Extension: Sorrento & Amalfi Coast
Trade the islands for the mainland and finish your trip on one of the most spectacular coastlines in the world. This four-day extension is based in Sorrento, a clifftop town perched above the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius sitting on the horizon, lemon groves running down to the water, and limoncello coming out of every second shop. From there you'll spend two full days on the water: one on Capri, the island that's been drawing artists, writers, and free spirits for well over a century, and one running along the Amalfi Coast to the towns of Amalfi and Positano.
Both boat days come with English-speaking assistance on board and plenty of free time built in, so you can swim, shop, hike up to a viewpoint, or find a table with a view and stay there. With a private airport transfer on arrival, comfortable accommodations, and breakfast every morning, this extension is an easy and very rewarding way to add a few days to your time in Italy after our 10 Days in Sicily & Malta trip. Check out the below itinerary and inclusions to learn more...
Itinerary
Day 1
Your extension begins in Malta with a short flight to Naples, roughly an hour and a half in the air on a low-cost carrier. On arrival you'll be met for a private transfer to your hotel in Sorrento, Hotel Gardenia, a drive of a little over an hour that skirts the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius off to one side.
The rest of the day is yours to settle in. Sorrento is compact, walkable, and made for an easy first evening. Wander down to Marina Grande, drift into Piazza Tasso as the evening crowd fills it up, and have your first limoncello somewhere with a view over the water.
Day 2
After breakfast you'll head down to the port for a boat excursion to Capri, and the island earns every bit of its reputation. It rises straight out of the sea in white cliffs, with the Faraglioni rock stacks standing just offshore. There's a swimming stop along the way (weather permitting), and a limoncello tasting, because you're in the region that invented it.
Once ashore, your time on the island is independent, so you can set your own pace. Ride the funicular up to the Piazzetta and watch the world go by from a café table, head over to Anacapri and take the single-seat chairlift to the summit of Monte Solaro for the best view of the Bay of Naples, or find a swimming spot and simply stay in it. Capri was a well-known refuge for gay and lesbian expatriates through the early twentieth century, and that bohemian streak is still part of the island's character today.
Included Activities
Boat excursion to Capri
Swimming stop (weather permitting)
Limoncello tasting
Day 3
Your second day on the water takes you along the Amalfi Coast, and there's a strong argument that this is the most beautiful stretch of shoreline in Italy. Villages stacked improbably up the cliffs, terraced lemon groves, and emerald waters right off the side of the boat. The whole coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it's obvious why when you see it from the sea.
You'll stop in Amalfi, once one of the great maritime republics of the Mediterranean and now a small town with an outsized cathedral, the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, sitting at the top of a dramatic sweep of steps. Then on to Positano, the one you've seen in photographs, with its pastel houses tumbling down to the beach and the majolica dome of Santa Maria Assunta in the middle of it all. You'll have free time in both to shop, swim, eat a long lunch, or just take it in.
Included Activities
Boat tour to Amalfi and Positano
Day 4
Enjoy a final Italian breakfast and a slow morning in Sorrento before making your way onward. Naples airport is a little over an hour away by road, with good onward connections across Europe and back to North America.
If you have even more time to spare, this is an excellent corner of the country in which to keep going. Naples itself is underrated, Pompeii and Herculaneum are both close by, and the coast further south is quieter than anywhere you'll have been on this trip.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
- 3 nights at the Hotel Gardenia in Sorrento. (Superior rooms with sea view may be available on request)
- Full breakfast each morning
- Flight from Malta to Naples with a low-cost airline (approximately 1.5 hours)
- Private transfer from Naples airport to your hotel in Sorrento
- Boat excursion to Capri, including a swimming stop and limoncello tasting
- Boat tour to Amalfi and Positano
- All taxes
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
- Detours trip leader (this extension has English-speaking assistance on board the excursions, but not a Detours trip leader)
- Departure transfer from Sorrento to Naples airport
- Lunches and dinners
- Drinks other than the limoncello tasting on Day 2
- Entry fees, attractions, and activities not mentioned above
- Small gratuities for hotel staff and porters (€1–2) are also appreciated if service is provided.
- Optional gratuities to drivers, boat crew, and local staff. For this program, tips are generally given at the end of each excursion. We suggest the following ranges per person:
- Boat crew and on-board assistance: €5–10 per excursion
- Private transfer driver: €5–10
IMPORTANT NOTES
The flight from Malta to Naples has a baggage allowance tighter than you may be used to. Check the specifics before you pack, as excess baggage charges at the gate can be steep.
Both boat excursions are weather dependent. Sea conditions occasionally force the swimming stop or a landing to be adjusted, and while this is uncommon in June and September, it does happen.
Capri and Positano are steep. Both involve a good deal of vertical walking and a lot of steps. There are funiculars, chairlifts, and taxis to help, but comfortable shoes are essential and anyone with limited mobility should speak with us in advance.
PRICE
$1,975 USD per person, double occupancy
$2,575 USD per person, single occupancy
This Sorrento & Amalfi Coast extension can be added to your 10 Days in Sicily & Malta trip by request - just let us know and we'll be happy to set it up for you!