Dates & Rates & All the Info

Date:  
October 13 - 20.  (Or the week of your choice, if you have a group of 6 people)
We will arrange for pick-up and return from/to Rome Airport (FCO) 

Accommodations:  
Our small group of 8, including Roberto and Gail, will base in the beautiful village of Praiano, halfway between Positano and Amalfi, about 5 km from each.  Each room in our B&B, hanging on a cliff on the seaside of the road, will have a terrace overlooking the sea and its own private bathroom, some with jacuzzi.  

We looked at many hotels to find one with the charm and authenticity of the region - handpainted tiles, lemon groves, vegetable garden for the restaurant, many little nooks and crannies to enjoy your glass of vino, and Billy the Dog.  If you require the Ritz-Carlton, this is not the tour for you!

We will be walking distance to restaurants, shops, and the bus to destinations along the coast.

Rates:  
$3575 per person based on double occupancy.

What's Included (almost everything!):  
+Seven nights at the B&B, all breakfasts 
+5 dinners or lunches, one in a Michelin-starred restaurant, including local wines
+Transfers from and to the Rome Airport
+Local ground transportation ("Roaming with Roberto")
+Fees for wine, cheese and limoncello tastings
+Tickets to historical sites, local bus or train tickets on a group outing.
+Our fee for the involuntary weight-loss program (did we mention all the STEPS?**)

What's Not Included:
-Airfare
-Trip Insurance (highly recommended)
- Dinners and lunches on your own
-Your personal favorite wine during included dinners!
-A porter to carry your luggage up and down all the STEPS** 
-Shipping costs to send those gorgeous ceramics you purchased back to the States

**STEPS!  This area of the coast is very steep and our tour will involve a lot of walking.  There are many steps, and the terrain is very hilly.  You will want to have really good, broken-in walking shoes.
No fancy-dancy high heels necessary!  The guests enjoying this type of trip the most will be fit and active in their regular lifestyle at home.


POSSIBILITIES

Villages
There are many interesting villages a short drive from our base in Praiano.

Our itinerary may include the archeological sites of Pompei, Ercolano and Paestum.
  
Weather permitting, we will cruise to the Isle of Capri, as romantic as you imagine it is; and hike the Pathway of the Gods, Il sentiero degli Dei, from Positano to Praiano for heart-stopping views.
 
The cliff-hugging villages of Positano, Praiano, Ravello, and Amalfi will be our neighborhood for seven days.  Not far away, we will also venture to Sorrento, Vietri, and Furore, one of my favorites with murals painted on the village walls. 

Food and Wine
We are passionate about the quality and authenticity of food and wine, and we will be touring organic producers who meet this criteria.

We’ll visit the farmhouse of organically raised water buffalos, and tour and taste the production of buffalo mozzarella, as well as their yogurt and ice cream products. 

A winery with vineyards of ancient local grapes, grown organically and still producing lovely wines, is waiting for us to taste.

We'll also visit a place where Limoncello is produced and have a tasting of this famous lemon liquor. 

Late October is the time of the hand-picked olive harvest.  Hopefully, we'll be right on time.  Wait till you see and taste that green, first-pressed oil from organic farming!

We'll learn about the production of pasta in Gragnano, a city famous for its pasta, from a company leading the way with the best. 


Arts and Artisans 
We’ll visit the workshops of artisans using the methods of many generations to produce their wares:
  

The Museo della Carta in Amalfi telling the story of Amalfi's famous paper making industry since the XIII century.

An artist at the tower in Praiano showing original paintings and terra cotta sculpture.

A ceramics artist painting by hand the beautiful pottery so famous in this region. 

Music concerts in local churches and other venues may also be added to our schedule.