For centuries, the Sorrento peninsula and the Bay of Naples have attracted visitors eager to experience their dazzling scenery, tranquillity and abundance of world-class historical sights. Invasions by the Greeks, Phoenicians and Saracens have all left their marks, but it was the Romans whose legacy remains most obvious today.

Our base for this tour is the picturesque town of Sorrento. There's colour everywhere you look: tubs of red geraniums, dark blue clematis climbing up pastel-hued walls, and bougainvillea and roses in shades of pink decorating open spaces. Lemon trees are common - you can't help but notice their fragrance as you wander. Mouthwatering aromas drift from restaurants and trattorias, and pavement cafes serve cappuccinos on every street corner. 

We'll also explore the striking Amalfi coast, famed for its limestone mountains, copses of pine and azure Mediterranean waters. Next it's Capri, a picture-perfect island off the Sorrento peninsula that possesses a reputation as a veritable Garden of Eden. The skyline of the Bay of Naples is dominated by magnificent Mount Vesuvius, which has erupted spectacularly several times, most famously in 79AD when Pompeii and Herculaneum were entombed by a sea of molten rock and ash. Visits to these Roman towns highlight the scale of this catastrophic event and you'll be amazed by their astonishing state of preservation. 

Ultimately, there are few places in Europe that combine so much of interest in an area of such extraordinary scenery, making this an especially stimulating destination.