Itinerary

ETERNALLY ENCHANTING ROME

Rome has something special to offer, no matter your interests or tastes.

Whether you daydream about fighting the gladiators in the Coliseum, debating with the senators in the Forum, tossing a coin in the fabled Trevi Fountain, or being awestruck by the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s masterpieces, Rome seems to live up to its sobriquet as the Eternal City.

SWEET, SUNNY SORRENTO

With its many pedestrian-only streets, Sorrento is a lovely city to explore on foot, but if you really want to see Sorrento, you’re going to have to travel vertically since most of the town is set up on the cliffs. To get to the top, you can hop on a minibus, take the lift, or go on a short but steep hike.

If you love to eat, you’ll find the dining experience here second to none. Lemon is the star in Sorrento’s cuisine; it’s in everything: risotto, olive oil, gelato, and of course, limoncello.

The isle of Capri, the playground of the rich and famous, is looking out from Sorrento, in the Gulf of Naples. Well known for its sparkling Blue Grotto, Capri is easily and quickly reached.

GEM OF THE AEGEAN

It’s been said the sunset from Oja, on the island of Santorini, is the most beautiful in the world. But you don’t have to wait until dusk to see your share of postcard-worthy views, Santorini is stunning any time of day.

The capital, Fira, clings to the rim of the caldera, 900 feet above the sea. Take the cable car, or if you’re looking for a more authentic experience, giddy up on a donkey to climb the 588 zigzagging steps to the top.

You and your partner can also drive by black, white, and red volcanic beaches and head south to the 3,500-year-old Minoan town, Akrotiri. Often called Greece’s answer to Pompeii, the well-preserved ruins provide a glimpse into Santorini’s storied –and explosive– past.

EPHESUS, AN AGE-OLD CIVILIZATION

Sure, we could chat about the resort town of Kusadasi and its beaches and restaurants, or nearby places like Dilek Peninsula National Park, but let’s talk Turkey: The star attraction in this neck of the woods is Ephesus. Once the second largest city in the Roman Empire, eclipsed only by Rome, here are just a few of the incredible sights just waiting to be gobbled up!

There’s the Library of Celsus, still magnificent almost 2,000 years later, and the 24,000-capacity Great Theatre, where St. Paul used to preach. Stretching from this jaw-dropping amphitheater to the harbor is the marble-made Arcadian Street. Stroll past the marketplaces, colonnades, and fields of wild fennel, and into bath complexes that once offered piped-in hot water and a sauna.

Surrounding Ephesus, the sites are equally spellbinding. Explore the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; the Basilica of St. John, which stands over the believed burial site of John the Apostle; and the House of Virgin Mary, where Mary is supposed to have spent her last days.