(version 2024_04_20)

Join a small group of 5-10 people interested in authentically exploring and (re)connecting with Southern Italian ancestral roots in relaxed comfort and style for a 10-day/9-night tour!! Together we will experience Southern Italian ancestral towns, food, culture, and natural environments. These tour dates are selected to coincide with the town of Sanza’s Madonna della Neve festival; a popular and lively local tradition for centuries and countless generations (pre-dating Christianity!). The experience includes a Sunday night/Monday morning sunrise descent of the Madonna from her temporary sanctuary at the top of Mt Cervati to her Sanza home (about 3 hours downhill on foot, accompanied by townspeople of all ages). This tradition is so strong and deep that descendents of people from Sanza (Sanzese) who emigrated to North America in the late 19th century, still hold a parallel annual Madonna della Neve festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the same date! (Likely, a Tiny World Tour in the near future).

We will visit other nearby small town Sagras (festive local celebrations of foods, traditions, and community), and have the relaxed freedom to choose from a large menu of optional indoor (cooking demonstrations, local musician performances, or solitary pursuits like reading and napping), and countless optional outdoor summer outdoor activities. Summer is an especially popular time for city-dwelling Italians to explore their beautiful home towns and national parks including stunning mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, caves, and the Mediterranean Sea.

If you’d like recommendations to extend and enjoy additional time on your own in Italy (e.g. Naples, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and/or Pompeii and Paestum archeological sites) please inquire via email to info@tinyworldtours.com

The tour price is $3,400 USD, for the activities indicated on the itinerary below. Guests are responsible for their own international flights to/from Naples. Arriving a day or two early is recommended to help avoid unforeseen travel delays and the effects of jet lag.

Southern Italy Ancestral Roots 2024

Comfortable Transportation and Accommodations

Draft Itinerary as of 20 April 2024 (subject to change)

1 August 2024 (Thursday): Day #1

Arrive in Naples, Italy International Airport (NAP)
Transfer on your own and check in to our Naples Hotel, the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia, overlooking Naples’ waterfront with a clear view of Mt. Vesuvius.
4 PM Informal Naples Orientation Walking Tour (optional)
6 PM Informal Dinner.
(Day #1 Included meals: D)

2 August 2024 (Friday): Day #2

Early hotel breakfast
~8 AM ~ Hotel Check Out and Depart via comfortable private bus to a private boat excursion including a stop for lunch on (or adjacent to) the Tyrrhenian Seat.
Continue by private bus to the Vallo di Diano and the Cozza family’s ancestral village Sanza in time for dinner
Check in to Affittacamere (Guesthouses) Casa De Benedictis. Our home in Sanza for the next three nights
Orientation walk around Sanza & meet relatives depending on their availability, welcome dinner (restaurant TBD)
(Day #2 Included meals: B, L, D)

3 August 2024 (Saturday): Day #3

Informal guesthouse breakfast
Select from a menu of optional outdoor nature activities near Sanza including rafting on the Lao River (Basilicata and northern Calabria).
Afternoon and evening Sagra in the town of Polla ( ~40 minutes north of Sanza)
Enjoy Polla’s annual summer “R…estate ragazzi” festival. Enjoy local sights, sounds, and flavors in the town’s historic center with live music and delicious street food (including great gelato). Your dinner tonight will be your selection of Polla’s festival street food (on your own).
Afterwards, drive back to Sanza (about 40 minutes)
(Day #3 Included meals: B, L)

4 August 2024 (Sunday): Day #4

On 26 July every year, the Madonna della Neve statue is carried from her Mother Church in Sanza to her temporary sanctuary chapel at the top of Monte Cervati

Informal guesthouse breakfast
Select from a menu of outdoor nature activities in and around Sanza (Cilento National Park)
Learn about the feast of the Madonna della Neve and meet some of our relatives (depending on their availability)
Simple guesthouse dinner & early bed (e.g. 8 PM for a 3.5-hour-nap)
11:30 PM wake up and drive to the top of Mt Cervati to visit the Madonna statue in her temporary summer mountain chapel sanctuary
Day #4 Included meals: B, L, D)

5 August 2024 (Monday): Day #5

~1:00 AM join Sanzese local townspeople for traditional Madonna della Neve mass on top of Mt Cervati
~4:00 AM join Sanzese lively local townspeople of all ages to descend Mt Cervati with the Madonna (about 3 hours) — NOTE: sunrise at 6 AM
Continuation of the feast of the Madonna della Neve. Witness the return of the Madonna statue into town carried by local young people.
Catch up on sleep / nap at our guest house.
Lunch and Dinner in Sanza (TBD)
Day #5 Included meals: B, L, D)

6 August 2024 (Tuesday): Day #6

Informal guesthouse breakfast
Check out of our Sanza guest house, and drive to picturesque coastal town of Pisciotta (about 1 hour) check into guest house.
Menu of coastal activities in and around Pisciotta and Palinuro (local Sagra festival, swimming, walking, bicycle rentals, etc.)
Day #6 Included meals: B, L, D)

7 August 2024 (Wednesday): Day #7

Informal guesthouse breakfast
Menu of coastal activities in and around Pisciotta and Palinuro (local Sagra festival, swimming, walking, bicycle rentals, etc.)
Day #7 Included meals: B, L, D)

8 August 2024 (Thursday): Day #8

Informal guesthouse breakfast
Menu of coastal activities in and around Pisciotta and Palinuro (local Sagra festival, swimming, walking, bicycle rentals, etc.)
Day #8 Included meals: B, L, D)

9 August 2024 (Friday): Day #9

Private transport to Naples (about 90 minutes) in time to meet your train or flight home (please advise in advance)
Transfer to airport, or extend your trip in Naples and the area

About This Tour:

This tour is especially for you if:

You have cultural or family connections in or around Naples, Sanza, or any of the areas we’ll visit. You enjoy experiencing and participating in authentic Italian small tour culture and traditions with the help of an experienced guide and translator. You’d like to spend active time in beautiful natural areas walking, swimming, picnicking, bicycling, etc. with room for spontaneity. Aside from our transportation as a group, listed activities are optional.

What’s included:

Assistance with international flight arrangements
Private Charter Tour Bus (for group transportation listed in the itinerary)
Excellent English-speaking guides and interpreters will be included with many group activities
Most meals listed on the itinerary
Accommodations in hotels and guest houses as noted.
Activities as noted in the itinerary (optional)
Advice about optional travel insurance

What’s not included:

Cost of flights to/from Naples
Transport from Naples International Airport to Naples Grand Hotel Santa Lucia
Personal expenses (including hotel extras such as personal laundry charges)
Meals noted in the itinerary as “On Your Own” or “At Additional Cost”
Additional hotel nights
Optional Travel Insurance

Note: We can advise you on your international flights, and for those concerned about the time-zone adjustment we encourage early arrival (e.g. a day or two) and can help you with additional hotel nights and airport transportation. Please advise us of your interest.

Physical Activity and Expectations:

This is a moderately active tour with average walking 2-4 miles per day (and possibly even more if you enjoy walking). There will be an optional 3 hour downhill dawn walk with the Madonna.
You’ll need to be able to climb up and down multiple flights of stairs (indoors and out)
You’ll encounter uneven cobblestone streets, sidewalks, and hillside trails.

Tour Cost $3,400 per person (double occupancy)*

* additional charge for single travelers requiring their own private rooms, please inquire about availability and exact cost.

(Itinerary subject to change according to unforeseen circumstances / opportunities)

If you have questions, please email your inquiry to mark@tinyworldtours.com