Compare Amalfi and Capri Magnifica Walking Tour by Tourissimo vs Scenic and Cultural Treasures of Ethiopia by Titan Travel

Day 1: Capri

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Capri  (alternative Gatto Bianco)

Terrain: Flat

Hike: 1 to 2 hrs

After a boat ride from the mainland to Marina Grande, the main dock in Capri, a taxi will take you to the hotel where you will meet your guides. A light lunch together will allow your guides to give you an overview of the tour. In the afternoon you can enjoy a warm up walk on the paved streets of Capri to the Faraglioni, gigantic coastal rocks formed by erosion from sea waves. Enjoy the sunset over the Faraglioni and the Capri coastline before heading back to the piazzetta for our first aperitivo and a toast to the beauty of Capri.

Day 2: Anacapri

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Capri  (alternative Gatto Bianco)

Terrain: Hilly

Hike: 2.5 to 3 hrs

After breakfast we will take a bus to the town of Anacapri on the opposite side of the island. An easy path will lead us to the top of Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island, in about one hour. Once at the top we will enjoy panoramic views of the island that include Marina Grande and Marina Piccola (the two ports of the island), the Faraglioni and Villa Jovis, on the top of a cliff. On a sunny day views extend to Naples and to Mt. Vesuvius. You can walk back down or take a chairlift right to the center of town where we can have lunch. Shopping time is mandatory in Anacapri to try on the Capresi sandals that are handmade by a craftsman following the old tradition. The shopping street of Anacapri is also the beginning of the path that will take us back to Capri, walking down the steps of the Phoenician Staircase, an old path that the islanders used to walk up and down before the road was built. In 1.5 - 2 hours we will be back to the hotel. A public bus is also available all day long should you wish to spend more time shopping or wandering through the town of Anacapri and inside some of its old palaces. One that stands out is Villa San Michele, a wonderful palace with gardens, built by a Swedish doctor and veterinarian, Axel Munthe, for his retirement.

Day 3: Capri

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Capri  (alternative Gatto Bianco)

Terrain: Rolling

Hike: 3 Hrs

This morning we will walk to Villa Jovis, one of Tiberius’ villas, in about 1.5 hrs. A visit of this ancient Roman site is a great opportunity to see how good the ancient Romans were in constructing their noble mansions. They also created the forefather of the modern spa, the thermal baths, remains of which you can still admire at this villa. Our lunch stop will be on the way back to the center of Capri and in the afternoon we can take another short walk to visit the Augustus Gardens or spend some time shopping in Capri and relax before dinner.

Boat ride to the Blue Grotto (weather permitting). This is the most famous sight on Capri, where visitors from around the world form long lines to get a peek inside for just a few magical moments. This natural cavern is 25 meters wide and 60 meters long, with a tiny entrance less than a meter high. To enter, visitors lay back in wooden rowboats and glide through the low cave mouth. Once inside, the boats bob in the dark, suspended on the surface of water so blue that it seems dream-like.

Day 4: Amalfi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Rufolo

Terrain: Rolling

Hike: 2.5 to 3 hrs

Leaving Capri is never easy but we have to look ahead from the jet boat and to see our next destination: Amalfi. We will not regret this transfer on the mainland, since Amalfi will welcome us with its lively port and square and streets full of small shops and coffee bars. From Amalfi centre we will walk along La valle delle Ferriere and back to Amalfi. A lunch in Amalfi will be followed by visit to an old paper mill, now a museum, where each of you can make his own paper sheet in the old traditional way and using the original machineries! This will be our gift to be taken home with you. Don’t forget to taste a Delizia al Limone, a lemon spongecake, at the pastry shop next to the Cathedral square before starting our visit of the town with a local guide. The Cathedral and its cloister and treasure will be a highlight of the day! Some free time for shopping and to discover Amalfi on your own and then we will take a bus to Ravello. A pottery handcraft shop visit in Ravello is another interesting activity that we suggest to complete this rich day. In Ravello it’s possible to enjoy a classic music concert in Villa Rufolo. Check the program with the guides in advance.

