Authentic Italy Travel Itinerary - 2023

"Authentic Italy"
Travel Itinerary

Granted, there are many ways to visit Italy but experiencing the real authentic Italy can be rare. If boarding a bus at dawn each day, seeing tourist attractions and returning home exhausted is not what you are looking for, then this Italy travel itinerary is for you. In other words, you may want to experience the “real” Italy and to live its lifestyle with a well-traveled guide – an Italian speaking citizen of Italy!

Plus, group size is kept small – under 20 people adding to this unique experience.

Whole Health Longevity Will be Hosting Two Authentic Italy trips next year – One in the Spring and one in the Fall. Each will be unique due to the time of the year whether it’s the renewal of springtime or the harvest of fall!

Experience the Stunning City of Naples, the Magnificent Amalfi Coast and the Spectacular Cilento Coast of Italy as Few Others Ever See it!

Here’s the Itinerary

Spring 2023

May 15th – May 25th 2023!

Fall 2023

October 8th – 18th 2023

October itinerary will include some harvest demos for wine, olive oil and other fall foods

Departure Day

Booking Details

May 15, 2023
Depart for Naples Italy – either from Chicago O’Hare or other airport depending on your location in the U.S.
May 16, 2023
Arrive Naples Italy - we will meet at the Naples airport at mid-day for group transportation to our hotel. Naples is Italy's third largest city; founded by the Greeks and developed by the Romans. It's a melting pot of culture and art. The Neapolitan approach to life is decidedly carefree. It's sweeping bay, music and food are the center of life. You will quickly be won over by the soul of the city. Once we will have gathered our baggage our comfortable motorcoach takes us to the beautiful Grand Hotel Santa Lucia overlooking the Bay of Naples. After check-in we will enjoy a typical Neapolitan pizza lunch at a small typical trattoria a short walk from the hotel and a short "meet and greet" while sharing pizza and wine. After our lunch take a little time to settle in at the hotel. Dinner is on your own at one of the local seafront trattorias easily walkable on the lungomare (traffic free promenade for walking.)
May 17, 2023
After a leisurely and elegant breakfast at the hotel we will enjoy a walking tour through the magnificent center of Naples to the public square, famous Via Toledo Street, Spanish quarter and take the finiculare (cable car) to the beautiful and elegant Vomero neighborhood of Italy that few tourists know about. You will be enchanted with this vibrant city with its non-stop energy!
In the early evening we will visit Gragnano Italy (a suburb of Naples) for a tour of the world famous Gragnano pasta production and museum followed by a dinner at their well-known restaurant. Pasta has been produced here for 100 years. It's the most famous in the world yet hardly known in the U.S.
May 18, 2023
Following your elegant breakfast at the hotel we will leave for the port of Naples to take a hydrofoil (fast ship) to visit the island of Procida one of the oldest inhabited islands in the bay of Naples.
This ancient and delightful small island with pastel colored houses, pretty marinas and stunning views over the cobalt waters of the southern Mediterranean is far off the beaten tourist track. We will be hosted by a private guide on the island which was designated as Italy's Capital for Culture in 2022.
May 19, 2023
Following your delightful breakfast at the hotel our motorcoach awaits and we depart for the Magnificent Amalfi Coast of Italy! The jaw dropping beauty of the landscape is unlike anything you have seen. We will check into the lovely Hotel San Francesco, get settled, take a walk through the city center to become oriented and enjoy a hand selected meal prepared by the Neapolitan chefs at the hotel. Perhaps after dinner you may want to take a passeggiata (leisurely walk) along the promenade on the seafront before turning in for the night. You will quickly feel at home and will more fully understand "La Dolce Vita."
May 20, 2023
Leisurely breakfast on the terrace at the hotel overlooking the sea. Free day for optional visits to Positano, Sorrento, Ravello or perhaps a couple of the above. You can choose to travel by boat, car or bus. I can provide help and suggestions and will help with arrangements when we are at the hotel. Or, you may want to relax at the hotel for the day, lounge by the pool or visit Italy's famous Cake Boss in the town right next to our hotel. A specially prepared group dinner awaits in the evening where we will get together once again to share the adventures of the day.
May 21, 2022
Following a relaxing breakfast on the terrace at the hotel overlooking the sea. We will travel by boat to visit the city of Amalfi - Amalfi is a town in a dramatic natural setting below steep cliffs on Italy’s Amalfi coast. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, it was once the seat of a powerful maritime republic. The vibrant and beautiful city square faces Amalfi's cathedral, built in the 9th century! Enjoy shopping, site seeing or sitting in the square enjoying the sites and having a drink, gelato, or cappuccino. Our specially prepared dinner in the beautiful dining room at the Hotel San Francesco awaits us at the end of the day.
May 22, 2023
After our open air breakfast on the terrace, our motorcoach takes us to the spectacular and laid back Cilento Coast of Italy where medieval villages exist on the sea as they did a thousand years ago. Enjoy the ride and the open countryside of Italy that few tourists get to see. Check in to our stunningly beautiful Grand Holtel Santa Maria hotel on the sea, settle in and take a guided walk with the group through the city of Santa Maria Castellabate. Dinner on your own either at one of the amazing little trattorias in the village of Santa Maria or at the hotel on the sea where the chefs prepare gourmet meals.
May 23, 2023
Following a sumptuous buffet breakfast on the sea, we will depart for a day long visit and lunch to Azengia Tenuta - a stunningly beautiful organic farm on the sea. Our special guide will prepare lunch for us during the visit. This "farm" on the sea is not to be missed. In the evening you are free to stroll through the little town of Santa Maria, shop and/or dine at one of the trattorias. May 24, 2023 Following our delicious buffet breakfast on the sea our motorcoach awaits to take us to the medieval city of Castellabate. Discovering this ancient city high in the mountains is a breathtaking event. You will be stunned at how this ancient village also feels classically modern. Following our visit to Castellabate we will depart for a typical Cilento food demo and tasting with a "nonna" that's been cooking her entire life. May 25, 2023 Following our breakfast and saying our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at the hotel, we will depart for Naple's airport in the morning only to promise to return in the future. You will take with you more than souvenirs but a new perspective on a life well lived!
May 24, 2023
Following our liesurley and elegant buffet breakfast on the sea our motorcoach awaits to take us to the ancient city of Castellabate in the mountains high above the sea. You will discover life as it was centuries ago and yet with its timeless classical beauty. Following our visit to Castellabate, we will enjoy a demonstration and tasting of the typical foods of the Cilento. See for yourself how a local "Nonna" cooks while learning a few tips from her.
May 25, 2023
Following our breakfast and saying our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at the hotel, we will depart for Naple's airport in the morning only to promise to return in the future. You will take with you more than souvenirs but a new perspective on a life well lived!

