Buried Italy Series - Italian Mosaic: Emperors, Myths, and Buried Cities
A mosaic is made up of many small pieces of colored stones to form a beautiful pattern that is whole, unique, and remarkable. This unique program is led by Italy expert Joseph Walker and is called an Italian mosaic because we will visit many unique places that are on and off the beaten path that tell the story of Italy in a fun and exciting way. We will view the glories of ancient Rome, then taste her wine and olive oil.
A mosaic is made up of many small pieces of colored stones to form a beautiful pattern that is whole, unique, and remarkable. This unique program is led by Italy expert Joseph Walker and is called an Italian mosaic because we will visit many unique places that are on and off the beaten path that tell the story of Italy in a fun and exciting way. We will view the glories of ancient Rome, then taste her wine and olive oil. We will then drift South along the Italian coast, into a land of myth and history, where often they are one and the same. We will visit the Coast of Ulysses where according to Homer, he passed on his voyages in the epic poem of the Odyssey. Beautiful medieval seaside villages with ancient roots will be visited along with enjoyable wine tasting opportunities. We next pass to the Bay of Naples to visit one of Italy's most volcanic and mythical regions, where Greek legends give way to the foundations of the Roman Empire itself. Finally, we will see the beauty of Sorrento, walk the ancient roads of Pompeii, and view her newly opened and restored buildings, showcased now for the first time. All of this and more will be enjoyed along with some of the best food and wine in Italy. This program puts Italy into context, like a mosaic.
Meet your guide — Joseph Walker →
Expedition Itinerary
Your Roman adventure begins with a warm welcome in the heart of the Eternal City. Indulge in a refreshing cocktail as you immerse yourself in the timeless allure of Rome, setting the perfect prelude to an authentic Roman feast. Experience the true essence of Italy's rich culinary heritage, all while being greeted by our gracious host, Joseph Walker.Overnight in the eternal city.
After enjoying a delightful breakfast, embark on a journey to the heart of Vatican City. Explore the awe-inspiring Vatican Museums, where centuries of art and history come to life. Afterward, marvel at the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most iconic landmarks in the world.
Retreat to your hotel for a restful night, surrounded by the history and beauty of this ancient city.
After breakfast we will experience the Rome of Caesars! We will visit the Colosseum and Archaeological Area, skipping long lines at the entrance. This will be an informative experience led by our local CTS expert.
Upon arrival in the archeological area, we will access the Palatine Hill with no line and discover the hill where Rome was founded. Next, we will reach the famous Colosseum and be flabbergasted by this monument that is the symbol of Rome across the world. The Amphitheater was created to entertain ancient Roman citizens with bloody shows of gladiators, animals, and mock games, and is now one of the most fascinating landmarks of the ancient city. Next, we walk on the original path of ancient Rome along the Via Sacra and see the Temples of Vesta, Antonino and Faustina, the ancient Basilica of Julia and Aemilia and dream about the glorious past of the Roman Empire. Truly an unforgettable and unique morning!
We will be free in the afternoon for lunch, or to rest and relax or to people watch in places like piazza Navona.
Late afternoon: Join your host Joseph for an illuminating walk of some of the monuments of Rome, including the Trevi Fountain, the Roman Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and much more.
Return to the hotel for a relaxing night.
After breakfast we depart Rome to head South into the volcanic landscape that is discovered just a few miles from the city. Here we will partake in two wine tastings, learn about the art of Roman wine tasting in an area that goes back more than 2,000 years (and walk on an ancient Roman wine road), as well as have lunch in Castel Gandolfo, overlooking a vast volcanic lake. Known as the Castelli Romani, it is one of the most beautiful areas of the Roman region but not all visitors know about this amazing gem. Get ready for some impressive discoveries.
Overnight in Castelli Romani.
After another great breakfast we will head South again venturing into an amazing region lined with tall mountains, valleys, Roman temples, medieval towns, vineyards, and turquoise seas that create one of Italy's most alluring and enigmatic landscapes. Many visitors of Southern Italy head straight to Naples missing the best part of the trip, its monumental and historical coastline.
We first stop briefly in San Felice Circeo to view the tower of the Knights Templars and to look above towards the acropolis where Circe, a sorceress in Homer's Odyssey, cast a spell on Ulysses. It is from this region that the myths and legends of Rome begin as Greek culture fused with Latin culture.
