Rome (Starting Point)

Pompeii Archaeological Site

Pompeii Archaeological Site is one of the world's most remarkable ancient sites, a Roman city of 20,000 people perfectly preserved beneath four meters of volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically in 79 AD. Excavations since the 18th century have revealed streets, villas, temples, brothels, and bakeries frozen in time, along with heartbreaking plaster casts of victims. Walking the Via dell'Abbondanza past ancient shop signs and election slogans is an unparalleled encounter with Roman daily life.

Positano

Positano is the most glamorous village on the Amalfi Coast, a vertical cascade of pastel-colored houses tumbling from the clifftops down to a small pebbled beach on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Once a popular haunt of artists, writers, and celebrities including John Steinbeck and Sophia Loren, it remains an icon of la dolce vita, with narrow pedestrian lanes draped in bougainvillea, boutique fashion shops, and restaurants serving locally caught seafood.

Amalfi Town

Amalfi Town is the former maritime republic from which the Amalfi Coast takes its name, a picturesque cliff-hugging town of whitewashed buildings tumbling down to a harbor dominated by the magnificent 9th-century Cathedral of Sant'Andrea. At its 11th-century peak Amalfi was one of Italy's four great Maritime Republics, rivaling Genoa, Pisa, and Venice in trading power. Today the cathedral's ornate bronze doors, Arab-Norman architecture, and the emerald-blue waters of the harbor make it the most beautiful small town on the Amalfi Drive.