Benvenuto in Italia!
Bring your choir, band or orchestra on the performance tour of a lifetime. A concert tour of Rome and Sorrento, Italy is sure to create lasting inspiration for your ensemble.
Your journey will whisk you into a world of immense beauty, culture, history and most importantly, music. Not only is music traditionally one of the cultural symbols of Italian identity, but it holds an important position in both society and politics. The music of Italy ranges across a broad spectrum, from instrumental to vocal to theatrical. Italian contribution in such areas as musical scales, harmony, notation, and theater enabled the development of opera and much of modern European classical music, such as the concerto and symphony. One can still hear the sounds of Claudio Monteverde and Giuseppe Verdi sounding through the narrow streets.
Enjoy a concert tour of Rome and Sorrento, Italy. Experience all that Rome and Sorrento have to offer as you share your music with local people.
Itinerary
Depart North America for Rome, Italy. Bon Voyage!
Welcome to Rome!
Meet your tour manager, and board the waiting motor coach and transfer south to Sorrento, which is perched atop cliffs that separate the town from its busy marinas, overlooking the Bay of Naples.
Upon arrival, enjoy an introduction to Sorrento, known for its sweeping water views and its cafe-lined square, Piazza Tasso.
Check in to your hotel and take time to relax and refresh.
Rehearsal can be arranged this afternoon.
Tonight, a welcome dinner of Italian specialties is served as your tour manager previews the days ahead.
Begin your first full day in Sorrento by taking a hydrofoil to the island of Capri, which is located off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples. Capri has been a resort since the time of the Roman Republic and today, is still a much-desired destination.
This afternoon, return to Sorrento, and enjoy time browsing the shops in Piazza Tasso and perhaps eat a gelato, or two!
Later, perform a concert at a local venue in Sorrento.
Start the day with a full day guided excursion to the Amalfi Coast. Visit the charming towns of Positano and Amalfi, explore their vibrant piazzas and admire their colorful houses that tumble down the steep cliffs toward the sea. The views are breathtaking, and there will be ample time to take photos, visit shops, and cafes and sing informally as part of your excursion.
Late this afternoon, return to the hotel in Sorrento to refresh before transferring to a nearby farmhouse where you will enjoy a guided tour by one of the owners who will explain the oil, wine, limoncello and cheese making processes.
Tonight, the farmhouse tour ends with a pizza making class followed by a buffet dinner of meats and cheese, olives, and your pizza!
This morning depart Sorrento for Rome, the capital of Italy and home to nearly 3,000 years of influential art, architecture and culture.
Midday, stop en route in Pompeii. Buried during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1748. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire.
In the afternoon, continue your journey to Rome. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and refresh.
This evening, enjoy the wonders of Rome with your tour manager. Be sure to throw a coin into Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City.
Today, embark on a guided Tour of Ancient Rome including entrance to the impressive Colosseum, Rome’s greatest amphitheater, which offers a breathtaking example of classical architecture, using columns in the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles.
In the late afternoon, perform a Friendship concert with a local choir at a nearby venue.
Tonight, an evening cultural activity can be arranged.
Start the morning with a visit to Vatican City. This is the world’s smallest state and the only European State to be ruled by an absolute monarch (the Pope), where you will enjoy a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. The tour also includes a visit to the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo’s incredible frescoes.
Early evening, sing Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica or another Papal Basilica such as Santa Maria Maggiore.
Tonight, enjoy a festive farewell dinner of delicious Italian comfort food.
Alternatively, a Dine with the Tenors Dinner with entertainment can be arranged as a perfect finale to your time in Italy.
Depart from the Rome airport for North America, or extend your stay in Italy.
Concert Tour Highlights
FRIENDSHIP CONCERTS IN ITALY
Our friendship concerts are a featured experience on our tours and are at the heart of our mission to foster cultural connections through music. We benefit from a vast international network in the choral world built over our thirty years' experience of helping choirs share their music both in the United States and abroad. Your choir will share a venue and a concert program with a host choir from the region. Your singers will have the chance to hear their host choir's repertoire (often showcasing local musical styles) and to share your own repertoire in turn. Fellowship time usually follows the friendship concert, giving both choirs the chance to mingle and enjoy the camaraderie of creating cross-cultural connections through a shared love of music.
SORRENTO
The small town of Sorrento, located in Campania, overlooks the Bay of Naples and the Isle of Capri. Dating back to Greek times and known to the Romans as Surrentum, the town is now famous for its laid-back southern Italian charm. Spend some time walking along the rocky beaches and taking in the breathtaking views of the town and its surroundings. In the pre-Roman age, Sorrento was highly influenced by the Greek civilization, which is evident in the presence of the Athenaion, a great sanctuary that was supposedly founded by Ulysses and devoted to the cult of the Sirens. According to Greek legend, it was in Sorrento’s waters that the mythical Sirens once lived. The Sirens produced beautiful songs that would render sailors powerless and would ultimately lure them and their ships to their demise.
POMPEII & CAPRI
Pompeii: Sprawled at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, this ancient city was destroyed in 79 AD when the massive volcano erupted without warning, spilling out tons of ash and lava and destroying the city. Buried by stones and ash, it lay undiscovered until the 17th century. In 1748, excavation began and revealed a city frozen in time. Buildings and artifacts were perfectly preserved under the ash. Capri: The island of Capri is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, located off the peninsula of Sorrento and to the south of the Gulf of Naples. A resort destination ever since the time of the Roman Republic. The island is comprised of the Marina Piccola (the little harbor), Marina Grande (the main port of the island), the Belvedere of Tragara; a panoramic promenade lined with villas and limestone crags called sea stacks. Anacapri, a separate area on the western hills, the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas, and the famous Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra).
ROME
As Italy’s capital and largest city, Rome is extremely influential in politics, media, the arts and culture, and is often described as a “global city” as a result. Rome’s legacy cannot be denied. It has been in the forefront of all major movements in Italy– art, music, architecture, history, fashion and cuisine. With a history spanning over two and a half thousand years and with its significant role in Christianity as the home of the papacy, Rome has always been a leader of its times and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the European Union. Visitors come from around the world to see world-famous landmarks such as the Colosseum, and of course, the art that graces museums as well as every city street. Rome is also an important center for music, hosting the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia for which new concert halls have been built in the new Parco della Musica, one of the largest musical venues in the world.