Next, we will make a brief stop to view the temple of Jupiter Anxur in Terracina. This was the symbol and the glory of eternal Rome, and we get to the heart of the legend of Rome as a divine city that was favored by the Gods and thus became the most powerful city in the known world for a thousand years.
Next, we visit nearby Sperlonga. This medieval town offer amazing panoramic views over a tower that was meant to repel Saracen invaders, as well the calming Mediterranean Sea and the villa of the emperor Tiberius. Here we will have a local cultural expert guide us around this amazing jewel and have some free time for lunch as we look over one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes.
Later in the afternoon, we continue for a short ride to Gaeta. Gaeta is often voted to be one of the top medieval villages in Italy and has a long reputation as a fisher village and a unique history that goes back nearly 3,000 years, it is also boasts remarkable views of a beautiful gulf that is shadowed by some of the largest most awe-inspiring mountains in the region.
The rest of the late afternoon and evening at your leisure.
Overnight in Gaeta
Today after breakfast and some views of the sandy beach of Serapo, we will discover some of the local town. We will hop on our local transportation to take to the top of Monte Orlando which not only has great views of the nearby beaches, and mountains extending nearly to Naples, it also has one of the best-preserved Roman monuments known as the Mausoleum of the senator and general Plancus. Plancus was best known for being one of Julius Caesar's lieutenants in the Gallic wars and you will be impressed with what he left behind.
Afterwards we take a leisurely walk-in medieval Gaeta that during the medieval ages was part of the Byzantine Empire, an independent Duchy, and then part of the Kingdom of Sicily. Its buildings show influences from both the western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean. Another great highlight we will visit is Split Mountain. This amazing fissure on the side of a mountain has caves where the sea enters and pounds against the rocks hundreds of feet below that is somehow energizing and calming at the same time. You will love it!
Well off the beath path, Gaeta is often said to be one of the best kept secrets of Italy. You will see why!
Afternoon and evening at your leisure. Your host will give some suggestions of where to eat as Gaeta is influenced by both Rome and Naples, so it has the best of both culinary traditions.
Overnight in amazing Gaeta
After breakfast we depart for an hour or so and drive South into an area that was once revered by the Romans as being their preferred vacation area. Located just Northwest of Naples, and known as the Phlegraean Fields, or Campi Flegrei in Italian, this rich cultural region is where many of the ancient Greek legends were said to have taken place and where the Romans incorporated them into their own cultural legends. Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Caligula, Nero, and other well-known figures of the ancient world were here at one time or another.
Upon arriving we will first visit the stupendous Flavian Amphitheater of Pozzuoli with your host Joseph who specializes in this amazing region. You will be amazed with Rome's third largest amphitheater that boasts the best underground section of any coliseum, and it is your chance to get up close and personal with history. We will discover the legends and stories of the gladiator games, beastly hunts, mock naval battles, and the plight of early Christian leaders that met their demise right here. Contrary to popular belief Christians did not meet a grisly end in the Roman Coliseum, instead it was here In Pozzuoli.
Next, we will traverse through the region and discover several of its relatively recently created volcanoes that dot the landscape. We will be able to see a few of the sleeping volcanoes up close and personal and discover how volcanism influenced Greek mythology which itself influenced the foundations of the Roman empire itself.
We end with a visit to the archeological museum of the Campi Flegrei housed in the tower Castle of Baia. We will see Greek and Roman statues and other remnants of a bygone area closer than any museum of its caliber allows for in Italy. You will also be able to experience the grandiose views of the Bay of Naples from the castle walls with the Ilse of Capri in the distance and Mount Vesuvius lurking just over the horizon.
For lunch, we will enjoy some free time near the port of biblical Pozzuoli, then known as Puteoli, where we can eat a delicious lunch in the shadows of a Roman market complex.
Afterwards it is on to Sorrento, said to be the place where the sirens lived in Homer's Odyssey and one of the most gorgeous seaside towns in the world.
Overnight in charming and idyllic Sorrento
We start our day with a great breakfast before departing for Pompeii.
Pompeii is well known for being one of the most intact Roman cities owing to its demise in the explosion of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. You will walk the streets that the ancient inhabitants walked, see their homes, grandiose and humble, be amused by their graffiti, experience their Odeon theater and nearby amphitheater, and have the chance to visit some newly opened sections of the town that have never been seen before!
After our unforgettable visit to Pompeii, we will delight in a wine tasting and light lunch in a nearby winery in the shadow of Vesuvius. The Romans loved their wine and who are we to contradict them? Memorable!
