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This 10 day itinerary will give you 4 days in Rome and 4 days in Positano, with 2 travel days. During this trip you will see several famous sites like the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri. You will also go on a scavenger hunt to see all 13 obelisks in Rome. These tall monuments are full of history and intrigue so you won’t want to miss the opportunity to see them all. Hope you are ready to “crush it"
Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart for Rome
If you are departing from the US you will mostly likely be on an overnight flight. Make yourself comfortable and get some sleep, you’ve got a great adventure ahead of you!
Day 2: Arrive in Rome
Activity: Roman Food Tour
Lodging: Rome
Welcome to Rome! The Eternal City is one of my favorite European cities as I love its history and architecture. There is something so special about being able to walk around the Colosseum or the Circus Maximus and think of the gladiators and chariots races that occurred there centuries ago.
Rome is also a foodie’s paradise with amazing meals and fantastic wine. There really is something for everyone to enjoy.
To maximize your time in Italy you’ll need to hit the ground the running, so make sure you’ve got some comfortable shoes on! You are going to be doing a lot of walking.
Plan to arrive in Rome by 11am, if you want to get in some sightseeing on your first day. Passport control at Fiumicino Leonard da Vinci Airport (FCO) can be unpredictable, I’ve been through in 30 minutes and another time it took almost 2 hours.
Your goal should be to get off the plane and through passport control by 1:00pm. I would recommend booking a private shuttle from the airport to your hotel. There are definitely cheaper options (train or shared shuttles) but I think a private driver will help you get to your hotel as quick as possible. The drive from FCO to your hotel should take about 1hr.
I’m going to assume you are staying at Hotel Quirinale near Piazza della Repubblica for this itinerary. I’ve stayed at Hotel Quirinale for a couple of vacations. I like the hotel because it has great access to the Metro and Termini train station, its easy to walk to most places, and is a great price.
Assuming you can check in around 2pm/2:30pm I would quickly freshen up and get ready to be out for the rest of the day.
It will be tempting to take a nap but don’t do it! The best way to beat jet lag is to quickly adjust to the local time, which means powering through the first day and going to sleep at a reasonable time.
First up should be finding a place for a light lunch and maybe an espresso shot. You will be on a food tour this evening so you don’t want to fill up now, my advice would be to find a slice of pizza to hold you over.
After lunch, you should use the next two hours taking in the sights from Quirinale Palace to Piazza Farnese. This will be a great way to get introduced to the city and the route will end at the meeting place for your food tour.
Quirinale Palace is located before Piazza del Quirinale and is an official residence for the President of the Italian Republic. At the palace there is a beautiful garden to walk through. Once you leave the Palace, head to Piazza del Quirinale where you will see your first obelisk. This obelisk once stood at the entrance of the Mausoleum of Augustus with its twin obelisk, Esquiline, which you will see located near the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The next stop is the Trevi Fountain. Take in the sights of this beautiful historical fountain. Make sure you toss a coin into the fountain, legend has it if you toss a coin over your left shoulder you will return to Rome someday.
After the Trevi Fountain walk a few minutes to Palazzo Montecitorio. Palazzo Montecitorio houses one of the chambers of Italy’s parliament, it also has the second obelisk of your trip. The Obelisk of Montecitorio is an ancient Egyptian obelisk that was brought to Rome from Heliopolis in 10 BC.
From Palazzo Montecitorio walk towards Piazza della Minerva. You will walk alongside the Pantheon but don’t get distracted, you will spend time at the Pantheon next. Piazza della Minerva is home to the third obelisk of your trip. This is a fun ancient Egyptian obelisk with an elephant at its base; super cute!
After visiting the elephant obelisk its now time to admire the Pantheon. The Pantheon is one of the oldest and most preserved buildings in Rome. It’s free to visit weekdays and requires a ticket (also free) on weekends. You should definitely go inside and walk around, the oculus, the hole in the dome, is really fascinating to see. Fun fact: the Pantheon is the largest unreinforced dome in the world!
Right in front of the Pantheon is Piazza della Rotonda, home to the fourth obelisk of your trip. Macutèo Obelisk is an ancient Egyptian obelisk from Heliopolis. It is a twin obelisk with Mattieano Obelisk which you will see at Villa Celimontana. Make sure you take your time at Piazza Rotonda and the Pantheon as its an amazing site to visit.
