Sorrento and Rome

Board your coach and travel south on the autostrada to the Bay of Naples.

The evening is free to enjoy Sorrento's scenic delights and spectacular views. For the finest overlook of all, you may want to go to Punta di Sorrento and watch the sunset from the belvedere.

You may want to check out the Museo Correale di Terranova, whose collections (notably Neapolitan paintings, Capodimonte porcelain, and Murano glassware) are housed in an elegant villa that overlooks the Bay of naples. Its Library holds books by the poet Torquato Tasso, born in Sorrento in 1544, whose best-known work is Gerusalemme liberata, an epic poem published in 1581 that's one of the classics of Italian literature.

A ferry will take you to the Isle of Capri.

Transfer by funicular to the town of Capri's main square (Piazzetta), passing tropical gardens on the way. On the island stands Villa Jovis, the imperial residence from which Tiberius once ruled his empire. Recall tales of the Emperor Augustus, and of the mischievous Caligula.

From Capri's Piazzetta, it's an easy walk to the Gardens of Augustus, a magnificent public garden landscaped in the 1930s by the German industrialist Friedrich Krupp. Its terraces adorned with colorful and fragrant vegetation are perched atop a cliff with a sheer drop to the sea. The gardens face Capri's southern coast and provide splendid views of the 14th-century Charterhouse of San Giacomo, the Bay of Marina Piccola, down below, and the Faraglioni, the needle-like rocks that soar above the sea.

Board a ferry bound for Sorrento.

Perhaps the oldest settlement in Italy, Cumae is a hotbed of Greek mythology. During your your visit, you will see the Temple of Apollo, described by Virgil in The Aeneid which was transformed into a Christian church.

In the footsteps of Aeneas, you will enter the Sibyl's Cave. Among all the Sibyls of the ancient world, the Sibyl of Cumae was the most revered.

Proceed to your centrally-located hotel, settle in and get ready to explore your surroundings.

A full-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Rome, will accompany your group.

Marvel at Michelangelo's Last Judgment and brightly-colored ceiling frescoes in the Cappella Sistina.

Enter the sanctuary recognized as the world's largest church. The Basilica di San Pietro also houses priceless works of art, in particular Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's Dove of the Holy Spirit.

Inside the "Temple to All the Gods," you will understand why it has been called one of the better-preserved and most harmonious monuments of antiquity.

Take in some sights or indulge in some shopping. Italy is famous worldwide for its fashion designers such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Gianni Versace and Moschino. Consider a visit to the area surrounding Piazza del Popolo, a paradise of shopping, thanks to the high concentration of boutiques.

You may want to visit the famous Spanish Steps, a favorite spot for Romans and tourists alike. Attractions in the area include the last residence of the poet John Keats, the exclusive Babington Tea Rooms, and Via dei Condotti, lined with high fashion boutiques such as Armani, Prada, Versace, and Gucci.

A Frecciarossa or Frecciargento high-speed train will take you to Firenze, often called the "Jewel of the Renaissance." Never in the history of mankind has so much genius, in all its forms, been concentrated in one place as it was in Florence during the fifteenth century.

You may want to check out Florence's leather and jewelry shops, or the boutiques where you can acquire beautiful reproductions of Florentine artwork at reasonable prices.