Flavors of Amalfi Coast Tour: Handcrafting Gelato, Mozzarella Cheese & More

The cliffs of Sorrento climb above the Mediterranean Sea and are peppered with homes that look down onto the cobalt water. Historical palaces line the cobblestone streets and have flourishes of Byzantine and Arab design. The relaxing atmosphere washes over Sorrento as the serene Mediterranean splashes at the seawalls near the small harbor. Fishing boats return from their morning at sea with overflowing nets full of delicious goods for market. Your guide will meet you at the hotel after breakfast and lead you on a fabulous tour of the narrow lanes and Baroque architecture of Sorrento.

The aroma of lemon and orange trees filters through the sea air. An 18th-century villa houses the Correale di Terranova Museum. The exhibits showcase a private collection of Neapolitan paintings, decorative arts, and porcelains created in the 17th and 19th-centuries. Each exhibit exudes the elegance of the time in which it represents, from the rococo paintings on the first floor to the detailed figurines on the third floor. After you explore the rich collection, you will make your way to a Limoncello factory to learn the delights of the traditional southern Italian liqueur.

The aroma of lemon emanates through the small shop doors, and the sales display shows a remarkable amount of liqueur beyond the famous Limoncello. Your instructor will explain the basics of the recipe that lead you to any number of flavors from orange liqueur to coffee cream. In the back of the store, your instructor will provide a friendly and knowledgeable class on the production of Limoncello. The recipe will be yours as you add sugar, lemon rinds, alcohol and water together before you let it steep for up to 40 days.

Greek settlers fortified the town walls more than two millennia ago. Romans strengthened the original structure, which was then rebuilt in the 16th-century after Turks attacked the city. Stroll along the Marina Grande for a view of the historical segments of the wall that include the Porta Parsano Nuova and Porta Parsano bastion. At the marina, step aboard a ferry to cruise along the Mediterranean towards the island of Capri as the limestone walls rise out of the remarkably blue water up to 200 feet tall.

The island is less than three miles long and one mile wide with two main towns. However, Capri’s stunning location and remarkable views have drawn visitors from around the world for thousands of years, including the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius. The ferry docks in the Marina Grande to offer a view to the charming fishermen’s homes that line the seaside promenade of the hamlet. A funicular carries you up to Capri, home to elegant piazzas, chic restaurants, and boutique shops. The small town completely captivates you.

Public vegetable plots blossom with marvelous eggplants and ruby tomatoes. Sundrenched stucco walls lead to open walking trails that amble along the meandering hills. A chairlift ascends to the summit of Monte Solaro at an altitude of more than 1,930 feet above sea level. From the island’s highest point, you can look out over the Mediterranean for an unforgettable view of the shimmering cobalt water as whitewashed homes peek out of forest greenery, and sporadic limestone karsts move away from the island’s shores.

In the morning, you will find locals walking the cobbled streets to reach the Duomo down Via Pieta. A dramatic exterior fresco decorates the façade beneath the soaring triple-tiered bell tower as classical columns lead your eyes to the elegant majolica clock. The original structure was erected in the 15th-century, but the cathedral has been refurbished over the centuries. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you to the start of the stunning Amalfi Coast.

Almond and olive trees grow wild along the hills as lush forest sweeps over the plateaus and limestone cliffs slope into the azure sea. Amalfi Coast has inspired artists and writers alike for centuries. The coast travels for more than 28 miles with a road that winds along the cliffs and ravines. The first town on the road to Amalfi is Positano, a collection of peach, pink, and terracotta homes that rise the cliff-side and reach down to the calm water below. Continue along the road to where Greta Garbo, movie star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, often rented the Villa Cimbrone in the town of Ravello.

The winding road travels through blossoming orange groves, which provide a sweet and citrus layer to the seaside air. The town overlooks the deep Valley of Dragons with lush gardens and an immaculate panorama of the sea. Monasteries and churches continue to populate the town, including the 12th-century Church of San Giovanni del Toro, which was remodeled with a Baroque style to incorporate Persian majolica. The crypt contains frescoes that line the walls to depict scenes from the life of Jesus. In the calm of the afternoon, you will meet a gelato aficionado willing to share the secrets of gelato making during a private class on the Italian treat.