After the Pantheon walk to Piazza Navona. Piazza Navona has three fountains and the fifth obelisk of your trip, “crushing it”. The piazza is an elongated beautiful area that once was, Circus Agonalis, a stadium that could hold 20,000 spectators. The Agonal Obelisk in the piazza is part of The Fountain of the Four Rivers which is a very famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpture.
Once you are done taking in the sights at Piazza Navona head to Campo de Fiori. In the morning Campo de Fiori is a popular market that sells flowers, fruits and vegetables. At night the market turns into a great place to stop for a cocktail or aperitivo. The market also has a cool statue of philosopher Giordano Bruno, who looks like an Assassins Creed character!
From Campo de Fiori make your way to Piazza Farnese to meet up with your tour guide for The Roman Guy Trastevere Local Food Tour in Rome. The tour starts at 5:30pm so make sure you are there at least 15 minutes early.
The Roman Guy Food Tour is a great culinary experience and introduction to Rome, as your guide will show you around the Trastevere neighborhood. I have two standout memories from this tour: 1st was eating baccala and the 2nd was the sit down dinner. Prior to food tour I didn’t even know what baccala was, after the tour I was roaming the streets to find more of the deliciously salty battered fish. The sit down dinner was also amazing with grilled artichokes and homemade pasta, a true authentic experience. The food tour definitely set a high bar for the rest of the meals on my trip.
After the tour, head back to your hotel and get ready for your upcoming visit to the Colosseum.
Day 3: Rome
Activity: Colosseum & Forum Tour
Lodging: Rome
Today is another day full of sightseeing, there are just so many things to see in Rome!
In the morning you will be doing a self guided walking tour that will take you past several basilicas, obelisks, the infamous Circus Maximus and “The Wedding Cake”. After lunch you will join the Roman Guy Tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum for a memorable tour of these historical sites.
After enjoying your first Roman breakfast, leave the hotel by 9am to start your walk.
First stop will be at Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore. The church is one of four major basilicas in Rome and is the largest dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Outside the basilica is the sixth obelisk of your trip, Equiline Obelisk. This is the twin obelisk of the one you saw outside of Quirinale Palace.
Next stop is at Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. Also known as St. John Lateran, this is also one of the four major basilicas in Rome. St. John Lateran is actually the oldest basilica in the world, it was the Pope’s place of worship prior to St Peter’s Basilica being built in Vatican City.
Outside of the basilica is Lateran Obelisk, the largest ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world and your seventh obelisk of the trip. This obelisk used to be one of two that stood at the Circus Maximus, the other one now resides in Piazza del Popolo.
If you are doing good on time I would suggest walking from St John Lateran to Porta San Giovanni, which is a gate in the Aurelian Wall. The Aurelian Wall is one of the historical walls that surrounded the boundaries of Rome.
Once you are ready, head to Villa Celimontana to see the eighth obelisk of your trip. Villa Celimontana is a garden south of the Colosseum and houses the Mattei Obelisk. This is the smallest of the ancient Egyptian obelisk. I had a hard time finding this obelisk as its tucked in the garden, so be patient and don’t give up!
After you find Mattei Obelisk, make your way to the Circus Maximus. I love the history of the Circus Maximus but be warned, it isn’t the most exciting site to see as it is now just a grassy field.
When you arrive at the Circus Maximus I suggest briefly walking on the field. Take a few minutes on the field to imagine what it must have looked like with chariots racing around the stadium. If you are into virtual reality I believe they offer a VR experience of the Circus Maximus.
After leaving the Circus Maximus head towards Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, dedicated to Italy’s first king. It’s likely you’ve already seen this building from a distance as it's a towering white marble building that stands out from all around it. Due to its looks, the monument is sometimes referred to as “The Wedding Cake”. Best view of the monument is across the street from Piazza Venezia, be careful crossing the street as the circle is very busy!
If you want to spend more time at the monument, you can buy a ticket to ride the elevator up to the terrace for a panoramic view of Rome. I’ve never been up the monument, I’ve instead enjoyed walking to Capitoline Hill for a view of the Forum.
When facing the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument walk to the right side of the building to get to Capitoline Hill. Walk up the stairs at Capitoline Hill to Piazza del Campidoglio, a famed Michelangelo designed square. Along the stairs is the Statue dei Dioscuri which depicts Castor and Pollux, the Gemini Twins, with their horses.
