THE MAGNIFICENT SOUTH from Rome Rome - Naples - Pompeii – Sorrento – Capri – Castel del Monte – Castellana (Caves) - Lecce - Ostuni - Alberobello (Trulli) - Matera (Stones) - Sorrento or Rome   5 Days / 4 Night - 4 Star Hotels May to October - Thursday Departure   ITINERARY Day 1 - Sunday: ROME - NAPLES - POMPEII - SORRENTO Early morning departure from Rome for Naples, where a short visit of the town is featured. Then on to Pompeii, the famous Roman city destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mt.Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Lunch in a local restaurant, andafterwards, visit of the excavations. Proceed on to Sorrento. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Day 2 - Friday: SORRENTO - CAPRI - SORRENTO Buffet breakfast. Departure to Capri by steamer. Weather conditions permitting, visit of the Blue Grotto. Return to Marina Grande and then transfer to Anacapri. Lunch in a typical restaurant followed by a visit of Augustus’ Gardens, with a view of the Faraglioni. Return to Sorrento. Dinner and overnight. Day 3 - Saturday: SORRENTO – CASTEL DEL MONTE – CASTELLANA CAVES – NOCI Early morning departure for Apulia, on the way, stop to visit Castel del Monte, imposing octagonal castle, with eight octagonal towers at each side built in 1250 by the emperor Federico II, on a hill of 570 metres that dominates all the valley. Free time for lunch. The journey continues to Castellana Caves. Discovered in 1938, the entrance is represented by an enormous vertical tunnel 60 metres long. At the end of the visit, arrival at the hotel. Accommodation, dinner and overnight. Day 4 – Sunday: NOCI – LECCE – OSTUNI - ALBEROBELLO – NOCI Breakfast and departure to Lecce and its “famous baroque” form of art and architecture developed between the end of the XVI century and the first half of the XVII century. Very rich and beautiful are the decorations of the church of S.Oronzo, the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Celestini Palace. In the square of S.Oronzo we can admire the roman amphitheatre from the II century ac and the column of S.Oronzo, 29m high with a copper statue of the saint on the top. Departure to Ostuni, an architectural jewel commonly referred to as "the White Town" for its white walls and its typically white-painted architecture. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, continue to Alberobello, the town of “trulli” and Unesco Heritage. “Trulli” are typical houses with a cone roof that were used as homes and to keep the farmer utensils. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight. Day 5 – Monday: NOCI – MATERA – SORRENTO OR ROME Buffet breakfast. Departure for Matera that has gained international fame for its “Sassi”. The Sassi originated from a prehistoric (troglodyte) settlement, and are suspected to be some of the first settlements in Italy. The Sassi are houses dug into the tuff rock itself, which  is characteristic of Basilicata and Apulia. Many of these “houses” are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. One of the peculiarity of this ancient city, is that there is a great similarity with the ancient sites in and around Jerusalem. This has caught the eye of film directors and movie studios. Principally due this reason the Sassi were the set of many film, as for example “The Gospel According to St Matthew” (Pasolini,1964), “King David” (Bruce Beresford,1985), “The Passion of the Christ" (Gibson, 2004) and "The Nativity Story" (Hardwicke, 2006). Matera is also a Unesco heritage. Time for a snack and return to Rome or Sorrento. End of the tour and of our service.   Our Hotels   UNBEATABLE FEATURES OUR HOTELS: * In Noci                              Cavaliere **** or similar * In Sorrento                      Vesuvio****    or similar   PRICE INCLUDES: *Accommodation at 4 star Hotels *Buffet breakfast daily *Four dinners – Two lunches *Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach *Service charges and taxes included *An Appian Line Assistant during the tour *Sightseeing tours as indicated in the itinerary *English French Spanish guides *Entrance fees Prices, departures and other details ©2012 by Appian Line