New Year's in Sorrento

In the hotel restaurant.

After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our first group activity. We will meet in the lobby at 4:15 p.m. with a local expert for a short neighborhood walk to see the location of banks, pharmacies, and grocery stores. We’ll then circle back to the hotel for a "Welcome to Sorrento" reception where you will meet our Group Leader and fellow Road Scholars.

At the hotel restaurant.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will go over COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. Program-related transportation will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Unless indicated otherwise, meals will be served by gloved and masked wait staff. Breakfasts will be buffets, while lunches and dinners will be set menus. Water is included with all meals; other beverages such as wine, tea, and coffee will be available for purchase; some dinners will have a glass of wine included. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. After a short break, we’ll set out with our Group Leader on a walking field trip to explore more of Sorrento. Among the highlights will be the Marina Grande, the characteristic old port where it’s not uncommon to see fishermen bringing in the catch of the day or repairing their nets. Our walk will circle back to the hotel.

At the hotel restaurant.

We will gather in the hotel meeting room where a local art historian will give us a presentation on Roman art and architecture in preparation for our field trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum. Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board a motorcoach in front of the hotel and ride to Pompeii for an expert-led exploration of this wonder from the ancient world. Our field trip will last about four hours. Pompeii was a vibrant city when Mount Vesuvius erupted with such disastrous consequences on August 24, 79 CE. It was not rediscovered until the late 16th century. The first systematic excavations began in 1738 and have continued to the present day. The archaeological site covers more than 163 acres (66 hectares), and about 121 acres (49 hectares) have been excavated. We’ll explore the streets of the city frozen in time. We’ll walk into the amphitheater, see where gladiators trained, walk down Via Abbondanza, the main street, and observe 1st century political grafitti. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, the commercial town was covered in ash, while the resort town of Herculaneum was engulfed by mudflows. All remained hidden until excavations began. Extensive areas of these ancient towns were gradually brought back to light. As the UNESCO World Heritage inscription states, they “provide a complete and vivid picture of society and daily life at a specific moment in the past that is without parallel anywhere in the world.”

At a local restaurant.

We’ll reboard our motorcoach and return to the hotel. Later in the afternoon, we’ll gather in the hotel meeting room for a presentation by a local expert on critical issues facing Italy today, followed by Q&A. We’ll learn about the country’s healthcare system, education, religion, and women’s issues. We’ll also hear about how Italy continues to undergo rapid economic and societal change. Before our special dinner, we walk to the Piazza Tasso in Sorrento to enjoy live folk music and holiday lights in the heart of town.

At the hotel a special New Year's Eve dinner and celebration.

Join the locals as they celebrate the new year in the main square of Sorrento or watch the fireworks from the roof top patio at the hotel.

At the hotel.

We’ll take a short motorcoach ride to the Sorrento marina, then board a large boat to the island of Capri for a full day on the Mediterranean’s most lush island while roaming intricate cobblestone lanes and chic neighborhoods. From the Capri marina, we’ll ride the funicular, or cable railway up to the town of Capri, where we’ll walk to the scenic and fragrant Cesare Augusto Gardens. We’ll also have some time for independent exploration. You might like to stroll along the scenic Via Tragara to the Belvedere for breathtaking views of the Faraglioni rock formations, or savor a gelato or beverage at a café. We’ll rendezvous in the main square of Capri town at an announced time. Weather permitting, we’ll enjoy the scenic ride to Anacapri, the village at the summit of the island, in convertible taxis with the top down.

At a local restaurant.

Our local expert will lead us on a walk to the Villa of San Michele, home of the Swedish physician Axel Munthe, who visited Capri in 1885 and built his dream house “open to the sun, to the wind, and the voice of the sea, just like a Greek temple, and light everywhere.” We’ll explore the villa and terraced gardens. Next, we’ll hop into convertible taxis and ride down to the marina. We’ll reboard the boat that will return to Sorrento by late afternoon and ride back to the hotel by motorcoach. Before our special dinner, we walk to the Piazza Tasso in Sorrento to enjoy live folk music and holiday lights in the heart of town.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll set out on a walking field trip to the Tarsia Museum that displays the materials, tools, and traditional motifs used by master craftsmen of marquetry, or inlaid wood design. To ensure continuity for the decorative art tradition the museum is also a workshop to teach the craft to local youth.

At the hotel restaurant we will enjoy our New Year's Day lunch.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. In the late afternoon, we will walk to a local church for a late afternoon concert of chamber music.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will set out by motorcoach for a learning adventure that will begin on the Amalfi Coast Drive: the scenic, narrow, winding road cut into the steep cliffs above the Mediterranean Sea. En route, we will stop at the elegant seaside town of Positano, with its characteristic white and pastel colored houses that cling in tiers to the rock face. In Positano, we will board a boat bound for Amalfi from where we can fully appreciate the cascading houses and luscious gardens on the mountain face.

At a local restaurant.

A local expert will lead our exploration of Amalfi, including sites such as Piazza del Duomo, the main square, and more. We’ll then have some time on our own to explore Amalfi or visit the interior of the 13th-century cathedral of Sant’Andrea. Our field trip will then continue to Ravello, where we will take in the stunning views of the Amalfi Coast from the Villa Rufolo. We will ride back to Sorrento after our field trip.

On your own to sample the local fare.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board a motorcoach and ride to Herculaneum. Unlike Pompeii that was buried in ash in 79 CE, this upscale resort town was destroyed by mudflows. According to legend, Herculaneum was founded by and named for Hercules in 1243 BCE. This once upscale resort town was enveloped along with Pompeii in 79 CE by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It was rediscovered in 1707 when a well was being dug, but excavations did not ensue until 1738. Because of differences in the kind and rate of volcanic damage, the buildings here were better preserved than those in Pompeii. One of the most significant is the so-called Villa of the Papyri where some 1,800 carbonized scrolls were found; the excavated Villa of the Papyri was the inspiration for the Getty Museum in Malibu, California. We’ll ride back to the hotel after our field trip.

On your own to have what you like.

We’ll board a motorcoach and set out on a panoramic ride through the Sorrento countryside to a working farm. Our hosts will welcome us with a drink and appetizers as we observe a demonstration of mozzarella cheese forming from a bowl of fresh milk and rennet. We’ll learn the process of making olive oil and wine, then tie on an apron and assist the cook in preparation of our farm-to-table dinner.

At the agriturismo. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes the program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!