In the center of the square is the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the famous Roman emperor. If you walk around the square, either side, you will get an amazing overlook of the Roman Forum, which you will be touring later in the afternoon.
It should be around 12pm when you finish viewing Capitoline Hill, perfect time to grab some lunch. I would find a lunch spot between Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum as you will be meeting your tour guide in front of the Colosseum. Via Cavour street has a number of restaurants you should check out.
The Roman Guy Colosseum tour starts around 1:30pm so make sure you arrive at the meeting place by 1:15pm.
The tour I did when I was there was the Colosseum Underground plus Belvedere Top Level tour. The tour ran for 4 hours and covered the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The Colosseum is frequently under renovation so check the tour provider’s website to see which tours are available while you are there.
When I took the Colosseum Underground plus Belvedere Top Level Tour it started with a private entrance that allowed us to walk right out onto the arena floor. It was so cool to stand on the reconstructed floor and look up and imagine what it must have been like to be a gladiator fighting in front of the audience.
After the arena floor we went underground to see the tunnels. It was very interesting to hear stories about how they would hoist up animals from the tunnels below to the arena floor. Another interesting story was how they had filled up the arena with water for a mock ship fight.
After we toured the underneath area we walked up the Colosseum levels. On the different levels there are various artifacts on display that you can view to learn more about the history of the Colosseum.
Our tour had the privilege of going to the top level which gave an amazing view of the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
After visiting the top level we made our way out of the Colosseum to the Arch of Constantine. From the Arch of Constantine we entered the Palatine Hill.
Palatine Hill is Rome’s most famous hill and was considered to be the most desirable neighborhood in Ancient Rome. Legend also has it that Rome was founded on Palatine Hill as the twins Romulus and Remus were found there. Romulus decided to create a city there and named it “Roma” after himself.
Palatine Hill was also home to Emperor Augustus Octavia’s Caesar, The Flavian Palace (Domitian Palace) and Stadium of Domitian. From Domitian’s Palace you can overlook the Circus Maximus, this is where the emperor would watch the chariot races from. There is also a great overlook of the Roman Forum.
After touring Palatine Hill we headed into the Forum. The Roman Forum was the city center of Ancient Rome. The Forum was home to the Senate House, Arch of Titus, and many statues and churches. It was incredible to be able to walk through the Forum and think that historical figures like Julius Caesar had also walked along same path.
After the tour ends and you are done taking your pictures of these amazing historical sites, plan to head back to your hotel.
From the Colosseum its a 20 minute walk back to Hotel Quirinale. If you aren’t up for the walk you can take the Metro (subway) or taxi/Uber. To take the Metro from the Colosseum walk to the Colosseo station. Take the blue line to Termini Station and then transfer to the orange line to Republicca. This is super easy to do and well marked. Walk to the hotel from Republicca station. Total trip should take about 15 minutes total with 2 minutes of walking.
Plan to arrive at the hotel around 6pm. Hopefully you’ve made dinner reservations ahead of time as it can be hard to get a table at popular restaurants (if not go beg the concierge for help). Enjoy dinner but don’t stay out too late you’ve got an early morning at the Vatican ahead of you!
Day 4: Rome & Vatican City
Activity: Vatican Tour
Lodging: Rome
Today you will be briefly traveling out of Italy as you head to the Vatican; Vatican City is technically its own country!
The Roman Guy Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel, is the best way to see the church before its gets too crowd. Tour will start likely start around 7:45am, you want to book the earliest available time slot. Being able to walk in the Sistine Chapel before its open to the general public is an unbelievable experience.
Plan to leave the hotel by 6:50am or earlier if you don’t want to feel rushed. From the hotel walk to the Metro station at Republicca and take the orange line to Ottaviano (less than 10 minutes). Once you are at Ottaviano station walk to the meeting area for the tour which should be by the Vatican Museums. Feel free to stop along the way and get some breakfast and coffee, its about a 10 minute walk. Be prepared for some price gauging on breakfast as the local cafes know tourist are heading to the Vatican with few options open that early!
