AMALFI COAST  AND POMPEII TOUR

Why should you choose this tour ?

• Having an archaeologist (or art historian) as your private tour guide in Pompeii and alongthe Amalfi Coast significantly enhances yourtravel experience.
• Additionally, the availability of a private guide, a driver and an exclusive minivan ensures optimal use of your time.
• With over 30 years of experience in organizing guided tours, we possess in-depth knowledge of the region we proudly call “home”.

More Details about this tour:

You will meet your guide, your driver, and a Mercedes minivan at your hotel or cruise ship. From there, you’ll head straight to the stunning Amalfi Coast, starting with Positano, where you’ll have one hour of free time to explore the charming village.
Next, we’ll travel to Amalfi to immerse ourselves in the history of Italy’s oldest Maritime Republic, stopping for some photos and commentary from your guide, in front of the façade of Amalfi Cathedral in the historic center of town (10 minutes).
The façade is the most sumptuous part of this splendid church: therefore, there will be no free time to visit the cathedral interior or for shopping.

Following that, we’ll visit Ravello, where you can enjoy an optional guided tour of Villa Rufolo or simply spend an hour at your leisure. Afterward, our driver will take us to Pompeii, with a brief snack stop along the way. In Pompeii, you’ll enjoy a two-hour tour with your guide to uncover its fascinating history.
To conclude the journey, you’ll return to your hotel or cruise ship.

Few words about Amalfi:

According to historical legend, the origins of Amalfi can be traced back to the fourth century when a group of Romans, travelling to Constantinople, was shipwrecked near Ragusa. On their return journey, they stopped near Palinuro and established a settlement named “Melphi,” earning them the designation of “Melphitani.”  They subsequently migrated to Eboli before finally settling along a more secure section of the Salerno coastline, where they founded Amalfi, a name purportedly derived from A-Melphis. Nonetheless, the discovery of marble fragments and Roman pottery within the region indicates that this area might have been inhabited during the Roman Imperial period. However, Amalfi is formally mentioned in historical documentation only in the eighth century, by which time the infertile mountainous landscape had already compelled its residents to turn toward seafaring occupations.  After the Byzantine general Narses triumphed over the Goths in 553, Amalfi was absorbed into the Byzantine Duchy of Naples. By the 11th century, the Republic of Amalfi had reached its zenith, emerging as a thriving and affluent maritime power. Its bustling trade routes with the East facilitated the importation of luxury goods such as spices, perfumes, textiles, silks, and carpets.  The Amalfitans established commercial outposts in prominent cities such as Constantinople, Laodicea, Beirut, Jaffa, Tripoli in Syria, Cyprus, Alexandria, and Ptolemais. They also contributed to religious and charitable infrastructure in Jerusalem, including the construction of the hospital and church of San Giovanni l’Elemosiniere (circa 1020). This institution would later serve as the foundation for the “Order of the Hospitallers” or “Order of Saint John,” which evolved into the “Knights of Rhodes” and ultimately the renowned “Knights of Malta.”  The maritime laws formulated by Amalfi—enshrined in the distinguished “Tables of Amalfi”—became an influential legal code governing Mediterranean commerce for centuries.  Amalfi’s decline began following its conquest  by Guaimar IV, Prince of Salerno, and subsequently by the Normans in 1039, marking the loss of its autonomy. Despite attempts to maintain its prominence, the loss of independence and a series of adverse events eventually led to Amalfi’s irreversible decline as a major power.