Italy Past & Present: Rome, WW2 Heroes, the Amalfi Coast, Isle of Ischia & Sicily
9 - 13 Days
9 days/8 nights- $6970 / person (single add $1415)
13 days/12 nights- $10,450 / person (single add $1840)
October 8-16, 2025
October 8-20, 2025
Couples, Friends, and Solos
The Splendor of Rome: Valiant Anzio & Cassino, Ravello, Sunbaked Salerno & Amalfi on the coast;
the Isle of Ischia & Palermo, Cefalu and Agrigento in Sicily
Marvel at the dual majesty of ancient & modern Rome in the same adventure. See Mussolini’s Balcony, the Ardeatine Caves, & Liberation Museum alongside the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, and Trevi Fountain. Step back through time while enjoying quintessential Roman specialties and vino. Experience the Allied victories at Anzio and Salerno beaches. Scale the very hilltop where the Allies drove back the Nazi’s at Monte Cassino, and reflect at the American Cemetery in Nettuno. Check in to Amalfi Coast’s most dramatic coastal town, Ravello, perched atop the seaside. Sail the Mediterranean’s crystal blue waters and enjoy Italian gallery art with friends and shopping in divine piazzas. Ferry to the historic island of Ischia that you’ve only read about! Tour the Castello Aragonese. Shop and eat along the Casamicciola Terme and Lacco Amena seafront, and try coniglia, Ischian’s favorite dish, & a glass of white wine! Then...Sicily! Everything you’ve heard about is true. Street food, the bustle of Palermo, breathtaking UNESCO sites- the Cathedrale in Monreale, and ancient Valley of the Temples from 500 BC await. Kick off your shoes at a seaside resort on the sandy beaches of Cefalu on Sicily’s north coast for the rich & famous... and you.
Highlights
Take up residence for 3 nights of magical 5-star hospitality in the heart of the Eternal city of Rome, where antiquity and luxury meet.
Live like a Roman. Stroll into ancient & modern sites astride one another. See the Forum and Colosseum next to Mussolini’s Balcony and the Liberation Museum. Visit the Ardeatine Caves, Via Rasella and the Baths of Caracalla for a vista of antiquity to WW2.
Start the finest cuisine journey of your life- it will be memorable on this tour of spectacular Italian food at every meal, beginning with Roman favorites!
Travel an hour down the coast to Anzio Beach, site of the famous Allied landing in WW2. Enjoy a great lunch near the Anzio Lighthouse amidst locals who still remember the liberation of 1944.
Pause for a quiet moment at the American cemetery in Nettuno, beautifully manicured for the 8000 Americans heroes buried here. Stop for a prayer at Santa Teresa Basilica’s “Infant of Prague.”
Drive the windy path up to the crest of the Abbey at Monte Cassino overlooking the Italian countryside. Enjoy the majestic view at the top, the site where Allied soldiers climbed on foot to overtake the Nazi army in WW2.
Check in for 3 nights of coastal luxury in Ravello, the jewel of the Amalfi Coast, starting with sunset dinner high atop Amalfi & Atrani on the terrace of Ravello’s Hotel Villa Maria.
Delight in the stores & shops of Piazza Vescovado and the lush beauty of Villa Rufolo. Enjoy lunch and an insider’s peek at art from LiquidArt gallery’s curator Aldo, over cocktails.
To the coast we go- to Salerno- site of the 82nd Airborne’s brave WW2 Operation Avalanche and new Landing Museum.
At the port of Salerno, board a private boat equipped with Prosecco and caponata to sail the coast, and then dock in Amalfi for a visit.
Island hopping- we’ll board a highspeed ferry in the Bay of Naples bound for the romantic Ischia island- 2 nights of rich culture, history, and Neapolitan cuisine-with-a-twist await.
Aragonese Castle, Casamicciolo Terme shops and the Lacco Amena seafront will capture your imagination, with a special dinner at Sapori della Nonna. Try the Ischian rabbit, the island’s specialty!