When I did this tour, we meet our tour guide outside of the Vatican Museum. Even though we had early access there was still quite a line to get in, so be patient. Once we passed through security the tour guide very quickly walked us through the Museum and went directly to the Sistine Chapel; don’t worry there was an opportunity later to see what we quickly walked passed. Getting to the Sistine Chapel as fast as possible is the goal!
Our tour guide had informed us that when we entered the Sistine Chapel we needed to be quiet and we couldn’t take any pictures. The Sistine Chapel is a holy place, it’s important to be respectful and follow the rules. Security was actively monitoring to make sure people weren’t taking pictures and anyone spotted taking a picture was forced to delete it.
Standing in the middle of the Sistine Chapel and looking up to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece on the ceiling was breathtaking. There are some many individual paintings to see on the walls and ceilings, make sure you walk around the room to see the chapel from different angles.
After the Sistine Chapel we walked back to the beginning of the Vatican Museums. The tour guide did a great job of pointing out key things in each room. There is so much on display it could feel overwhelming so stay close and listen to the guide’s narration.
After we walked through the Museum we made our way into St. Peter’s Basilica. The tour guide showed us briefly around the church before ending the tour and letting us explore on our own.
Once the tour ends around 11:30am I would suggest staying at St Peter’s and exploring the church.
If you are visiting during a jubilee year, you need to make sure you walk through the Holy Door! When I was there in 2016, it was during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which meant the Holy Door was open for visitors to walk through. Walking through the Holy Door is very symbolic for Catholics as many believe it means forgiveness of the visitor’s sins. The Holy Door is only open during a jubilee, which typically occurs every 25 years, otherwise the door is sealed closed.
After walking the interior of the church I would highly recommend climbing the stairs up St. Peter’s dome. There are two levels in the dome, if you are feeling adventurous I would suggest climbing the stairs for both levels (over 500 stairs). If you have difficulties with stairs you can take an elevator up the first level. The first level will give you an overlook inside of the church and access to the roof to see the statues that line the front of the basilica.
If you are looking to “crush it” you need to make the climb to the second level. There is no elevator access so you will need to climb over 300 stairs up a very narrow spiral staircase. If you are physically able, you have to do this as you will get an amazing aerial view of St Peter’s Square and the Obelisk in the center of it (your ninth of the trip). The Vatican Obelisk arrived on a ship from Heliopolis, is older than St. Peter’s Basilica and is the only ancient Egyptian obelisk that has never toppled.
Once you finally make it back down take some exterior pictures of St Peter’s Square and then head to lunch as it should be around 1pm. Once you cross the walls around the square you are back in Rome and there will be plenty of restaurants to have lunch at. Make sure you don’t go too far for lunch as there is a lot to explore in this area!
After lunch head to Ponte Vittorio Emanuelle II bridge. You’ll want to cross this bridge so you can get a great picture of Castel Sant’Angelo. After you cross the bridge walk to Ponte Sant’Angelo. St. Angelo’s bridge has ten Berini angel statues, each statue holding an instrument of the Passion of Christ. Take your time on the bridge as you will want to visit each angel statue as well as take some beautiful pictures of Castel Sant’Angelo.
If you are interested you could take a tour of Castel Sant’Angelo, for today’s itinerary you will just walk around the exterior.
After viewing Castel Sant’Angelo head towards Ponte Cavour where you will cross the bridge to the other side of the Tiber River. Walk up Via di Ripetta towards Piazza del Popolo. In the center of Piazza del Popolo is the Flaminio Obelisk, your tenth obelisk of the trip. This obelisk was originally placed in the Circus Maximus with the obelisk that currently stand at St John Lateran’s Basilica.
Piazza del Popolo has three churches in the square but you will probably notice the twin churches flanking the sides of the square which goes well with the two fountains.
Standing in Piazza del Popolo with the twin churches to your back walk to the top right corner of the square. There will be a trail with stairs that will lead you up to an overlook of Piazza del Popolo.
The trail and stairs aren’t the easiest to find or walk on but its definitely worth the hike. The overlook will give you an amazing view of the square and in the surrounding garden you’ll see the Pincian Obelisk, your eleventh obelisk of the trip!
After taking in the views of the Piazza del Popolo and the Pincian Obelisk, make your way towards the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps are located between Trinita dei Monti church (twin tower church) and the Fontana della Barcaccia. This is also home to the Sallustiano Obelisk, the twelfth obelisk of your trip. This obelisk was meant to be a replica of the Flaminio obelisk as Emperor Aurelian was so impressed by it.
