islands, the fishing villages of Praiano, Furore and Positano.  We will stop in Amalfi for 2h to taste the fresh "sfogliatella", visit the imposing Cathedral and relax at the beach with a yummy arancini in your hand. In the afternoon we will continue towards Positano, the gem of gem of the Amalfi coast, where we will stay for 3h long enough to allow you to discover the town and its cascade of colourful houses at your own peace, go for a swim and have a bite on one of the typical shop selling fresh local food.

Day 7: Naples - Florence

Meals: Dinner

You can't leave the South of Italy without taking at least a small peek at Naples, home of the Italian pizza and Italian customs. Our private bus will come to pick us up from the accommodation in the morning. We will stop in one of the area of Naples famous for its shopping and monuments. Your tour leader  will take you for an orientation walk and will show you the main places of interests including San Carlo theatre, Plebiscito square, Umberto I 's gallery and lots more. You will also have the opportunity to finally taste the famous Napolitan pizza with buffalo mozzarella before heading back to the bus to continue our journey to return back to Rome to catch a fast speed train to Florence.

Check in to your accommodation and meet your tour leader for an original and fun orientation walk of the city  to discover the new city and the local traditions.You will see the famous gothic Cathedral, the old bridge " Ponte Vecchio",  We will end the tour in one of the busiest streets of Florence renowned for the many bars where to hang out at night.  Here we will stop at the bar rated by the locals as the best aperitivo place in town. Thanks to the great atmosphere you will try the Italian lifestyle; seat down, socialize with the rest of the group, enjoy your drink and then eat and eat as much as you would like from the buffet of tasty Italian food.

Day 8: Tuscany! Siena, san gimignano and chianti region excursion - florence

A full day trip from Florence departing at 8:45am by private van/coach to 3 famous villages of Tuscany; Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni . We'll also ride throughout the CHIANTI region with its charming scenic views and we will reach an authentical Tuscan WINERY surrounded by rolling hills, vines and olive groves for wine and olive oil tasting. Don’t forget to bring your camera…..the scenery from here is stunning! We will be back to Florence at 6:30pm. Free evening

Day 9: Pisa And Cinque Terre Excursion - Florence

An early wake up for an exciting full day at the Cinque Terre, the most characteristic villages of Italy famous for their natural beauty, scenic trails, spectacular coast line and sunny beaches, including a 2h stop at the famous leaning tower of Pisa. We'll be back to Florence at 8:30pm.

Day 10: Full Day In Florence

Full day to wander in Florence, check out the museums, the monuments and some local leather markets in complete freedom. Don't forget to visit the David!

Day 11: Arrival To Venice

Bye Bye Florence, Venice here we come. We will catch the fast speed train from Florence train station and in only 2h we will reach Venice. After check in to our accommodation in Venice, we will head down to town for an orientation walk of the city to explore the city of the many canals, the gondolas, the millions of pigions and the amaizing churches. We will visit St. Mark's square, the Catherdral, the Rialto bridge and the Palazzo Ducale. The afternoon will be all yours if you wish to take a gondola ride across the canal or find out how the Carnival masks are made.

Day 12: Murano, Burano Islands - Venice

Join our 4h tour in the morning to the islands of Murano and Burano to check out the many colourful houses and the glass factories. You will learn about the age-old handcrafts that brought these little islands fame from the quality Murano glass and Burano lace being made first-hand. It’s the perfect trip from Venice with a combination of history and behind-the-scenes action! Spend the afternoon in complete freedom around Venice and enjoy your last night in Venice.

Day 13: Bye bye venice.

The tour ends in Venice but if you need to return back to Rome we can organise the train tickets in advance for our passengers. Make sure you inform us in advance about your travel plans in order to help you as much as possible.