Here’s how to reserve your place for this amazing experience!

A $500.00 deposit at this time holds your spot. Final payment for the trip will be taken between October, 2022 and January 2023 for the spring excursion.

Payment for the fall excursion will be taken in mid 2023.

Payment can be made using a transfer with Chase Zelle, or by check. Due to the very reasonable cost of the trip, I can not accept credit card payments.

The complete land package includes private motorcoach airport transfers, beautiful 4-star seaside hotel accommodations for 9 nights, all breakfasts, welcome lunch, 4 dinners, private motorcoach transportation for all tours including visiting the Island of Procida, Gragnano pasta factory, finiculare (cable car) in Naples, villages in the Cilento Coast, boat transportation to the village of Amalfi are all included, all guided walking tours in Naples, the Cilento Coast and the Amalfi Coast!

Single occupancy: 4,300.00 per person

Double occupancy: 3800.00 per person

Airfare is separate and I always find the best pricing for coach or premium economy to suggest. The group usually travels together from Chicago O’Hare airport but it’s not mandatory. Luftuansa (partner with United) airlines has been the carrier of choice for service and on time flights.

Pace of the trip.

This is not a trip where we will be up at dawn, looking at tourist attractions all day and returning at night exhausted. We will fully experience authentic Italy at a pace allowing us to absorb the beauty, culture, food and the people while enjoying the Italian lifestyle.

Experiencing Italy requires walking.

With that being said, Italians walk, and we will be walking a lot. Streets in Italy are not smooth and paved, escalators do not exist, may times there are steps.

We will not be taking taxis. In fact, they are rare on the Amalfi Coast. Experiencing another country as Italy requires to live like a local.

If you are not a fan of walking this likely is not the trip for you.

The lifestyle excursion to the Amalfi Coast of Italy is a rich and lasting experience in the lives of those who experience it by gaining a new perspective on life and on living life well.

It is all part of whole health longevity.