Arrival in Positano

Upon your arrival in Positano you check into your sea view room at the Hotel Villa Franca. With its commanding position over the town and sea, this family-owned hotel has the feel of an elegant private villa reflecting the Mediterranean architectural style of white walls, painted tiled, lacquered terracotta, and stone accents from Mt. Vesuvius. The warmth of Southern Italian hospitality soon takes hold as you settle in and begin to explore Positano on your own. One of the Amalfi Coast’s best known towns, Positano is situated at the mouth of a splendid gorge that gradually widens as it moves towards the sea. Originally a small fishing village, Positano’s characteristic houses, cubes of white, pink, red, orange, almost all with a small porch in front, some with a spherical dome, spiral down the narrow streets of the hillside to the port, interspersed with palm trees, trailing bougainvillea, and terraced citrus groves. Featuring in many films such as “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” the waterfront is a colorful bustle of fishing and pleasure boats and beach loungers and parasols. Dinner is on your own this evening in one of Positano’s many fine restaurants or trattorias. A list of recommended restaurants is available for dining ideas.

Amalfi Coast Drive; independent explorations of the towns of Amalfi and Ravello

This morning, after breakfast in your hotel, you embark on an ideal introduction to one of Italy’s most beautiful coastlines—the Amalfi Coast—with your local expert driver. One of the world’s most scenic drives is enhanced by the sheer vibe of the Amalfi Coast—the perfume of lemons, the people, the sunshine, the contrast of blue sea, sky, and striking white cliffs. Amalfi, the first stop of the day, approximately 30 minutes drive from Positano, is one of the most famous towns along this coastline. Also situated at the mouth of a ravine, surrounded by striking cliffs, the seaside resort town has a long history and was a powerful maritime republic in the Middle Ages. In the heart of the town overlooking the main square is its 11th-century Arab-Norman style cathedral. Inside is the 12th-century white-columned “Cloister of Paradise.” A very short drive up brings you to the beautiful town of Ravello, perched high above Amalfi, with its privileged views over the entire coast. A gem, Ravello has been a magnet for artists and writers stretching from Boccaccio to Truman Capote. Stroll its narrow lanes and squares, with enticing boutiques and pastry shops—some of the region’s best dolce or sweets can be found here. A highlight is the evocative 13th-century Villa Rufolo, an inspiration to the operas of Richard Wagner, with its stunning Moorish-style courtyard, villa, gardens, and breathtaking views of the coast. Returning to Positano in the later afternoon, you are free to stroll into town, relax at the beach or poolside at your hotel before dinner on your own.

Excursion to the Isle of Capri, via hydrofoil boat from Amalfi

A full day excursion with a local expert guide to the Isle of Capri provides a comprehensive picture of the entire Amalfi Coast and Bay of Naples. You are transferred from your hotel to the port of Amalfi where you board a scheduled hydrofoil (high-speed ferry) whisking you across the waters around the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula to the Marina Grande, Capri’s main port. A short stroll brings you to Capri’s funicular that climbs in minutes to the main square of the town of Capri. Its white-washed arches, domes, narrow streets, and squares blend into the island’s scenery and invite exploration. Later, you climb into one of Capri’s typical convertible taxis to drive to the island’s upper town of Anacapri. Like its “rival” of Capri below, Anacapri is elegant, but perhaps simpler in feel with its Moorish architecture and surrounding vineyards and olive groves. Sites to visit are the Piazza San Nicola and its 18th-century church of San Michele, and the Swedish writer Axel Munthe’s tranquil Villa San Michele. For a more active adventure, there is a chairlift to the summit of Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island with its truly stupendous views over the island, sea, and the mainland. This full day concludes as your guide leads you back by hydrofoil to Amalfi and your transfer to your hotel in Positano, where you are free to enjoy the remainder of the evening.

Departure

Following breakfast in the hotel, you check out and depart Positano at your leisure.