Glorious Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast & Eternal Rome

Our holiday starts at London St Pancras, where we meet our Tour Manager and group of fellow travellers before boarding the Eurostar service for a morning journey to Paris, travelling in style in spacious Eurostar Plus with a light meal served at our seats.

On arrival in Paris we change trains and continue by First Class rail to the attractive medieval town of Chambéry, nestled at the foothills of the Alps. The town is the former seat of the Dukes of Savoy, and their impressive château still dominates Chambéry's picturesque centre. The historic Old Town has a characterful square, tall, colourful houses, and is officially listed as a Town of Art and History ('Ville d'Art et d'Histoire').

Arriving this evening, we take a short walk from the station to our hotel, where we check in for the night, before our first group dinner together.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

Leaving Chambéry after breakfast, we take the brief walk to the train station to travel to our first exciting Italian destination, the 'Eternal City' of Rome. Our relaxing rail journey is in First Class and takes us past the scenic French and Italian Alps, with a brief stop in stylish Turin before continuing south, passing the grand Renaissance city of Florence and the Montepulciano wine region as we travel to timeless Rome.

Arriving in Italy's dynamic capital this evening, we walk a short distance from the station to our central hotel where we stay for two nights. This evening we enjoy dinner at our hotel. After our meal you may like to step into the vibrant city streets to soak up the atmosphere, or savour panoramic views of Rome from the hotel's roof terrace.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our day starts with a guided tour of Rome's spectacular sights. We see the awe-inspiring Colosseum, Italy's most renowned classical site, the vast Roman Forum, once the centre of ancient Rome, Piazza Venezia and the Roman Pantheon, an architectural masterpiece. We stop for a coffee enroute, call at the fabulous Trevi Fountain, and our tour ends at lunchtime in Piazza Navona - a lively square with a Baroque fountain, where you're free for the rest of the day with many options to choose from in this atmospheric city.

If you're keen to visit the Vatican, we recommend booking ahead online - the Pope's residence is just across the historic Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II which spans the River Tiber.

A short walk from Piazza Navona is another world-renowned monument, the Spanish Steps. At the top is Villa Borghese park, where you can relax in landscaped gardens or view art and sculpture in the Borghese Gallery.

Rome offers an endless array of inviting places to eat, many with alfresco seating where you could order a fresh pasta dish with a crisp glass of wine, soak up la dolce vita and watch the world go by.

• Breakfast

After a leisurely breakfast we walk across to the train station to start our First Class rail journey to Naples. Arriving late morning in buzzing Naples, we are transferred by coach to glorious Sorrento where we arrive at lunchtime. This beautiful town is set in its own small bay, within the vast Bay of Naples, and is perched on a natural terrace above dramatic cliffs that overlook the sea. The narrow, cobbled streets feature Renaissance palaces and Romanesque churches, and the town is surrounded by hillsides of fragrant lemon orchards.

Our base for the next six nights is the Hilton Sorrento Palace, which has excellent facilities and delightful views across the picturesque town to the Bay of Naples. After free time to have lunch independently we meet for an hour-long tour of the town with a local guide. After being introduced to Sorrento, we are at leisure to explore for ourselves. This evening we gather for dinner at our lovely hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A free day stretches out ahead of you, to get to know charming Sorrento at your own pace. You could wander through the cobbled streets among beautiful Renaissance buildings, or enjoy people watching in Piazza Tasso, the town's central square. You will find plenty of options for lunch in the Centro Storico, whose colourful streets and cool piazzas teem with tempting restaurants and cafés. This quarter is also known for its artisan craft shops, selling locally-produced ceramics, lacework and wooden items.

Of course, you may be perfectly happy to spend time relaxing at our hotel, enjoying views from the fragrant citrus garden, or from the infinity pool on the roof terrace.

The old town buzzes with life at night, while the Marina Grande has the enchanting ambience of a fishing village. Just above here is the Villa Comunale Park, with gardens and a terrace overlooking the Gulf of Naples - the park can be reached by an elevator and is the ideal spot to watch the sun setting over the sea. The beautiful Chiesa di San Francesco nearby is also worth a visit, and is a venue for classical music concerts in summer.

• Breakfast

This morning we enjoy a highlight of our tour - we travel back in time to Pompeii, the city buried and preserved by volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. We are transferred by coach to the railway station where we take a short train journey to this fascinating archaeological site for a guided tour of the best-preserved Roman city in the world.

