Amalfi Coast Private Wine Tour

Arrive at Naples Capodichino Airport, and your elegant driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals lounge with a sleek Mercedes. Relax and let your charming driver look after your bags, treat you to a coffee if you like, and get you to your hotel for check-in. You’ll appreciate having a driver maneuvering through the mind-boggling sea of merging lanes, oncoming trams, and seemingly insane taxi drivers. Arrive at your five-star old grand dame of a hotel Grand Hotel Vesuvio in the Bay of Naples overlooking the pretty “Castel dell’ Ovo” fortress and a small marina.

Meet your friendly and knowledgeable guide at the hotel and start exploring Naples on a vintage Vespa. On this two-wheeled excursion, you will explore an exciting and lesser-known Naples. You will taste the best street food, including taralli with almonds and black pepper, pizza with a libretto (pizza folded like a small book and easy to eat with your hands), and gelato. After this exciting tour, you will have time to relax and rest before dinner.

Dinner this evening is in one of Campania’s finest Michelin starred restaurants, at Palazzo Petrucci. You’ll enjoy a tasting menu paired with top Italian wines prepared by Chef Lino Scarallo is one of Southern Italy’s “hot new chefs.” Specialties here include Lasagnetta di mozzarella di bufala e crudo di gamberi; Paccheri ripieni di ricotta con ragù napoletano e grattugiata di ricotta di pecora; Triglia e scarola ripassata; stratificazione di pastiera napoletana.

After a sublime evening, your driver will take you back to your hotel.

Sleep in this morning and enjoy a late breakfast in your room, complete with roses and bubbly. At noon, your private art guide will meet you at your hotel and take you on a guided walking tour of Naples. You’ll climb up to the Piazza Plebiscito, visit Teatro San Carlo (the oldest opera house in Naples, on a par with Milan’s La Scala), admire the views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples as you ascend to the Centro Storico. Outside the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), check out the statues of Naples’ many rulers throughout the centuries. Your guide will explain the significance of the reign of the Bourbon King Charles III (Carlos III of Spain and King of Naples & Sicily), one of the most important patrons of the arts in European history.

Carry on to Spaccanapoli to visit Santa Chiara cloister, San Severo Chapel and Veiled Christ, Piazza San Domenico, and San Gregorio Armeno Street with the famous Christmas cribs and clay figurines.

You’ll sit down to a delightful “Vera Pizza Napoletana” lunch at 50 Kalò.  Naples is the home of the Pizza Margherita, and you can pick the pizza of your choice (try the Pizza with Buffalo Mozzarella- to die for!), served with “panzarotti stuffed with Fiori di Zucca” and “Scarola with raisins and pine nuts.” Finish with an ice-cold Limoncello made with Sorrento lemons.

After lunch, you will continue with a private guided tour of the superb Archaeological Museum of Naples. The palace that houses the museum dates to the 1500s and was transformed into a museum by Carlos III, who oversaw significant excavations of Pompeii. See the splendid mosaics and frescos from Pompeii and Herculaneum, including the famed “Erotic Room.” Admire the Ancient Greek sculptures and the exquisite Farnese collection of ancient sculptures discovered at Rome’s Caracalla Baths. After a fascinating museum tour, you’ll return to your hotel for a free evening.

Today, you have a fantastic wine-tasting excursion in store! You’ll head north to Cellole from Naples, visiting the prestigious Villa Matilde wine estate. Stroll through the beautiful estate and romantic cellars with your hosts, and sit down to a private wine tasting. Winemaker superstar Riccardo Cotarella is in charge of Villa Matilde’s fabulous wines. You’ll taste the best six they have to offer, including the highly lauded and elegantissimo Vigna Camarato (made with a blend of 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso), the Primitivo based “Cecubo” and the wonderful Falanghina based “Caracci,” among other excellent wines. A traditional lunch will follow served on-site with estate wines.

After lunch today, you will visit the Reggia di Caserta, one of Southern Italy’s most magnificent architectural gems. Inspired by Versailles, this Unesco-protected palace was built in the 1750s again under the Bourbon King Charles III. It features vast gardens and over 1000 rooms! A professional art guide will take you on a private tour, showing you the most interesting rooms and pieces and entertaining you with historical anecdotes. Afterward, spend some free time in the historic town of Casertavecchia (old Caserta) before returning to Naples.

The night is yours, and you have plenty of restaurants to choose from; go for a fun aperitif in the pretty Chiaia neighborhood at fish shop Mattiucci, which turns into a lively wine and raw fish bar at night. For a charming spot near the hotel, try the spaghetti alle vongole at the “Liberty Style” La Bersagliera in the marina. Also close by is the elegant La Cantinella, where grilled seafood is served in a refined venue that attracts visiting celebrities.

