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Organized Excursions
from the hotel Olimpico
Our Hotel is situated in
Pontecagnano 50 metres from the sea in an ideal location for
every excursion in the region. From
Salerno
you can take a boat to Capri or to the
Amalfi
Coast
including the charming towns of Amalfi, Ravello and Positano. The
ferry-boat works from the half of March to the half of October.
During the winter time, there is a good connection to the Amalfi
coast by the SITA BUS company from Salerno train station. To
get to Capri's island there is a ferry boat every 45
minutes from the town of Sorrento. The Greek ruin of
Paestum
is13 miles away, and the famous
Pompeii
is only 20 miles.
Sorrento
is about 35 miles. You can also use public transportation to these
sites from the Hotel (the bus stop is in front of the Hotel), or
by guided excursions in English organized by our travel agency (only
during the summer time May to October). If you want to tour sites on
your own, our hotel will happily advise you and provide maps,
schedules and brochures to help you create your perfect vacation.
Why visit
Campania
The splendid natural
beauty, a mind climate, with few rivals in this world, the archaeological
remains, the historical artistic wealth, the famous culinary heritage, the
great contemporary artistic events, music and theatre: in the heart of
Europe and the Mediterranean, the Campania Region never ceases to enchant
its visitors like the legendary siren, Partenope, from whence the myth
arises.
“Most fertile of lands”, the ancients called it:
“Campania Felix” in the diaries of the travellers on the Grand Tour. The
distinctive character of this extraordinary destination is the inimitable
variety of age old historical charm, superb natural scenery, dotted with
monuments among the most visited and famous in the world: Vesuvius, with
Pompeii and Herculaneum at its feet; the enchanted Gulf, closed in by the
Sorrentine and Amalfi peninsulas, Capri and the Phlegrean tuff, with Ischia
and Procida; the superb Royal Palace of Caserta…
Naples, capital of the south for more than 600
years, remains, quite naturally, the heart of this formidible area for
whomsoever desires to travel with eyes and mind open in search of new
stimulus. The other parts of this region offer visitors emotions just as
amazing, with the added benefit of the tranquility of destinations less well
known and therefore less crowded: Salerno, with its medieval core, its
waterfront, its wise and ambitious urban planning, all in the context of a
vast province. Where the Sele plains make way for the exhuberant natural
oasis of Cilento; Benevento and Sannio, an unusual intertwining of pristine
nature, antique civilisation and traditional cuisine that never ceases to
re-invent itself; Avellino, in the mountainous Irpinia, green heart of the
Campania, jealous custodian of tradition, popular feasts and authentic
folklore; the Terra del Lavoro, with its grandiose bourbon Royal Palace and
Park designed by the genius of Vanvitelli, with rare gems of the calibre of
Casertavecchia and ancient Capua. There is more where you least expect it,
tenebrous grottoes, age old castles, antique sanctuaries and religious sites
and endless fascination like Montevergine and Pietralcina…
Let us not forget the care of our bodies and the
many alternative wellness centres, generously equiped with a caleidoscope
of pleasures for all tastes: modern thermal spas in incomparable scenery,
crystalline seas, equiped establishments, protected area, agritourisms,
wine, lemons, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, mouthwatering pastries, flavours
always different and original, great chefs and typical trattorias…
In all seasons, outside of the usual holidays;
for all budgets, from the most demanding jet set travellers to the families
looking for an honest price/quality ratio.
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Guided
Tours
Clients from European Union under 18 and over 65 are entitled
to free admission to State archaeological sites and museums
upon production of a valid identity document. |
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 Capri
and Anacapri
- Pick-up from
the hotel at 7:15 AM
Scheduled
every Wednesday.
Price per person: €
80,00 , Child
Price: € 80,00, Entrance Fees: € 6,00
No
holiday on the the Amalfi Coast would be complete without a
trip to the evocative island of Capri! Meeting on the Amalfi
Pier and departure by steamer for a pleasant sail to Capri.
During the crossing, a breathtaking sight of our Coast from
Amalfi to Campanella Cape and of the Sorrento Coast will
disclose before your eyes. Landing in Capri and start of the
guided tour of the island by private minibus, stop at Anacapri
for the visit of Villa St Michele, built by the Swedish doctor
and writer Axel Munthe on the remains of Roman ruins, offering
a wonderful view of the island from its beautiful shady
garden. From the Chapel St Michele’s terrace, you will enjoy a
beautiful view of the sea. Transfer from Anacapri to Capri by
private minibus. After lunch (optional), visit to the Garden
of Augustus, with a wonderful view of the famous “Faraglioni”.
The main square Piazza Umberto I, has a pretty white church
and several open-air cafes where you can sit and watch the
world drift by. Free time for shopping browsing around the
elegant and exclusive island boutiques. Optional visit to the
Blue Grotto to admire the beautiful colour shades in the
water, on the walls and the vault. Transfer by steamer from
Capri to Amalfi. Expected return 6.30 pm approx. |
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 Pompeii
and
Vesuvius
- Pick-up from the
hotel at 7:30 AM
Scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Price per
person: € 58,00,
Child
Price: € 48,00, Entrance Fees: € 17,50
Whole day tour: escorted by guide and by
deluxe motorcoach.