Our tour takes us through the incredibly intact streets of Pompeii, and we walk among the shops, impressive villas, baths, temples, and restaurants of this UNESCO World Heritage site. We also see the amphitheatre - the oldest in the world - and some of the ancient city's extraordinary frescoes. After retracing our journey by train and coach transfer back to our hotel, your afternoon and evening is free in Sorrento.

• Breakfast

Today we discover the captivating Amalfi Coast from the glistening Tyrrhenian Sea. This UNESCO-listed coastline stretches along the Gulf of Salerno, south of the Sorrentine Peninsula. First we transfer to Sorrento harbour to board our boat. Then we cruise to lovely Amalfi, the 'Jewel of the Amalfi Coast', where there's free time to visit the stunning cathedral, Duomo di Sant'Andrea, overlooking the town's main piazza. Around the square are cafés and a gelateria, the perfect setting for a refreshment.

Our cruise continues to Positano, where pastel houses stud the hillsides and fishermen haul their wooden boats ashore, as they have for many decades. With time at leisure here, you could try the local seafood at a café in the colourful harbour.

We return to Sorrento with time to relax before a fun excursion this evening. We're driven a short distance to take part in a pizza-making experience at a local restaurant. Led by a master pizzaiolo, we discover the secrets to this revered Italian dish before sitting down to dine on our delicious creations, accompanied by a glass of wine and a dessert.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today brings another opportunity to explore lovely Sorrento, or to visit a neighbouring place. Maybe start by soaking up the views on a leisurely walk around the town - on a clear day, you can see the city of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the island of Ischia.

One uplifting way to spend the day is to visit the gorgeous island of Capri by boat. To see Capri at its best, before it fills with a daily throng of visitors, we recommend setting out early and travelling by hydrofoil.

This afternoon or evening, you could head to one of the many inviting cafés or restaurants in the Centro Storico, or on the laid-back Marina Grande, and indulge in delicious cuisine. Sorrento is the perfect place to enjoy a long, lazy lunch made of the freshest local ingredients, ideally while overlooking the glittering sea. Among many tempting local specialities is the Sorrento gnocchi, or Scialatielli ai frutti di mare, a traditional seafood pasta dish.

• Breakfast

After breakfast today we travel by coach to Herculaneum, a lesser-known Roman city that was also buried, and magically preserved, under the volcanic ashes of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Due to its close proximity to Mount Vesuvius, the eruption that blasted Pompeii had a similar effect here, fossilising much of the town. We make our way through the ruins, taking in the fascinating sights of ancient life. Herculaneum was wealthier than Pompeii and is known for its magnificent palaces and mansions, some featuring beautiful frescoes.

After exploring this ancient site, we continue by coach to a local agriturismo - the traditional farmhouse of a large agricultural farm, established and run for four generations by the same family - where we're served a delicious lunch of fresh produce from the estate, including homemade limoncello and mozzarella. The terraces of this lovely farmhouse offer an oasis of peace and tranquility, surrounded by ancient olive groves, lemon orchards and vineyards. We return to our hotel in the afternoon and this evening, our last night in Sorrento, is at leisure to enjoy as you wish.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, if you are opting to return home by air, it's time to say farewell to your Tour Manager at our Sorrento hotel and transfer to Naples airport, where you board your flight back to the UK.

On your return journey, no doubt you'll reflect on the experiences of our Italian tour and the special places we have seen - from the iconic landmarks of Rome and incredible sights of Pompeii to the gorgeous coastal scenery of Amalfi - and will return home with cherished memories.

If you have opted to return by rail, join the Tour Manager to begin our journey north through Italy. After a coach transfer to Naples we travel by First Class rail to the cultural city of Turin, close to the French border. We check into our overnight hotel in Turin and have dinner with the remaining members of our group.

Please Note - For departure 07/05 we will return home via Lausanne, staying at the Hotel de la Paix

• Breakfast
• Dinner (return by rail option only)

Early this morning we begin the final journey of our holiday, boarding the First Class train from Turin to Paris. In the French capital, we change trains and join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras, travelling in spacious Plus Class with a light meal served at our seats.

During our rail journey home, there's time to reflect on the unforgettable experiences we have enjoyed, share stories with fellow travellers and new friends before our holiday draws to a close as our train pulls into London St Pancras.

Please Note - If you opt for the return by rail option there is a supplement of £400pp

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal