The Plan

I’ll be writing about the Napoli, Italy trip that we’re taking this week in stages and I’ll start by describing the itinerary we have lined up for a fun-filled, sun-filled mini-vacation to The Amalfi coast of Italy. 

Who’s “we”?

Our travel group is comprised of 13 friends, the core crew of comrades that Mike and I have made since we moved to Copenhagen early this year. This isn’t our first group getaway – some of us visited Berlin for Easter and it’s safe to say we enjoy spending time with one another.

Where’s the Amalfi Coast?

This time around, we are flying into Napoli via Naples International Airport and then driving to the villa in the mountains above the Amalfi coast. The area is a 30 mile (50 kilometer) stretch of land along the Sorrentine peninsula. The region is known for its rugged coastline that features steep cliffs peppered with small beaches and fishing villages painted in pastels. The main road connecting the port of Sorrento to the peninsula’s interior is lined with vineyards, lemon groves and mountain villas. This is where we’ll be staying – a villa south of the chaos of Naples and a short distance from Mount Vesuvius and the ancient city of Pompeii.

Where are we staying?

It’s not easy to find accommodations that will house 13 people and a mix of couples and singles that all have different preferences and budgets – but I think we did pretty well! We’re staying in one of those mountain villas with a great view, a pool, cool Italian design and it fits both our room requirements and finances. He’s a few pics of our lodging for the Napoli, Italy trip: 

What are we going to do there?

With the makings for a great week on the table, we set out to fill our 5 nights and 6 days with memorable experiences. Sure, there will be poolside cocktails and the weather looks dry and warm – but the consensus seemed to be that we needed to get on a boat and we had to visit the ruins of Pompeii.

With this in mind I began researching. I found a company with 5 stars on Yelp, excellent reviews on various travel sites and a damn simple name – Italy Limousine. Their website is almost overwhelming with so many options. I quickly found that they offered what we were looking. A phone call later, one of their agents customized two days of excursions for us.

Day 1: Pompeii and Chardonnay

Our first excursion will be on our second full day at the villa. By this point I expect half of us to be stir crazy and the others to be hungover.

We will be picked up at 9:00 AM for our transportation to Pompeii. I am not looking forward to the early wake up.

Pompeii was a thriving city in Ancient Rome when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. This buried the city in many feet of ash and pumice. Today it is a massive archaeological site and a window into life in the Roman Empire. We will tour the ancient ruins of Pompeii for 2 hours with a private guide.

Our tour then whisks us off to one of the areas many vineyards for lunch and a private wine tasting. Afterward, we will be dropped back off at the villa.

For our other meals we will utilize the large kitchen in our villa. For others, we have done some advance planning

| TIP: with a group this big it’s important to prebook as many meals as possible or you’re sure to hit some surprise snags. For other tips on finding Italian dining options check out this post from Valentina’s Destinations: Dining in Italy: How to Find the Best Restaurants

Day 2: Capri Sun

I cannot wait for our second day of excursion, again coordinated through Italy Limousine. We will once again have an early pick up. We have to get get to the port of Sorrento early. There we will board a private boat and set sail through the Gulf of Naples for the island of Capri.

One of the most impressive parts of visiting Capri is experiencing the Blue Lagoon. The boat we are boarding in Sorrento will not take us into the Blue Lagoon. Once to Capri, we’ll have to board a smaller vessel to reach the iconic location and experience its beauty. The planning for this part of the trip has me beyond excited. I cannot wait to see the Blue Lagoon in person.

We had one communication snag when the number of people in our party fluctuated. The company honored their commitment and so far has lived up to its sterling reputation.

What Else?

We are happy to be bookending our trip with free days at the villa. With no plans, we’ll make the most of our time together and relax. We have tossed around the idea of doing a drive up the coast on our last full day. We think that’s the best part of any holiday – leaving room for spontaneity!

I can’t wait to share photos and write about the experience of this Napoli, Italy trip. Comment, and let me know any advice if you have been there!

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