Pompeii
was destroyed by de eruption of Mont
Vesuvius
in 79 A.D. and buried by a
seven meters thick lay of lapilli and ash. The visit to the
ruins will give the opportunity to see many artifacts well
preserved which still now prove the prosperity of this town in
the past. After the visit, optional lunch in a Restaurant and
the excursion to the Vesuvius by bus up to 3.000 feet and on
foot to the crater for the visit with local authorized guide.
A visit to a cameos and corals factory will take place before
the return journey.
Pompeii
Express (without Vesuvius)
every Tuesday half day
€
55,00, Entrance Fees: € 17,50
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 Herculaneum
express- Pick-up from the Hotel
at 7:30 AM
Scheduled every Monday.
Price per person: €
55,00 Child
Price: € 45,00
Entrance Fees: € 11,00 **
Departure in the morning by de luxe
motor coach to Herculaneum. Visit of the archaeological
excavations (2 hours approx). The historian Dionigi di
Alicarnasso attributes the founding of Herculaneum to Hercules
from his return from Spain; while Strabone holds that the city
was first in the hands of the Opici-Ocsi, then the Etruscans,
then the Pelasgi and at last the Sannites. As in Pompei and
Stabiae, Herculaneum also most likely entered into the orbit
of the 'Nucerina' confederation. Having rebelled against Rome
during the Social War, it was seized and conquered in 89 B.C.
by Titus Didius, legate to the Roman General Lucius Cornelius
Silla. The city was built on a volcanic plateau having a sheer
drop to the sea. It lay at the foot of Vesuvius and was
delimited on its western and eastern sides by two rivers. Two
inlets provided natural and secure landing points. Its urban
planning, with division into regular plots of land, was put
into effect in the first half of the 4th century B.C. During
the Augustan era serious renovation work was needed on the
city's buildings. Many public buildings, in fact, were rebuilt
and completely restored as the acqueduct, the public fountain
network, the castella acquarium, the temples in the Sacred
Area, the 'Suburban Thermal Baths', the 'Central Thermal
Baths' and the Gymnasium. The ruinous earthquake of 62 A.D.
rendered many buildings dangerous. After the exploration along
underground passageways in the theatre area between 1710 and
1711 the excavations of Herculaneum officially began in 1738.
The excavations, which have been carried out here since 1981,
have revealed many interesting discoveries. Recent excavations
have been carried out at the grandiose Villa of the Papyri, a
large part of which is still buried. (For Villa dei Papiri
visit please contact us). Return in hotel in the early
afternoon. |
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 Sorrento
and
Herculaneum
- Pick-up from the Hotel at 7:30
AM
Scheduled
every Tuesday.
Price per person: €
58,00 Child
Price: € 48,00
Entrance Fees: € 11,00 **
Departure from the Hotel by GT Bus, driving along the untamed
beauty of the Amalfi Coast, through the picturesque villages
of Conca dei Marini, Furore and Praiano. Photo stop at the
famous Belvedere in Positano. Arrival in Sorrento and visit to
an inlaid wood-work shop, the typical Sorrentine production.
Free time to discover the beauties of Sorrento: In the lanes
of the old city centre, still untouched in spite of the
progress and mass tourism, have survived churches and ancient
monasteries, keepers of valuable memories. Centuries old
palaces and Durazzo portals evidence the splendour of the
noble families of Sorrento. Via S. Cesareo, the lively "decumanus",
is the beating heart of the town, with its many-coloured shops,
where tourists from every part of the world crowd. But the
real architectonic jewel of the town is the fourteenth century
Cloister of San Francesco, with crossed tuff arches of Arabian
derivation, where the traditional concerts of the "Estate
Musicale Sorrentina" take place. Optional lunch. In the early
afternoon departure to Herculaneum, a residential town buried
in ashes by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 a.D. Guided visit
to the archaeological excavations. Herculaneum was destroyed
along with Pompeii in 79 AD, and was rediscovered in 1709. Il
was e residential town without Pompeii's commercial importance,
surrounded by the villas of wealthy Romans.Wben the
catastrophe of 79 AD occurred, Herculaneum was buried by a
torrent of mud that hardened into a soft tufa (a kind of
course rock) that preserved many of the wooden parts of houses
and household objects which can be seen today. A large portion
of old Herculaneum is still buried under the modern town and
even today excavations are going on to discover what treasures
lie buried under the rock. Return in hotel in the afternoon. |
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 Paestum
- Pick-up from the Hotel at 7:30
AM
Scheduled every Thursday.
