Campania Beyond Naples

October 12–19, 2026

This tour focuses on two fascinating and beautiful parts of the Campania region that are too often overshadowed by the powerhouse attractions around the Bay of Naples. Irpinia, the inland northern part of the region, whose main town is Avellino is known for its Longobard heritage and superb wines, such as Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo. The coastal part of the region south of the Sorrento peninsula is the Cilento, whose beautiful landscape is recognized with a UNESCO designation and protected parkland. ADD re special food and bufala mozzarella

In ancient times, the area’s fertile lands and central location made it prized and contested or centuries before the Romans ultimately prevailed. Long before Hannibal and Spartacus fought here, Greek settlers founded cities such as Capua, Paestum, and Velia. Paestum’s splendid Doric temples—admired by Piranesi and other artists—today remain among the finest surviving examples of classical Greek architecture, while its extraordinary painted tombs and built monuments document the town’s subsequent Lucanian and Roman eras. Capua’s amphitheater, an early example, takes us back to the origins of what would become an empire-wide mania: gladiatorial games. And less-known places like Abellinum, Aeclanum, and Taurana will also get their due.