Day 5: Positano

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Terrain: Rolling

Hike: 3 Hrs

Today we leave Ravello and we head north to Positano. A private transfer will take us to the town of Bomerano, near Agerola, where our hike starts. We will walk to Positano today, following Il sentiero degli Dei (The Path of the Gods) to Nocelle, just above Positano. The 7.8 km path is about 3 hours and has stunning views. Our lunch will be a picnic along the path with focaccia and mozzarella from Agerola, or a late lunch in Nocelle square, before taking the bus down to the center of Positano where we can rest at our hotel. A fish dinner in Positano with a view over the coast will be our reward for this long walk.

Day 6: Positano

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Palazzo Murat (alternative Poseidon)

Terrain: Rolling

Hike: 2 Hrs

A leisurely day in Positano. For our last day we suggest a short and easy walk to the old cemetery of Positano from where you can admire the entire town. On the way back to the hotel we can learn some of the history of Positano by visiting some of its quarters. Lunch will be in town by the sea and then enjoy some souvenir shopping and a good gelato al limone (lemon ice cream) before we get ready for our celebration dinner in the wonderful location of Furore, a canyon carved by the sea. A shuttle will take us there (and back) for a last night view of this incredible coast!

Day 7: Positano

Meals: Breakfast

Terrain: Departure

Ride: None

After breakfast a shuttle will take you to Naples airport or to another destination according to your travel plans.

Day 1 London - In flight
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow Airport for a direct, scheduled Ethiopian Airlines flight to Addis Ababa.

Day 2 Addis Ababa
The name of the Ethiopian capital translates as ‘new flower’, and it makes for a splendid introduction to the country. After a little time to rest and acclimatise to the city’s lofty altitude, our sightseeing tour takes in its wide jacaranda-lined boulevards and bustling markets, and makes stops at the lovely Baroque Trinity Cathedral and the National Museum, which presents the story of ‘Lucy’ (known locally as ‘Dinknesh’, meaning ‘thing of wonder’), the 3 million-year-old hominid fossil which changed our understanding of human evolution upon its discovery in 1974. Our hotel for two nights is the Golden Tulip Addis Ababa Hotel (4T).

Day 3 Melka Kunture and Tiya
History is everywhere in Ethiopia, and today’s excursion introduces the archaeological site of Melka Kunture and the Tiya Stelae Field. Melka Kunture is a place most associated with our early human ancestors and boasts a continuous record of archaeological artefacts spanning more than 1.5m years. And Tiya, the most important of an astonishing concentration of 160 archaeological sites, is the UNESCO-listed home to 36 megaliths. The majority are carved with enigmatic symbols - 12th century remnants of an ancient Ethiopian culture which remains largely a mystery.

Day 4 Addis Ababa - Bahir Dar - Blue Nile Falls
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for a short flight to the lakeside city of Bahir Dar, checking in to the Avanti Blue Nile Hotel (4T) upon arrival. In the afternoon, we enjoy an excursion to the breathtaking Blue Nile Falls, considered one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Africa. Impressive at any time of year, but particularly in full summer flood, the falls are 400m wide and 45m high. Take your time to appreciate them from a selection of vantage points, which may also afford you a glimpse of hippo and crocodile basking on the banks and myriad bird species in the surrounding foliage.

Day 5 Lake Tana
We head out by private boat onto nearby Lake Tana today, to visit the monasteries of the Zege Peninsula. A short walk from our docking point through local villages and coffee plantations takes us to Ura Kidane Meret, a circular monastery housing an important collection of crosses and crowns dating back to the 16th century. Its vibrantly colourful maqdas (friezes) tell the stories of Ethiopian saints. Our second visit is Azwa Maryam, a small and pleasant monastery set in delightful gardens. It too has fine works of art to admire. On our return to Bahir Dar, we make a short tour of the city to visit its characterful market and appreciate fine views from Bezawit Palace.