And the wine-tasting adventure continues! Today, your driver will sweep you away to the wine roads of Irpinia. This particularly lush and mountainous wine region is strikingly beautiful. It is known for Taurasi, a red wine with a bold structure upheld by an acidity that gives it elegance and long life, called the “Barolo of the South.” Apart from wine, Irpinia is also a culinary destination known for its black truffles and chestnuts. Your first winery of the day is at Mastroberardino. Visit the small cellar and vineyard before sitting down to a tasting of their excellent wines.

Travel next to Sorbo Serpico and arrive at the exceptional Feudi di San Gregorio wine estate. Feudi boasts an ultra-modern cellar (designed by Japanese architect Hikaru Mori), splendid herb gardens, and a gourmet restaurant. Feudi di San Gregorio are pioneers in Campania for championing the local varietals like Aglianico and Falanghina, and apart from Campania, they invested heavily in the regions of Bolgheri, Puglia, and Basilicata. After a walk in the vineyards and a short tour of the cellars, lunch will be at their excellent Michelin-starred Marennà restaurant. The chef’s tasting menu is paired with estate wines in a minimalist chic dining room, including their Greco-based bubbly Dubl Esse, Fiano, and Greco grapes blend Campanaro. Buon appetito!

Tonight, you are heading to the beautiful Amalfi Coast. On the way to Positano, you can stop into Cetara, an authentic fisherman’s village and one of the only villages on this coastline where the locals still make their livelihood from fishing. The thing to buy here is the Colatura di Alici, a modern version of the Ancient Roman “Garum” (a 2000-year-old recipe of a sardine-based sauce). In the early evening, pull up to the front door of your fantastic hotel located in a glam palazzo in ravishing Positano. Benvenuti in Costiera Amalfitana!

Set amid flowering bougainvillea and stunning views over the sea, your hotel is a hideaway for the rich and famous Hotel Le Agavi – don’t be surprised if you see some of Hollywood’s elite here!

The morning is free to enjoy your luxurious hotel’s facilities and visit Positano, the loveliest village on the coastline. Enjoy breakfast overlooking the sparkling sea, relax at the outdoor swimming pool, or get a massage. Explore the charming shops, pick up some pastries at the Pasticceria La Zagara, and admire the views of this Moorish-designed hamlet perched over the Tyrrhenian Sea. For hiking enthusiasts, the Path of the Gods offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself fully in the breathtaking beauty of this area. Traverse this legendary trail and experience the stunning vistas and natural wonders that make this journey a must for every adventurer.

In the afternoon, you have a treat in store- a private helicopter tour over the Amalfi coastline. Taking in the views of this magnificent coastline is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Don’t forget the camera!

Upon your return to the hotel, freshen up for the late afternoon and dinner. Your driver will collect you around 4 PM, and you’ll head to the pretty village of Amalfi. Explore historic Amalfi on your own. The Duomo is the most beautiful on the Amalfi Coast with its black and white striped marble columns. Grab a pastry or “granita” at the historic Pasticceria Andrea Pansa 1840, have a glass of wine at a sidewalk café, and hit the gourmet shops.

Next, for some fun outdoor activities, a lemon cooking class and limoncello-making workshop. Learn how to make a full meal with an appetizer, main course, and dessert included. Limoncello is the ultimate Italian digestive made with lemons, sugar, and alcohol. It is the perfect way to finish a meal; you can make your own today! Original and entertaining!

After a hands-on cooking class, you’ll sit at the alfresco dinner with views of bobbing fishing boats and luxury yachts in the distance.

Today, you have a fabulous wine experience. Enjoy an exclusive, luxury morning and gourmet lunch experience with one of our esteemed wine producers in the picturesque region of Campania, Ragis: Owner Patrizia Malaga fell in love with the lovely Raito overlooking the Gulf of Salerno and decided to plant a vineyard to produce high-quality wines. You will spend the morning in the vineyards and the cellar and indulge in a superb wine tasting during a home-cooked family-style lunch.

The afternoon is yours to visit Amalfi Coast villages. Start with ceramic Museo Villa Guariglia and then on to Vietri to pick up some famous ceramics. Campania’s most prestigious ceramic center, Vietri, is a cute old town with gorgeous shops squeezed next to each other. Our favorite ones include Ceramica Francesco Di Maio, Ceramica Artistica Solimene Vincenzo, Ceramiche Margherita, and Ceramica Vietri Scotto.