You definitely have to walk up and down the stairs to take in the sights. Piazza di Spagna is a great place to stop for a nice afternoon espresso or ice cream. The plaza is also home to some high-end fashion stores if you want to do some shopping.
From Piazza di Spagna walk to Piazza Barberini. The plaza is home to two Bernini fountains, with Fontana del Tritone being one of his most famous ones. The fountain is really cool to see lit up at night so keep that in mind as you are strolling back from dinner.
If you’ve had enough walking for the day you can head back to the hotel and relax prior to dinner.
If you would like to continue exploring I would suggesting walking from Piazza Barberini up Via Vittorio Veneto. Via Vittorio Veneto is one of the most famous and expensive streets in Rome. From there you can continue walking to Porta Pinciana, an ancient gated wall that will lead into Villa Borghese.
Prior to calling it a day I would suggest stopping by Termini Station to see your thirteenth and final obelisk, Obelisk of Dogali. The ancient Egyptian obelisk has a twin obelisk which is located in Florence.
I thought the scavenger hunt of the thirteen obelisk was a neat a game to play during my sightseeing trip, I hope you also found them interesting.
Head out to dinner whenever you are ready and feel free to make it a late night as tomorrow is a free day to explore at your leisure.
Day 5: Rome
Activity: Free Day
Lodging: Rome
Today is a free day! While I like to pack my itineraries full of activities its always important to leave some extra time incase things don’t go to plan (i.e. flight was delayed or too jet lagged to walk around after you arrive).
If you are looking for some additional activities below are some ways you can spend your free day:
Visit Pyramid of Caius Cestius and Aventine Keyhole
Walk around Villa Borghese
Tour of Rome’s Catacombs
Tour Castel Sant’Angelo
Revisit the 13 obelisk or visit any you might have missed
Book a day tour to Pisa and Florence through Viator. My choice if you are looking to “crush it!”
Enjoy!
Day 6: Rome to Positano
Activity: Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius Tour
Lodging: Positano
Today you are going to travel from Rome down the Amalfi Coast to Positano. Its going to be a productive travel day as you will do some sightseeing at Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii on your way to Positano.
If you have the budget for it, hire a car service to drive you from Rome to Positano with stops at Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii. If you are like me and want to be balanced with your costs, you can take a high speed train from Rome’s Termini Station to Napoli’s Centrale Station and then get a car service from there.
When I did this trip I worked with the car service company, Private Day Tours. The company coordinated a pickup in Napoli, a hike at Mt Vesuvius, a stop for lunch in Pompeii, a private tour of Pompeii and final drop-off at my hotel in Positano. I would highly recommend this company as they were easy to work with and really made this a special experience for us!
Assuming you are taking the train, book your train to depart Rome around 9am. Termini station is a short walk from your hotel or you can grab a taxi to drop you and your luggage off at Termini. Plan to leave the hotel around an hour prior to check-in so you aren’t rushing!
Your train will arrive in Napoli shortly after 10am with your driver waiting to greet you. After a 40 minute drive from the train station, your first stop will be at Mt Vesuvius for a hike up the infamous volcano. Mt Vesuvius is of course known for erupting and wiping out the the ancient town Pompeii. Mt Vesuvius is still an active volcano and considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world given the surrounding population. Don’t worry the volcano won’t erupt on your hike up!
Depending on your hiking skills, it should take about 30 minutes to get to the top of Mt Vesuvius. The trail is wide and easy to follow as there will be a lot of people heading the same way. It is an uphill climb so make sure you are wearing good shoes as the gravel can be loose and uneven.
Once you get to the top you’ll have an amazing view of Naples. You will also be able to see the volcano crater and the steam hole, hopefully it looks inactive.
Overall you should plan to spend about 90 mins to complete the hike and take in the views.
After leaving Mt Vesuvius your driver will bring you to Pompeii which is 30 minutes away. Ask your driver for a recommendation on where to stop for lunch. I ate at this amazing deli, Melius Salumeria con Cucina, would highly recommend it!