The sunlight washes over the landscape and shines a spotlight on the Path of the Gods, a trail that connects the town of Agerola to Positano and opens up to dramatic views of the Gulf of Salerno along the way. Today your guide will meet you at the hotel eager to show you the remarkable beauty of the coastline, from the treasured history to the inspiring panoramas. On the streets of Amalfi, you will find the striped façade of the Cathedral. The base of the structure was erected in the 9th-century, but the Cathedral was remodeled in the 13th-century. The doors stop you in your tracks as they were cast in Constantinople in the 11th-century, emphasizing the important trade relationship Amalfi had created with Byzantium.

Travel the coastline to the town of Conca dei Marini as the streets nestled between the cliffs maintain a fascinating history that dates to before the Roman arrival in the region. Your guide will lead you down into a sea cave by way of stone stairs to the beach, where a boat will take you into the cave mouth. The warm sunlight changes to a cool, dim glow, which gives the grotto the name, the “Emerald Cave.” Stunning stalactites angle down from the ceiling as volcanic activity in the area has changed the landscape over time to form a grotto in which the water cannot fully penetrate. Refracted sunlight enters the cave from beneath the waterline to cause the water to radiate emerald as you can see down to the seafloor in the clarity of the water.

Today, you will make your way inland to the plains of Campania, home to the impressive Greek temples of Paestum. Travel along the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast away from the Gulf of Salerno to find the ancient edifices of settlement erected around 600 BC. The colony became a Roman settlement before being overrun by the Saracens in the 9th-century. The grounds comprise the finest Greek architecture that remains on mainland Italy. The scent of fresh grass drifts from the meadow as the stone contains a rusty and gold hue in the spreading sunlight.

The colonists built the structures out of limestone, which has withstood battles, pillaging, and earthquakes. The Temple of Hara embodies the intricate architecture of the 5th-century BC and reflect the ideals of harmony and proportion along the structural ruins. The temple is the oldest of the three remaining structures and is often referred to as the Basilica. The inscription in altar let archeologists know for a fact to which god the temple was dedicated. After your exploration of Paestum, your guide will lead you to a nearby mozzarella farm.

The region of Campania is famous for its production of buffalo mozzarella, and you are eager to learn why. The farms line the highway with cows that graze along the meadows. Your guide will lead you along the pens in which the farmers milk. You will view the process of the dairies that collect the curds through a large window. The dairies grate through the boiling milk as if whisking the liquid. A small museum details the history of the cheese in the region before you enter into a tasting to discover the distinctive qualities of the regional buffalo mozzarella versus other cheeses around the country. Bite into the cheese to be rewarded with a simple, creamy texture and delicate savory flavor.

In the morning, the granita man will push his cart to the edge of town near the water. By lunch, people are lined up to enjoy a refreshing zesty lemon granita made with ice, sugar, and fresh squeezed lemon juice. The day is yours to indulge in the splendors of the Amalfi Coast at your leisure, whether by basking in the sunlight on the narrow pebbled shores of Spiaggia Grande or traversing the trails of the Path of the Gods along the cliffs. After relishing the wonders of the day, you will meet your guide in the mid afternoon to learn some of the art of Amalfi cooking with hands-on private instruction. Your instructor will take you to the market to learn what makes the best ingredients for proper southern Italian cuisine.

The best produce in the farmers market is often the brightest, and the aroma of orange zest will overtake the scent of eggplant and zucchini. As you enter into your chef’s home, you will find the kitchen already dressed for instruction with herbs and bread laid out for use. The small garden at your instructor’s home includes tomatoes, rosemary, and thyme. You will begin with a simple recipe to make gnocchi under the guidance of your instructor. Learn how to make and shape the perfect gnocchi as you prepare a decadent tomato sauce that fills the kitchen with an indulgent savory aroma. By the end of your class, you will feel like an Italian kitchen connoisseur.

You will search the morning air for remnants of the delicious meal you made the night before. The scent of lemon zest and the briny sea drifts through town. The black and white stripes of the Cathedral shine against the spreading sunlight as locals and visitors to Amalfi make their way to the beach to set their towels along the lounge chairs. The sea contains a clear, glassy appearance in the drifting daylight. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you in the hotel lobby and escort you to the Naples International Airport for your flight home. As your plane lifts off from the runway, you will bring a piece of Italian culture home with you.