This is our last Wednesday, and we go to Italy and Croatia. I'm not a native of Italy, but I love Italy, and like so many who have been there, I always long to go back. I also love Croatia, and today I have the privilege of bringing you virtually to both countries on our Italian Sojourn itinerary, where we'll review the spectacular landscapes, delicious cuisine, and fascinating culture of Italy and Croatia on this 8-day journey. So let's first watch a short film that'll bring this great itinerary to life.
Immerse yourself in the wonders of Italy on this spectacular 8-day voyage from Rome with Viking. Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, where the pizza is authentic and the attractions epic, including the ruins of UNESCO-listed Pompeii. Heading south, you arrive on the island of Sicily and the picturesque clifftop town of Messina, gateway to majestic Mount Etna and the historic enclave of Taormina. Catanzaro on the Adriatic coast of Calabria is an unspoiled gem of castles and cathedrals. Bari in the Puglia region boasts a pedestrian-friendly medieval old town with prehistoric wonders. A brief diversion takes you across the Adriatic to Croatia and the charming port of Šibenik, whose Renaissance Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the top of the Adriatic lies the Venetian Lagoon, your final destination. Enjoy the scenery on deck as your ship sails into Venice for two wonderful days amongst the canals, palazzos, and museums. Italian Sojourn is an 8-day journey available in two directions. Today, we'll travel from Rome to Venice, uncovering some of the most stunning architectural and cultural treasures of Italy and Croatia.
If you've traveled with Viking before, you know that we have very knowledgeable tour guides. This itinerary includes a total of six guided onshore experiences which take you closer to your destinations on our small ocean ship. We embark in Rome, the capital city of Italy. Keep in mind that your time here is limited on embarkation day, so if you'd like to experience the city, we recommend the 2-day Rome extension that you can find out more about on our website. You'll then sail to Naples, the island of Sicily, then Crotone and Bari. Next, you'll visit Šibenik in Croatia before your voyage concludes in Venice. On day one, we welcome you to Rome. Some of you will join us after your pre-extension stay. Others will arrive in Europe today. If you've arranged air travel through Viking, we'll transfer you from the airport to your awaiting ocean ship in Civitavecchia, which is the closest port to the airport and to Rome. After boarding and settling into your verandah stateroom, you'll have free time to relax before dinner. Should you have spent a few days in Rome before embarking, one thing that I highly recommend is to explore Rome by Vespa with a guide, as I did. It's a great way to get to nooks and crannies of the city that you otherwise might not. And you need never have ridden a Vespa before. Take a little look.
Rome quite possibly has more beauty and history than any other place. It's a fascinating slice of the old world with countless treasures ready to be explored. I decided to take in the city from a different and local point of view, enlisting my friend Claudio and his trusty Vespa. With a cool breeze in our face, Rome seemed to unfold before us. Meandering through this eternal city was delightful, exploring its quiet back streets and their sweet surprises. Why do you think people love the Vespa so much?
The people like it because it's a freedom. In Italia, the freedom is the first for the life.
Freedom. It really is the best word to describe the little Vespa. Combine that with its unique look and it's easy to understand why more than 18 million Vespas have been sold since its introduction in 1946, and why Italians say the Vespa is not just a scooter but a way of life.
The Vespa, it's a very beautiful design.
But that's of course what Italy is famous for—great design—and the Vespa hasn't really changed.
No change, because if the design isn't perfect, it's impossible to change.
Claudio wasn't kidding. The Italians won't change a design that works. In fact, the Vespa is still so loved there's even a museum honoring its character. Brainchild of Piaggio, a retooled World War II aircraft company, the Vespa included clear aeronautical influences and an intriguing design that, when first shown to Enrico Piaggio, caused him to burst out, 'Sembra una vespa! It looks like a wasp!' Many think it sounds like a wasp, too, and so the name stuck. The company cobbled together a scooter utilizing everything at hand.
The first production is only green because it's the mix for the trucks in the world, and they use the same paint.
So the Vespa was created to allow Italians to get around their cities.
Yeah, after the Second World War, all family go on the Vespa, five people on this together. Yes.