After lunch your driver will take you to meet your private guide at Pompeii. Pompeii is the archaeological site of the ancient Roman town that was destroyed by the Mt Vesuvius eruption. The town was preserved by the volcanic ash for over 2000 years until it was rediscovered in 1748.
Walking through Pompeii is an unbelievable experience. Some of the buildings are so well preserved they still have ancient graffiti on them from when the city was active. Your guide will go over the history of the town and the people that lived there, who were very advanced for their time. You’ll get to walk through the town, enter homes and buildings as well as see some of the artifacts recovered.
After your two hour tour of Pompeii, your driver will take you to your lodging in Positano. Get ready for a beautiful scenic drive along the Amalfi coast; the drive should take about an hour.
I would highly recommend staying at Hotel Villa Franca, which is a beautiful boutique hotel on top of the cliff in Positano. The rooftop view will give you 360 degrees of the area. Once you arrive at the hotel head out to dinner and enjoy your first night in Positano.
Day 7: Positano
Activity: Free day
Lodging: Positano
Welcome to Positano, the beautiful picturesque cliffside town along the Amalfi coast. Positano is a popular vacation spot as it has beautiful beaches, 5 star hotels, boutique shops and several Michelin star restaurants.
Today is a free day to allow you to explore the town. Start your morning off with breakfast at the hotel. Hotel Villa Franca offers a delicious breakfast in their lounge area with an amazing overlook of the town.
Once you are done with breakfast you have some choices on how to spend the day. My suggestion would be to walk down to the beach, do some shopping and then grab some lunch. Depending on the weather you should also get in an afternoon swim in the pool.
Be warned, there are a lot of stairs in Positano, like, thousands of stairs! Its a workout but you should walk up and down the town at least once to experience it. If the stairs are too intense for you, the hotel has a shuttle that will drop you off at the main pedestrian area.
Once you get to the main pedestrian area in front of the church, Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, you should walk towards Via Cristoforo Colombo. On this street you will pass Le Sirenuse, which is a famous 5 star hotel. You can’t miss the hotel as its a deep red color. Keep walking pass the hotel till you get to the store The Art of Ceramics, in front of this store is a great overlook to take an amazing picture of the Positano hillside.
After taking some pictures walk down to the main beach, Positano Spiaggia. On your way to the beach you’ll pass a bunch of shops, feel free to stop along the way as you will be walking back a different route.
Walk along the beach to the ferry terminal. Tomorrow you are going to take a ferry to Capri so you can look to pre-buy your ferry tickets at one of the providers or you can ask the concierge at the hotel for assistance.
After you walk by the ferry terminal walk along the coast to Fornillo Beach. This is a more private quiet beach on the other side of the cliff.
After your beach walk you can stop somewhere for lunch or head back to the hotel for an afternoon swim in the pool.
If you feel like going out for some cocktails before dinner, the restaurant bar at Hotel L’Ancora is a great outdoor bar with incredible views.
For dinner try to go to a restaurant on top of the hill like La Tagilata. The concierge can help you coordinate as the restaurant will send a shuttle to pick you up for dinner. There are also other restaurants nearby the hotel like Next 2 that offer great cuisine and views. I would caution against going to the restaurants right on the beach as they are typically tourist traps, you can do better!
Enjoy your dinner and get ready to explore Capri tomorrow!
Day 8: Capri
Activity: Boat tour and Blue Grotto
Lodging: Positano
Today you will be taking a ferry to the island of Capri, home of the caprese salad and the Blue Grotto.
Plan to take an early morning ferry around 9am. The ferry should take about 30 to 40 minutes to get from Positano to Capri. Once you arrive in Capri you can head to one of the tour companies located right in the marina to book your island and blue grotto tour.
I would recommend Motoscafisti Capri’s island tour + blue grotto visit. The tour duration says two hours but it will likely be longer as there is typically a line to enter the blue grotto.
The boat tour will take you all around Capri to show you the rock formations, lighthouse and various grottos/caves. The tours are done on small boats that hold about 20 people. If you are prone to motion sickness, I would highly recommend taking some Dramamine for the day!
Once you arrive at the Blue Grotto you will transfer onto a small rowboat that holds maybe 3 or 4 people. A different tour company operates the Blue Grotto so you will have to pay them a separate entrance fee, its not included in your island boat tour. The line for the Blue Grotto can be quite long, I think we waited almost an hour before we finally got in so be patient. Watch your head as you enter the grotto as the row boat barely fits through the entrance!
