Tour

Naples, its historical center and subterranean world, which UNESCO declared a Cultural Heritage site, Pompei, the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei), and Sorrento, are one of the most striking and breathtaking beautiful places in the world!

We are delighted to present to our Ischia Chamber Music Festival Members a new cultural event: "Naples, a Capital Core of History and Music".

This very special tour of Naples, is possible for ICMF Members at these very special rates only after reaching a minimum number of 20 participants.

TUESDAY MAY 1

Ischia Chamber Music Festival members will be met at their arrival at the Naples Capodichino airport (NAP).
Transfer to Villa Luisa, a Four Stars Hotel overlooking the Bay of Pozzuoli in Lucrino.
The Hotel, recently renovated, is right on the sea. It offers nice, clean and comfortable rooms, international breakfast, Mediterranean cuisine and free spa for our members.

6:30 pm – Welcome Party and Tour presentation.

7:30 pm - Dinner at the Hotel.

WEDNESDAY MAY 2

7:00-8:30 am - Breakfast

9:00 am – Departure from the Hotel. Destination: a tour of historic downtown Naples.

San Severo Chapel, is a fascinating museum because of its mysterious anatomic machines, two skeletons that are inexplicably covered with a system of fossil veins and arteries, the amazing marble statue Cristo Velato and other remarkable examples of Baroque sculptures from the 17th and 18th century.

Santa Chiara Convent and Cloister, a wonderful, restful place in the heart of bustling downtown Naples with its garden surrounded by ornate columns , little benches, and majolica-covered walls. On the nearby Via San Sebastiano, you can find music stores that, because of their vicinity to the conservatory, still sell mandolins.

Calace "Liuteria", The Calace "Liuteria", lute-making workshop, was founded in 1825 by Nicola Calace on Procida island, in the bay of Naples, where Nicola was confined for political reasons. He started the art of lute-making, producing appreciated guitars. When he died, the tradition was continued by his son Antonio, who after moving to Naples, started making unique, precious mandolins, which can nowadays be admired in private collections.

San Pietro a Majella Music Conservatory ,

The details of this visit are forthcoming.

Lunch: Pizza!!!

Subterranean Naples

Forty meters below the characteristic and lively streets of the historic center of Naples, you find a different world, unexplored, isolated by time, but deeply connected to the world above.
It's the heart of Naples, and the place from which the city was born. This visit is like travelling back to the past, a 2400 year- old world.

Bus Tour through the elegant neighborhood of Posillipo and the charming town of Pozzuoli on the way back to the hotel.

7:30 pm - Dinner at the Hotel.

THURSDAY MAY 3

7:00-8:00 am - Breakfast

8:30 am – Departure from the Hotel. Tour of Pompeii and Sorrento.

In the year 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted so suddenly that most residents didn't have time to escape. The fiery mountain buried all living beings under huge amounts of mud and ash and covered Pompeii with a one-meter-high ash layer. The surprising eruption buried Pompeii's small neighbouring town Herculaneum under a huge stream of mud mixed with lava. Most residents died a dramatic death under the mud. The excavations of Pompeii show a completely preserved wealthy city, which impresses by its size, numerous wonderful houses, temples, public buildings, wall paintings, and thermal springs.

Lunch box

SORRENTO

The Coast of Sorrento with its terrace gardens, mountains, steep cliffs and amazing villas has been attracting visitors from all the world for 200 years. Aromatic lemons cultivated in fragrant gardens grow to a considerable size due to the mild climate.
The best-know town on the Sorrentinian Peninsula is Sorrento, which, situated in a gorgeous location, rises on white steep cliffs. The park of the Villa Comunale offers a fantastic view across the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.

7:30 pm - Dinner at the Hotel.

FRIDAY MAY 4

7:00-8:30 am - Breakfast

9:00 am – Departure from Hotel. Tour of Phlegraean Fields

The Phlegrean Fields (from the Greek Flegraios, or "burning") is an enormous volcanic area that extends to the west of the Gulf of Naples from the hill of Posillipo to Cuma, and includes the islands of Nisida, Procida, Vivara and Ischia.
Rich with history and art, the Phlegrean Fields are also extraordinarily beautiful, with the signs of volcanic activity clearly evident.

Cuma, the first of the Greek colonies on Italian land, founded in about 730 BC

It soon became a flourishing commercial center, destination of important mercantile routes and center for the exchange of goods with the inland, gaining supremacy along the entire coast. Its inhabitants went on to found other cities along the coast, among which Neapolis in 470 BC.
The Archaeological Park includes the acropolis and a part of the lower city where the forum, the Sybil's Cave, the 'Arco Felice' and the Amphitheatre are to be found.

The Flavian Amphitheater (Anfiteatro flaviano puteolano), located in Pozzuoli, is the third largest Roman amphitheater in Italy. Only the Roman Colosseum and the Capuan Amphitheater are larger. It was likely built by the same architects who previously constructed the Roman Colosseum. The name Flavian Amphitheater is primarily associated with the Roman Colosseum.

Temple of Serapide . Erroneously known as the Tempio di Serapide (Temple of Serapis) due to a figurine found during excavations, this is actually an ancient Roman Macellum (market). Its most distinguishing feature is a set of three large columns, which have risen and fallen due to slow earthquakes known as bradyseism.

Lunch box

3:00 pm – Boat for Ischia!

The comprehensive cost of € 380,00 includes all of the following:

3-night stay at a four-star hotel

3 dinners with wine

pizza in downtown Naples

2 lunch boxes

a "gelato" in Sorrento

all transfers including airport to hotel

museum entrances and tour of Subterranean Naples

ferry transfer to Ischia for the Chamber Music Workshop