Rome & the Amalfi Coast Tour

I just returned from the most amazing 10-day adventure with Collette Tours exploring Rome and the Amalfi Coast, and I wanted to share a few highlights with you—especially if you’ve ever been curious about guided group tours!  

Here’s the itinerary I followed:  

**Rome & the Amalfi Coast Tour by Collette   Our dates were the last days of August and first week of September,

This was a traditional group tour experience with 40 friendly fellow travelers (a full motorcoach), a wonderful tour manager, and a professional driver who stayed with us for the entire trip.Each morning started with breakfast at the hotel, and our days typically kicked off around 8–9 AM with either travel or a guided excursion.

 
Some tour highlights included:  
- Getting immersed in ancient history in Rome with expert-led walking tours.
- Experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Sorrento, Amalfi, and Ravello.
- Visiting the ruins of Pompeii—an unforgettable journey back in time.
- Taking in the stunning coastal views along the Amalfi Coast.
- Free afternoons to explore on our own, shop, or just relax with gelato.  
 

Our days varied. While in Rome we took several walking tours. They generally were about two to two and a half hours long. Our local guides brought these places to life, and our incredible tour manager offered personalized tips along the way. I appreciated that I didn't have to worry about how to get somewhere or arrange anything. Even when we were just moving from one place to another, our tour manager told us what it's like to live in Rome which was really interesting.

I appreciated that when we had to move from one hotel to another (which we just had 2 hotels for this trip), that you just needed to put your luggage in the hallway and then it "magically" showed up in your room at the next hotel. This is especially wonderful in Rome which is full of hills and cobblestones!
The group was a great mix of ages and personalities (shoutout to the fun couple in their 30s!). Everyone was friendly, and it was so interesting to meet people from different places and walks of life.  We even had people from NJ!

One of the best parts of being on a guided tour is the ease: someone else handles the logistics. Even as a seasoned traveler, the help navigating things like the ferry system—especially when you don’t speak Italian—is priceless.  And our driver was amazing also! Driving in Italy is not for the faint of heart and Rome and the Amalfi coast was insane. Nothing ruffled our driver.

Group tours are not a one size fits all and may not appeal to all travelers. This tour was the more traditional style but there are some others that arrange the logistics and the days are yours to plan, some are small groups (under 20 people), and some are more regimented. There are biking tours, hiking, walking, and ones for history buffs or foodies. 

If you’ve ever considered trying a group tour, this was a truly enjoyable and stress-free way to travel. And Collette offers a wide variety of styles and destinations if you're curious about what else is out there.  

Let me know if you have any questions about the experience—I’d love to share more and help you explore options if you're interested in a similar getaway!