Inside the blue grotto, it will be very dark except for the blue glow of the water. This is a really cool experience as some of the row boat operators will sing while you are in the grotto. You will be in the grotto for about 5 minutes. After you leave the grotto you will board a boat similar to the one you started the island tour on, to finish your tour.
After your island tour, walk around Capri and find a place for lunch. If you feel like exploring Capri more there is a chair lift that you can ride up to Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island. Keep track of the time as you do need to catch the ferry back to Positano.
Once back in Positano feel free to hang out at the hotel or head out for dinner.
Day 9: Positano
Activity: Free day
Lodging: Positano
Today is your last full day in Italy! You’ve got options on how you can spend the day:
Positano beach day: rent a lounge chair and relax on the beach
Positano paddle boarding: this is what I did. Walk down to the beach and rent a paddle board for a couple of hours. Paddle out to the left and you will find a couple of hidden beaches
Book a tour on Viator to Amalfi or one of the other coastal towns
Charter a boat from Positano and enjoy the day out on the water
Whatever you decide to do I’m sure it will be an amazing conclusion to this trip!
Day 10: Depart Italy
It is unfortunately time to say arrivederci to Italy and head home. For my trip I used the same car service that brought me to Positano to drop me off at the Naples airport. The drive to the airport will take approximately 1.5hrs.
I hope you’ve enjoyed your time exploring Italy. On this itinerary you were able to explore the historical sites in Rome and beautiful scenery of the Amalfi coast. To kill some time on the flight back start flipping through your picture to reflect on a trip of a lifetime.
Crushed it!
Timetable:
Day 1: Depart for Italy
Day 2: Sightseeing & Food Tour
11:00am arrival in Rome
11:30am - 1:00pm get through passport control at airport
1:00pm - 2:00pm airport shuttle from airport to Hotel Quirinale
2:00pm - 2:30pm check-in
2:30pm - 3:00pm lunch
3:00pm - 5:15pm sightseeing walk from Hotel Quirinale to Piazza Farnese
5:30pm - 8:30pm The Roman Guy Trastevere Local Food Tour in Rome
Day 3: Colosseum Tour
9:00am - 12:00pm sightseeing from Hotel Quirinale to Capitoline Hill
12:00pm - 1:00pm lunch
1:00pm - 1:15pm walk to tour meeting place
1:30pm - 5:30pm Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum Tour
5:30pm - 6:00pm head back to hotel
6:30pm dinner
Day 4: Vatican Tour
6:50am leave hotel
7:00am - 7:10am Metro to Ottaviano
7:10am - 7:20am walk to Vatican Museum meeting point
7:45am - 11:30am Vatican Tour
11:30am - 1:00pm climb up St. Peter’s Dome
1:00pm - 2:00pm lunch
2:00pm - 5:00pm sightseeing Vatican City to Hotel Quirinale
6:00pm dinner
Day 5: Rome free day
Sightsee at your leisure
Day 6: Rome to Positano
8:00am check out of hotel
9:00am - 10:15am train Rome to Naples
10:15am - 11:00am drive from Naples to Mt Vesuvius
11:00am - 12:30pm hike Mt Vesuvius
12:30pm - 1:00pm drive to Pompeii
1:00pm - 2:00pm lunch
2:30pm - 4:30pm tour of Pompeii
5:00pm - 6:00pm drive from Pompeii to Positano
6:00pm hotel check-in
6:30pm dinner
Day 7: Positano free day
Sightsee at your leisure
Day 8: Capri
8:00am leave hotel and head to ferry terminal
9:00am - 9:40am ferry from Positano to Capri
10:00am - 1:00pm Capri island and blue grotto tour
1:00pm - 2:00pm lunch
2:00pm - 2:40pm ferry from Capri to Positano
6:00pm dinner
Day 9: Positano free day
Sightsee at your leisure
Day 10: Depart Italy
Things to Book:
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Lodging:
4 nights in Rome
4 nights in Positano
Tours:
Mt Vesuvius hike
Pompeii tour
Transportation:
Train from Rome to Naples
Car service from Naples train station to Positano (with stops at Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii)
Car service from Positano to airport
Book while you are in Positano (ferry to Capri, boat tour of Capri)
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