Tour Ravello and don’t miss the Villa Cimbrone, as the views here are some of Italy’s most dramatic and beautiful. The Villa Rufolo also offers excellent seascapes.

Head to the Furore forest next; that’s right- a fjord! No, you are not in Norway, but the Amalfi Coast. Take in the dizzying views and admire the surprising artwork (Furore’s mayor invites artists yearly to paint wine-inspired murals in this minuscule hamlet).

Tonight’s dinner is at Quattro Passi; you will arrive at the restaurant at sunset via private cruise, taking in the spectacular Sorrento peninsula. A superb three-Michelin-starred restaurant, one of the most romantic and elegant in Italy and one of our favorites in Southern Italy.

Dining in the luxuriant and flourishing gardens adorned with Vietri ceramics, you’ll taste Chef Antonio Mellino’s Mediterranean specialties like Calamari Tagliatelli with Fish Roe, Red Mullet wafer, Orange and Rosemary. For dessert, try the famous Campania cheese plate, which features goodies like fresh goat’s cheese from the Cilento National Park, Provolone del Monaco, Caciocavallo Podolico, and more. Your driver will take you back to your hotel after dinner.

The Ancient Roman Emperor’s preferred vacation spot of Capri is on the itinerary today. And you will arrive by a luxury boat, sipping chilled white wine and nibbling on focaccia en route. Upon checkout, your driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you to your private “Capitano,” who will escort you on a relaxing full-day cruise to this lovely isle. On the way from the Positano to Capri, you will cruise along the coast and its hidden gems, Punta Campanella and its natural sea reserve, Li Galli, three little islands whose name comes from the ancient Greek for mermaids.

You will then tour the island of Capri and visit the most iconic sights, including the dramatic Faraglioni and the beautiful ‘Grotta Azzurra’ or Blue Grotto. This ethereal sea cave is a wondrous work of nature.

In the early afternoon, arrive at the Marina Piccola and head to your hotel for check-in. You’ll be staying at the best hotel in Capri, the Capri Palace, located in a lush garden in one of the most picturesque places on the island. The rest of the day is yours, and tonight, you’ll have a welcome dinner at the hotel’s fabulous Michelin-starred L’Olivo restaurant. While sipping wine between courses, you’ll be entertained by a singer and mandolin player, serenading you with classics like “O Sole Mio.” Molto romantico!

This late morning, a fantastic wine tasting is in store. Learn about native Campania grape varieties like Falanghina, Greco, Biancolella, Coda di Volpe, and Fiano (white), and Aglianico & Piedirosso (red). Taste Cru wines from some of the best estates and follow with a fabulous Michelin-starred lunch at Il Riccio, a cliffside restaurant overlooking the Blue Grotto.
The rest of the day is yours: relax at Il Riccio Beach Club with white cabanas and a stone staircase leading to the sea, or explore Capri alone. Don’t miss the Villa San Michele, a captivating villa with incredible gardens and views, buzzing Piazzetta, and elegant Via Camerelle.

Tonight, enjoy some fun and thrilling nightlife and live music at Taverna Anema e Core; many celebrities from show business, politics, and economics have had fun here over the decades.

Try your hotel’s fresh-squeezed blood-red orange juice and freshly baked pastries before checking out. This morning, your private captain will take you by boat to Sorrento, long adored by foreigners, especially during the “Grand Tour” of the 17th and 18th centuries. There is plenty to see and do, and you’ll have free time to take in the shopping and sights of the old town. The lovely cloister of the Chiesa di San Francesco is a “must.” Shopping ideas include Sorrento cameos, inlaid wood and antiques, coral, embroidery and lace, and gourmet shopping (olive oils, Limoncello, wines, sun-dried tomatoes, bags of herbs, etc.).

At lunchtime, transfer to Vico Equense, where you will dine at the mythical 2 Michelin-starred Torre del Saracino, run by the exuberant Chef Gennaro Esposito. You’ll sit down to a tasting menu of Gennaro’s best seasonal dishes, paired with excellent local Campania wines from fine estates.

After a tantalizing lunch, you’ll drive to Pompeii. This ancient Roman city was buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The story is one of the most intriguing in Italian history, and you’ll have your professional art guide take you around the excavation site to bring history to life. After a three-hour walking tour of the archeological site and museum, head into nearby Naples, where you’ll spend the last evening. Tonight is yours to relax and pack.

This morning your driver will transfer you from your hotel to the airport in Naples, and this concludes your phenomenal luxury tour on the Amalfi Coast. You’ll bring back lots of gourmet goodies with you, and a lifetime of memories. Arrivederci!