The Vespa became a hit, nimbly navigating through Italy's war-ravaged cities and countryside. Then, with the 1953 movie Roman Holiday, Rome and the Vespa captured everyone's imagination.
It's a dream, you know. You have the sound, the high condition, and the very beautiful city. It's perfect.
When you're driving around town on a Vespa, what does it make you feel like?
It's incredible. The Vespa for me is the first love.
And you love your Vespa so much you're writing songs to it.
I compose the opera for Vespa.
You're composing an opera for your Vespa.
Rome is a fascinating city that will truly take your breath away. And the Vespa is just one way to explore its beauty. This is a city awash in cultural treasures and fascinating people. I hope you'll go out and enjoy its many wonders. On day two, you'll arrive in Naples, a city famous for spectacular examples of Greek and Roman architecture. Here's a short film about the mysteries that await you beneath the historic streets of Naples.
The ancient city center of Naples is Europe's largest, and within this UNESCO World Heritage site are countless hidden wonders. History is all over and under the streets of Naples, and even under some people's beds. Entrances like this one, discovered in just 2003, lead to a world lost to time—a world more than 100 feet below the city streets. What began as an ancient lava flow was transformed in the 6th century BC into a mesmerizing labyrinth hand-carved by Greek slaves who sought building materials for the new city of Neapolis.
To build the houses where the people lived, the slaves dug out the holes. They come to this level. Then they dug out the stones. Big stones for the big city wall of Naples. Little stones used for the houses. Then they put the stones on platforms and then other slaves worked outside.
And this is volcanic rock, is it?
Yes, it's a volcanic rock. It's a yellow tuff stone that fell from an eruption of Campi Flegrei over 30,000 years ago.
These massive man-made caves provided more than just stone building blocks. They also created a rare opportunity—the chance to possess one of the old world's most valuable treasures: fresh, clean water from a reliable source.
Every building of the 15th and 16th century in the historical center has their own well, their own water. To give you an idea, we have over 10,000 wells.
This water source served Naples faithfully. Then when the region became part of the Roman Empire, the Romans implemented a radical change that vastly improved the water system.
They were very clever. They connected the systems with narrow tunnels, because if a tunnel is narrow, it's better for the pressure of the water. So the water was faster inside all the aqueduct. Imagine—the water system in Naples was 300 kilometers long. So you could go from here to Pompeii walking underground.
The underground aqueduct remained in use until 1884 when a cholera pandemic closed it down, and it lay abandoned until World War II when it was revived as an air raid shelter and protected thousands. In the Naples underground, peeling back history is an unending task—a process that's revealing significant finds like this section of a Roman theater. Today, these massive caverns have a new role as a working laboratory with strawberries, basil, and other plants thriving in the cool, humid conditions. Next time you're in Naples, consider the fascinating history that lies below your feet. Speaking of architecture, you'll not want to miss the Basilica San Francesco de Paola at the Piazza del Plebiscito. Or you may choose to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pompeii. The local cuisine here in Naples is another highlight—did you know the world's first pizzeria opened here in 1830? Alternatively, from Naples, you can drive with your guide along the coast to visit charming Sorrento. Here you can stop at a Limoncello factory for a demonstration and a tasting. I learned how to make Limoncello in Sorrento and would like to share the recipe with you here.
The sun-kissed Amalfi coast is famous for its iconic landscapes and architecture, but it's also home to another treasure: the rare lemons that grow along these rugged cliffs, most of which are used to make the liqueur Limoncello. Limoncello is my very favorite digestif in the world. And now that we're here in Sorrento, the birthplace of Limoncello, at this wonderful restaurant, Perucanianos, with its proprietor Enzo and his fantastic chef Luigi, you're going to show us how very simple it is to make.
Yeah. Very simple. I tell you in advance, I don't want to say that our lemons are the best in the world, but it's the truth.
In fact, Sorrento lemons often cost twice what a regular lemon would, thanks to the fruit's superior juiciness, high levels of vitamin C, near seedless quality, and its delightfully distinctive fragrance. If you only scratch the skin and you smell—that's the smell of Sorrento.