Afternoon and evening free to make personal discoveries or to just relax!
After breakfast today we will experience downtown Naples! We will discover its history from its founding as a Greek colony, to its importance in transmitting Greek culture to the Romans, and its history as an independent kingdom for nearly 700 years.
We will have a leisurely walk of the town show casing Castel Nuovo, Galleria Umberto, Piazza Plebiscito, and the historical district or "centro storico". Here we will visit some of the most important churches of the city, but the highlight will be a plunge into "underground Naples" that allows us to view sections of the ancient Greek City, walk on a Roman road, and be amazed at the remnants of a large ancient marketplace that was active for over 1000 years. It will be amazing!
After our visit we will enjoy a farewell lunch together that consists of a traditional Neapolitan pizza. Pizza was invented in Naples and the pizza here is unlike anywhere else, and some would say better than anywhere else! We will all experience this together and be able to make up our own minds. Get ready for some good cheer as Neapolitans are at the top of their game when it comes to hosting those who want to experience their cuisine.
Late afternoon: We depart Naples to head back to Sorrento where we will have the evening free at our leisure to do anything we might have missed or to enjoy some wine looking out over the Mediterranean Sea.
In the morning, you will transfer out to either the airport for your flight home or the train station if your Italian Adventure is continuing.
Availability
April 16-25, 2027
October 01-10, 2027
- 4* Hotel in Rome /3 nights (Hotel Quirinale or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Castelli Romani / 1 night (Hotel Castel Vecchia or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Gaeta / 2 nights (Hotel Mirasole or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Sorrento / 3 nights (Grand Hotel Flora or similar)
- Bus at disposal throughout the tour accordingly to services included
- Bus permits/parking when needed
- All breakfasts included
- Welcoming wine tasting and light supper in Rome
- Farewell lunch in Naples in a traditional locale famous for its pizza and other Neapolitan dishes
- All transportation around Italy as per itinerary including up to Monte Orlando in Gaeta
- Two Wine tasting programs/course in the Frascati Region South of Rome, one with Olive Oil Tasting and a traditional Roman lunch with grandiose views of the volcanic region
- Lacryma Christi and regional Wine Tasting in the shadow of Vesuvius with a light lunch
- Walking experience of Ancient Rome
- Walking experience of Ancient Naples
- Walking experience of Ancient Pompeii
- Walking experience in Sperlonga
- Walking experience in Gaeta
- Entry to the Vatican Museum
- Entry to the Monastery and Split Mountain in Gaeta
- Entry into the Castle and Archeological Museum of Baia as well as the Flavian Amphitheater of Pozzuoli
- CTS main Host Joseph Walker and local Italian Cultural Experts on various sections of the program
- Airfare
- Travel Insurance (highly recommended for everyone)
- Personal Documents such as passports with at least 6 months' validity, visas, if necessary, etc.
- Anything not specifically mentioned as included under "price includes"
- 4* Hotel in Rome /3 nights (Hotel Quirinale or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Castelli Romani / 1 night (Hotel Castel Vecchia or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Gaeta / 2 nights (Hotel Mirasole or similar)
- 4* Hotel in Sorrento / 3 nights (Grand Hotel Flora or similar)
Payment schedule:
- 30% deposit to sign up
- Balance due 45 days before trip begins
- Cancellation must be requested in writing
- Deposit is 100% refundable until 90 days before the program. Afterwards deposit is not refundable.
- 50% of total balance is refundable up to 60 days before the program begins.
- No refunds for cancellations 59 days before the program begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tour is designed exactly for that: it opens with ancient Rome, drifts south along the Coast of Ulysses through medieval seaside villages, moves into the volcanic Bay of Naples, and ends in Sorrento and the newly restored streets of Pompeii — all designed by historian Joseph Walker, so you have the context to understand what you're actually looking at.
Yes. It's built like a mosaic — many pieces forming one picture — to put Italy in context rather than just tick off highlights. Travelers consistently say the historical context built into the itinerary makes sites like Pompeii feel completely different from a standard visit.
It's the stretch of Italian coastline where, according to Homer, Ulysses (Odysseus) passed on his voyages — a landscape where myth and history are often one and the same. You visit it between Rome and Naples.
Groups are capped at 15 travelers, and you can expect a fair amount of walking across ancient sites and coastal towns over the 10 days.