06/09/2024
Sorrento & Sicily
9 Days
3 Destinations - Sorrento > Taormina > Catania
FEATURE FRIDAY! Today's feature is the RailBookers Sorrento & Sicily trip - an amazing 9-day adventure exploring Italy!
Itinerary
Day 1: Naples to Sorrento - Upon arrival at Naples airport, meet your private transfer for a scenic drive along the coast, the perfect introduction to your adventure in Southern Italy. Check in to your hotel for a three-night stay and start exploring.
Day 2: Capri and the Blue Grotto - Set sail for Capri, a scenic island off the coast of Naples, known for its stunning beauty, luxurious atmosphere, and impressive cliffs. After exploring the island, experience the Blue Grotto, a sea cave on the island's coast, famous for its intense blue light, caused by the sun shining through an underwater opening.
Day 3: Sorrento - Enjoy a full day on the Amalfi Coast, starting with a private limoncello demonstration and tasting. The region is known for its abundance of citrus trees and the lemon groves are the perfect backdrop for sampling this local delicacy. Afterward, enjoy a refreshing drink on the beachfront and watch the world go by. Or stroll along to the Piazza Tasso for lunch in a quiet café and wonderful views over the water. Don't miss a visit to the Chiesa di San Francesco, a beautiful 14th-century church.
Day 4: Sorrento to Taormina Via Naples - After breakfast this morning your driver will pick you up at your Sorrento hotel, bringing you to Naples Centrale station to catch your train to Sicily. Admire the scenery of southern Italy from the comfort of your seat, and once at the Straits of Messina, the train boards a boat to take you from mainland Italy to Sicily. The train then continues along the coast to the famous resort town of Taormina. On arrival, check-in at your hotel for a two-night stay. Surrounded by stunning natural beauty such as the impressive Mount Etna and sweeping bays alongside the Mediterranean Sea, Taormina is a picture-perfect destination.
Day 5: Taormina - Today a fabulous experience awaits as you meet your regional expert chef and take a stroll over to a local market. Learn about the abundant ingredients in Sicilian cuisine, as the chef picks out the products for today’s class. Head over to a local restaurant, put on your apron, and begin the preparation of a complete Sicilian menu. Taste the fruits of your labor, along with sampling Italian wine.
Day 6: Taormina to Catania - Catania is only a short train ride away and upon arrival check-in for a two-night stay. Set off to explore the city, and why not visit the ancient Roman Rotonda, the beautiful Palazzo Conte Federico, or the busy Pescheria food market? Be sure to try some tasty street food!
Day 7: Catania - Today is yours to explore the Sicilian charm of Catania. Full of beautiful monuments and quaint streets, there’s no shortage of experiences to discover.
Day 8: Catania - This morning, embark on a half-day trip to remember, as you climb the ancient slopes of Mount Etna on a private four-wheel drive jeep. Learn the mythological legend of Zeus’ thunderbolt and enjoy dramatic views as you near the top. Stop at a small village to taste some local honey and almond cookies, then don a helmet and torch as you explore a cave dug by the flowing lava, then it’s an easy hike to the edge of a side crater or on a lava flow before returning to Catania via an off-road track.
Day 9: Journey Ends in Catania - A driver will collect you from your hotel for the short drive to Catania airport.
Trip Highlights
- Experience the unforgettable beauty of the Amalfi Coast and Capri
- Learn about the process of limoncello-making
- Stroll through a local market with an expert chef and learn the secrets of Sicilian cooking
- Drive along the slopes of Mount Etna taking in the dramatic views
What’s Included
- Rail travel in standard class throughout
- 3 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast in Sorrento
- 2 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast in Taormina
- 3 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast in Catania
- Private airport transfers upon arrival in Naples and departure in Catania
- Private transfer from Sorrento to Naples train station
- Sightseeing tour of Capri and the Blue Grotto
- Limoncello demonstration with tasting
- Local market tour and cooking class in Taormina
- Jeep tour of Mount Etna from Catania