Depart for home after an amazing 9 days… or
Hop a short flight for Palermo, Sicily! The largest island in the Mediterranean is the stuff of dreams. Settle in for 4 nights in Sicily’s top seaside resort, Cefalu, known for sandy beaches & narrow streets full of vibrant shops. The north side of the island is perfectly situated for our homebase in Paradise.
Take a short ride to Palermo, the city Patton’s 7th Army raced to get to, and home to diverse GrecoRoman Norman architecture only found on Sicily.
Take a walking tour through Palermo city markets and street food, eating our way through town.
Enter the lovely UNESCO cathedral in Monreale with an eye popping interior you will marvel at.
Tour Agrigento in the south- home of another UNESCO site- Valley of the Temples- from the 6th century BC. They’re the oldest/best preserved Greek/Roman ruins in the world!
Dine Agrigento!- the bread basket of Sicily- at a farm-to-table meal with fresh produce and local wine. You’ll know you’ve gone to heaven.
Sample famously-local Amaro- the herby “digestivo” after-dinner cordial made only in Sicily for the rest of the civilized world to drink! Salute and Ciao till next time!
Who’s Your Host?
Captain Joe Sacchetti is a U.S. Army Ranger-qualified paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and author of Guts, Smarts & Love, who served 2 tours in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in combat.
A Track & Field All-American and Welterweight Boxing Champ in the 82nd Airborne, Joe escorted the Olympic torch through his Pennsylvania hometown in 1980 on the way to Lake Placid as a kid, and from that moment knew he wanted to see the world!
After MIT’s Business Exec Ed program, Joe started Highroads Traveler to make sophisticated global travel easily accessible to small groups of 20 by “hosting” them, now via Legacy Collectibles.
It’s rare to mesh the world of combat vet and sophisticated traveler, yet Joe is on a journey to be the world’s first Army Ranger to visit every country on the globe. 160 out of 227 so far, and it’s much more than stamping a passport.
Connecting with people around the globe in their language makes every trip more fun. From European roots, Joe is comfortable in half a dozen or so, and always learning more.
Playing music is another fantastic people connector so he & his wife Domenica always keep an eye out for a piano to gather round at happy hour. It doesn’t take much nudging from her to get Joe to play either!
Why “Hosted?”
Go with a Pro.
You’ve saved up and are ready to take the trip of a lifetime. Do you really have time to plan all the details and get it all perfect? If yes, great! Yet for most, pretty much no way. And how about when you get there making your way to the best hotels, sites and restaurants? Most say… daunting. Our solution – let’s go together and make your greatest trip ever.
“Taste, touch and see what the world has to offer” is Joe & Domenica’s mantra, and now you’re invited to come share the journey to the best places in the world with their small-group hosted tours.
What's Included
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All Breakfasts, Selected Lunches, Selected Dinners
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Bon Voyage gift(s) for your International Tour
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Expertise and service from your Highroads Traveler Host, Joe
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Additional regional guides and experts on several trips
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Comprehensive Trip Detailer with all-you-need-to-know info
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Guided tours at historic sites and select attractions as noted in the Trip Detailer
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All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
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Special events, including wine tastings and select attractions as mentioned in the Trip Detailer
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Park and other entry fees
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Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Trip Detailer
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Select coach transfers
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Baggage transfers
Not Included:
Leader gratuities, transportation to and from your Highroads Traveler trip start & end locations, and on-your-own meals & activities.
Ready to Embark on Your Next Adventure?
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Gallery & Testimonials
As an Army Ranger for 25 years, I served as Joe Sacchetti‘s 2nd-in- command during Desert Storm, and there is nowhere in the world that I wouldn’t follow him, He cares about people. If I had the money, I would go on every trip he takes.
Master Sergeant Al A. , 45th anniversary D-Day (1994) Jump Team, Army Ranger, Green Beret, Bronze Star, Master Parachutist
We first met Joe on the island of Martinique while he was leading his group on a New Year’s trip. Ooh la la, he lives life like a true Frenchman! C’est Bon, such joeux de vie!
Christian C. , Sergeant, French Maritime Marines
