DAY 1

Arrive at Naples airport, where you will be welcomed by our local representative.Bus transfer to a hotel in the Naples area for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 2POMPEII/VESUVIUS

Set off for Pompeii.Guided tour of this magnificent city, which was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 BC. The tour will reveal surprising traces of the area's ancient history: the splendour of the baths, the forums and the theatres, as well as the wonderful and remarkable frescoes adorning the walls of the villas.The site is not only interesting, but also very impressive, and could be considered one of the wonders of the world.Lunch at a restaurant during the trip.Transfer to Vesuvius, which looms over the Gulf of Naples.This is the only active volcano in mainland Europe.Its slopes were once covered by forests and vineyards.The bus will take you to 1,000 metres above sea level.You can then climb to the summit of the crater on foot and enjoy a magnificent view of the Gulf of Naples.Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 3NAPLES/STROMBOLI

After breakfast, set off from the hotel for a guided tour of Naples, founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC and colonised by the Romans in the 4th century BC.The history of Naples has left wonderful monuments scattered throughout the city: churches, palaces and works of art.Arrive in Naples and stop on Posillipo Hill, where you can admire a wonderful view over a golf course.Descend towards the port of Mergellina, travelling along the seafront past the Castel dell'Ovo (Egg Castle).The bus will stop in Piazza di Gesù, and the guided tour will continue on foot along the historic main street, "Spaccanapoli", past theChurch of Santa Chiara, Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, Via San Gregorio Armeno (the alley famous for its nativity scenes and statuettes), and the Cathedral.The city tour continues with Piazza del Plebiscito, the Galleria Umberto I, the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, the Teatro San Carlo and the Palazzo Reale (outside visit only).Free choice for lunch.Transfer to the port of Naples, where you will board a boat for the island of Stromboli at around 2:30 pm (at the time of writing).Stromboli includes small fishing villages like Ginostra (around 45 inhabitants) and Scari, the island's port.Nearby, the small island of Strombolicchio keeps her big sister company.Stromboli is the northernmost island in the Aeolian archipelago and its volcano, 924 metres above sea level, is the most active in Europe.It erupts every hour on average, ejecting lapilli (small stones), ash and volcanic "bombs" (cooled lava stones which justify the need to wear a helmet when hiking on the volcano's slopes).One side of the volcano is called Sciara del Fuoco, and it is here that the majority of the volcanic material is ejected.Arrival around 9:00 pm.Shuttle transfer to the hotel (ferry crossing of about 4.5 hours), followed by dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 4STROMBOLI

Breakfast at the hotel.Spend the day travelling around the island of Stromboli on a donkey, exploring the black sand beaches and the small village of Stromboli.Lunch at the hotel.Free afternoon at the hotel followed by dinner and an overnight stay.Optional excursion to the craters of Stromboli (payable on-site), leaving around 4:30/5:00 pm with a mountain guide (maximum 20 people per guide), including a hike of 5-6 hours, with a break every 40 minutes and a one-hour stop at the craters.Please note that this excursion is designed for people in good health who are good walkers and used to climbing mountains.(What to bring for the excursion: hiking shoes, anorak, warm clothes, spare short-sleeved shirt, protective helmet, torch, water, sandwich, fruit, dessert or sweets.The protective helmet will be provided for the duration of the guided excursion).Return to the hotel and overnight stay.(Packed dinner).Optional boat trip to Sciara del Fuoco (about 1 hour).

DAY 5LIPARI

Breakfast at the hotel.Set off for the port of Stromboli and board for the crossing to Lipari.Settle in at the hotel for lunch.In the afternoon, visit the island, once the trade hub for obsidian (a type of volcanic glass) and today the world's largest producer of pumice. Visit the Church of San Bartolomeo and enjoy free time exploring the Aeolian Museum.Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.Optional: Lipari island tour (1.5 hours), during which you can admire splendid views of the island of Vulcano and the sea.

DAY 6VULCANO

After breakfast, take a public ferry to Vulcano.The first stop will allow you to visit the Faraglioni rock stacks and the Grotta degli Angeli (with great photo opportunities).

Next, stop at the Grotta del Cavallo and the Piscina di Venere (Cave of the Horse and Pool of Venus).Continue towards Gelso (a small fishing village) and Vulcano's marina (Porto di Levante), with a visit to the village and the possibility of bathing in its famous healing mud (entrance fee payable on-site) or sunbathing on the black sand beach. Return to Lipari for lunch at the hotel.Free time in Lipari for shopping, for an individual tour of the island or to relax at the hotel.Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

DAY 7ETNA – CATANIA

After breakfast, take an early boat to Milazzo.Continue by bus to Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe.Take the bus up to 1,800 metres and tour the inactive Silvestri craters.Depending on weather conditions and the arrival time at Mount Etna, you may have the opportunity to climb up to 2,600 metres using the funicular and a 4x4 (payable on-site, €60.50 at the time of writing).Lunch.In the afternoon, continue towards Catania, the second largest city in Sicily.Visit the city's most important monument, the cathedral dedicated to its patron saint, Saint Agatha of Sicily, and Piazza del Duomo with its elephant fountain, the symbol of Catania.Stroll through the old town past the city's most important theatre, dedicated to the composer Vincenzo Bellini.Free time.Settle in to a hotel in the Catania area for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 8

Breakfast at the hotel.Bus transfer to the airport for the return flight.End of our tour.