Italian Dreams: From the Amalfi Coast to Rome

In Sorrento we stayed at the beautiful Ara Maris Hotel. The Ara Maris Hotel is such a gem! Don't forget to take in the view of Mount Vesuvius from the rooftop terrace. We ended our evening with a tour & family style dinner at the La Masseria Farm in Sorrento.

We took a fun day trip along the Amalfi coast with stops in Ravello, Amalfi & Positano. Our private driver & guide Alfonso was entertaining and knowledgeable. I highly recommend a driver for the Amalfi coast. The roads are narrow and full of tight turns with rock walls on one side and the ocean on the other. Relax and enjoy the views with a private driver.

If you’re looking to escape the crowds and discover a slice of authentic Italian island life, Ischia is the perfect choice. Nestled in the sparkling Bay of Naples, Ischia is often overshadowed by its flashier neighbor, Capri — but that’s exactly what makes it so special. It is an easy ferry ride from Naples.

Always a pleasure to visit Naples and we enjoyed pizza, visiting the archaeological site of Herculaneum and wine tasting at Cantina Del Vesuvio. Pizza at its birthplace and a Vesuvian wine tasting at sunset? That’s the ultimate local combo.

A must see on anyone's Puglia adventure. Stay for sunset and watch the city light up. When the lights begin to flicker on, Matera transforms — a thousand tiny lights scattered across the slopes, glowing from caves and courtyards, from cafés tucked beneath arches. Seeing the Sassi glow as the lights come on at dusk is pure magic.

Lecce is a beautiful Baroque historic city center worth exploring. Lecce’s Baroque architecture feels like walking through an open-air museum, and Otranto’s seaside charm makes the perfect afternoon escape.

Conversano is a lovely city w/a historic city center good for wandering or enjoying a coffee. Day trips to Alberobello, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, Monopoli & Bari. Ostuni was a surprise to me. I loved the white washed city and charming narrow passages that led to views of the olive-dotted countryside, with the sea shimmering faintly in the distance. They call it La Città Bianca — The White City — and the name couldn’t be more fitting.

Along the Adriatic Polignano a Mare and Monopoli — two neighboring coastal gems in Puglia that feel like they were made for slow mornings, sea breezes, and gelato in hand. Polignano a Mare doesn’t just sit on the sea — it hovers above it. The old town clings to dramatic limestone cliffs that plunge straight into the shimmering turquoise Adriatic. Just a few minutes down the coast, Monopoli has a different kind of charm. The old port is the heart of it all — a small, sheltered inlet lined with pastel boats bobbing in impossibly blue water. Both towns share that easy Puglian beauty — sun, sea, stone, and a sense that life is meant to be savored slowly.

Then leaving the tour and on our own for our final night in Rome staying at the fabulous Baglioni Hotel Regina. Chef’s kiss. A luxurious farewell to an unforgettable journey.