Price per
person: € 38,00,
Child
Price: € 28,00, Entrance Fees: € 17,50
Leave
the hotel by coach to Paestum. Visit to the archaeological
site: Paestum has been for a thousand years a romantic ruin in
the midst of a solemn wilderness. Its Doric temples, hardly
surpassed even by those of Athens in noble simplicity and good
preservation, produce an incomparable effect of majesty and
grandeur. The ancient site is set in a grassy field surrounded
by gardens and hills. Although the site is small, it's so
charming that you may want to spend time just relaxing here.
and to the exceptional museum, that holds finds excavated from
the site and around, including a set of archaic period Greek
metopes. Here you will find the tomb paintings, one of which,
the so-called "Tomb of the Diver", is a graceful and
expressively naturalistic piece of work, the only existing
example of Greek wall painting in Italy. Return to the hotel
in the afternoon. |
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 Ravello
& Country side
- Pick-up from the Hotel at 7:30
AM
Scheduled every Wednesday.
Price per
person: € 52,00,
Child
Price: € 44,00, Entrance Fees: € 5,00
We
will drive trough the wonderful countryside of the Amalfi
Coast with its local traditions: Departure to Ravello and
visit of the fascinating Duomo, built in 12th century, and of
the famous Villa Rufolo with its bell-tower and the enchanted
place which gave the right inspiration to Richard Wagner for
its music. Do not miss a photo on the Villa Rufolo Belvedere,
the famous terrace where summer classical concerts are held!
Free time for shopping. Our tour will continue to Tramonti,
along a breathtaking road up to the mountains, to discover the
different local activities with their own traditional crafts:
first stop at the Belvedere of Valico di Chiunzi to have a
full view of the Mount Vesuvius and Naples area from the top,
then visit to a limoncello factory with free tasting of the
Amalfi Coast liqueours. Drive to one of the well-known wine
cellars of the area through the beautiful wine yards of the
Amalfi Coast. Stop al fresco for a break to taste the wine (white,
red and rosè) and some local products. Expected return 1.30 |
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 Minicruise
to Positano & Grotto
- Pick-up from the Hotel at 7:30
AM
Scheduled every Saturday.
Price per
person: € 53,00,
Child
Price: € 45,00, Entrance Fees: € 5,00
Discover the Amalfi Coast from the sea. A wonderful guided
cruise from Maiori to Positano, passing Atrani, Amalfi and
Praiano. Stop to the famous Emerrald Grotto (optional):
discovered in 1932, the once dry grotto, later invaded by the
sea due to bradyseismical movements, owes its name to the
unusual colour of the water reflecting the light that
penetrates off the rocks. The interior of the cavern presents
the visitors with an extraordinary, unequalled scene: the
atmosphere, dominated by brilliant green and blue, is made
even more fascinating by thin stalactites and above all by the
spectacular formations of stalagmites that emerge from the sea
and, like huge columns over 10 m high, they join to the roof.
Landing in Positano, the town famous for its white-washed
cubes of houses, famous for its cultural events and for the
exclusive fashion creation sold in delightful little boutiques.
Free time for a walk trough the beautiful alleys or to do an
exclusive shopping (2 hour approx.) Expected return at 6.00 pm |
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 Roma
- Pick-up from the Hotel at 6:30 AM every Thursday
Price per
person: € 115,00,
Child
Price: € 90,00, Entrance Fees: € 11,00
ROME, one of the most
artistic and cultural centre in the world, leaves a deep
impression on all who see it. The “Eternal City” blends
history, culture, art and romance to create a truly magical
atmosphere. A daily trip escorted by expert guides. Departure
by de-luxe coach via “Autostrada del sole”. Arrival in Rome at
12.30 approx. Free time for a light snack. Visit to the
Vatican City with its monumental St. Peter’s Square, the
masterpiece constructed by Bernini and the imposing Basilica,
heart of the Roman Catholic Religion. Discover the city with
our specialized guide! Sightseeing tour by coach: Castel St.
Angelo, Villa della Farnesina, Sisto Bridge, Tiberin Island,
Pyramid, Marcello Theatre, Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia,
Palatine Palace, Campidoglio, Via S. Gregorio, Costantine
Arch. Visit to the Coliseum, the most important monument of
the ancient Rome, where bloody battles between gladiators and
against ferocious animals were once held. Continuation by
coach admiring Santa Maria Maggiore, Republic Square, Via
Nazionale, Quirinale Palace and Trevi Fountain where you will
have free time for shopping (40 minutes approx). During the
journey back dinner in Cassino. Arrival time at the hotel
expected for midnight. Rome is so rich and unique in history
and so much more – it’s no wonder it’s the eternal city!
Important notice: In order to be
allowed into St. Peter’s Basilica you must have covered
shoulders & long trouser. |
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**Clients from European Union
under 18 and over 65 are entitled to free admission to State
archaeological sites and museums upon production of a valid
identity document.
P.S. For all the excursions minimum participants required to
operate. |
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Campania: a worlwide
attraction: |
info@hotelolimpico.it