Day 6 Bahir Dar - Simien Mountains National Park
A pleasant drive through rural villages and highland passes takes us to the green heart of the Simien Mountains. This national park occupies an area of 70 square miles at altitudes between 1,900m and 4,430m and boasts three distinct botanical zones with varied flora. Take a walk in search of the Gelada, also known as the ‘bleeding heart monkey’ for their extraordinary chest markings, or simply relax in surroundings of natural splendour. Our hotel for the night is the Simien Lodge (3T) or Limalimo Lodge (3T+).

Day 7 Simien Mountains National Park - Gondar
After spending much of the day in further appreciation of the pinnacles, valleys and wildlife of this stunning region, we drive to Gondar by way of Kossoye, where we enjoy an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Our base in Gondar is the Goha Hotel (3T).

Day 8 Gondar
The first capital of the Ethiopian Empire, Gondar is renowned for its 17th century complex of castles and palaces. We explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, with particular focus on the Royal Enclosure and the two-storey palace of Emperor Fasilidas, built of solid basalt stones. The monumental library of Emperor Yohannes I, the House of Song, the banquet hall of Emperor Bakaffa and the Church of Debre Birhan Selassie also richly reward a visit, as does the bathhouse of King Fasiledes, where the brightly coloured modern day Timkat (Epiphany) festivals take place. Later in the day, we make a short visit to a local school to meet students.

Day 9 Gondar - Axum
A further short flight takes us from Gondar to Axum, another ancient Ethiopian capital and a place to excite the imagination. In the morning, we visit the Archaeological Museum and the Cathedral of St Mary of Zion, built on the oldest Christian site in Africa, with a guarded chapel said to house the Ark of the Covenant and an onsite museum of precious relics. In the afternoon, there is time to explore Axum’s Stelae Field of ancient monuments, including the 25m Rome Stela, along with millennia-old royal tombs and the reputed residence of the Queen of Sheba. Our hotel tonight is Axum’s finest, the Sabean International Hotel (3T).

Day 10 Axum - Lalibela
In this huge country of highland plateaux, flying is the most convenient means of transportation, and we take the aerial route this morning from Axum to Lalibela, one of the most important religious and historical sites not just of Africa, but of the entire Christian world. Though there are more than 200 monumental churches in the area, 11 demonstrate true master craftsmanship and comprise what is often described as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. Though some have espoused theories that these rock-hewn masterpieces were constructed by the Knights Templar or even by angels, they date back to the 12th and 13th century, and the reign of King Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty. We visit the finest churches in two groups, the first this afternoon including Bete Madhane Alem, the largest monolithic church in the world, and Bete Maryam, the oldest Lalibela church, with exquisite early frescoes and carvings adorning its ceiling, upper walls, arches and capitals. We retire this evening to the comfortable Maribela Hotel (3T+) or Mountain View Lodge (3T+).

Day 11 Lalibela
This morning we visit the second group of rock-cut churches said to represent King Lalibela’s ‘heavenly Jerusalem on earth’. These include the majestic cross-shaped Bete Giorgis (Church of St George), perhaps the most perfect and beautiful of them all, with interior decorations depicting that hero’s slaying of the dragon. In the afternoon, we visit an Ethiopian family in Lalibela to enjoy some home cooked delicacies.

Day 12 Lalibela - Addis Ababa
A final domestic flight returns us to Addis Ababa and the opportunity to explore the Merkato, the largest open-air market in Africa. Bemusing and fascinating in equal measure, there is no better place to shop for mementoes of this amazing trip. In the evening, savour a farewell dinner at a local restaurant to the accompaniment of ethnic music and dancing. Overnight back at the Golden Tulip Addis Ababa Hotel (4T).

Day 13 Addis Ababa - London
We transfer to the airport for a direct, scheduled Ethiopian Airlines flight to London Heathrow. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.