🇮🇹 Let’s go to Southern Italy & Sicily! 🔗
Okay, if you know me at all, you already know how I feel about Italy. 😂
I went to Italy this summer and absolutely fell in love with it. And apparently my response to coming home from Italy was…
I need to go back to Italy.
But this time, I wanted something different.
There is SO much more of Italy I want to see. Sicily has been calling my name, the Amalfi Coast is absolutely gorgeous, and when I found this itinerary, there were several places that immediately made me think, “Yep. I need to do this.”
So, here we are.
In June 2028, I’m heading to Southern Italy & Sicily — and I’m putting together a group to come with me!
And yes, Dylan is coming too. ❤️
🇮🇹 WHY SOUTHERN ITALY & SICILY?
I look at travel ALL THE TIME. It’s kind of an occupational hazard when you’re a travel advisor who also happens to be obsessed with traveling. 😂
So when I choose a trip like this, the itinerary has to be good.
This one is 13 days and takes us through Sicily and Southern Italy, including Taormina, Savoca, Matera, Alberobello, Sorrento, Positano, and Pompeii.
That is a LOT of my travel wish list packed into one trip.
🇮🇹 FIRST UP: SICILY!
Sicily is probably what initially got my attention.
I really want to see Sicily.
We’ll spend several days there, including time around Giardini Naxos and Taormina, plus a visit to Savoca.
And then there’s Taormina.
Every time I see pictures of this place I think, “WHY have I not been here yet?”
Beautiful old streets, incredible views, and the Mediterranean in the background?
Yeah. I don’t think I’m going to hate it there. 😂
We’ll also visit a winery before crossing the Strait of Messina and continuing our adventure through Southern Italy.
🇮🇹 THEN THERE’S MATERA…
Matera is one of those places I became more interested in the more I learned about it.
It is SO different.
The city is famous for its ancient cave dwellings and stone architecture, and it looks like the kind of place where I’m going to take approximately 437 pictures while Dylan asks me how many pictures of the same building I actually need.
The answer is 437. 😂
🇮🇹 AND ALBEROBELLO 😍
Okay, this place is ADORABLE.
You know those little white stone houses with the cone-shaped roofs that you see in pictures of Italy?
Those are the trulli of Alberobello.
We’re going there!
This is exactly the kind of place I love when I travel. It’s beautiful, it’s different, and it looks like somewhere you just want to wander around for a while.
I already know I’m going to love it.
🇮🇹 SORRENTO + POSITANO + THE AMALFI COAST
Do I really need to explain this one?
LOOK AT IT. 😂
We’ll stay in Sorrento and have the chance to experience Positano and the Amalfi Coast.
Colorful buildings built into the cliffs. The Mediterranean. Little streets and shops. Incredible views everywhere you turn.
This is one of those places I’ve seen a million pictures of, and I want to actually stand there and see it for myself.
Preferably with something delicious in my hand.
Which brings me to…
🍕 OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE FOOD.
Listen.
I’m not going to suddenly become an adventurous eater just because we’re in Southern Italy. 😂
But pasta? Pizza? Bread? Cheese?
THIS is my kind of adventure.
One of our included experiences is learning about traditional Neapolitan pizza making.
I’m willing to make this sacrifice for the group.
You’re welcome. 😂
There are 17 meals included during the tour, but we’ll also have opportunities to venture out and find some places on our own.
And believe me, I take finding good Italian food VERY seriously.
🇮🇹 WE’RE GOING TO POMPEII, TOO!
This is another big one for me.
I’ve wanted to see Pompeii for a long time, and I love that it’s included instead of being something I’d have to figure out how to squeeze into the trip myself.
That’s really what I love about this itinerary.
It isn’t just beautiful scenery.
We’re getting Sicily, small towns, the Amalfi Coast, history, food, wine, and some really unique places all in one trip.
🇮🇹 SO WHY A GROUP TOUR? I LOVE INDEPENDENT TRAVEL!
If you follow my travels, you already know this about me:
I LOVE planning my own trips.
Give me a plane ticket, a train schedule, and Google Maps and I’m perfectly happy. 😂
There are plenty of destinations where independent travel is exactly how I want to go.
But Italy?
Italy is one of those places where I’ve discovered I REALLY love a good group tour.
And it’s not just because somebody else is handling the transportation and logistics — although trust me, I appreciate that too.
It’s the experiences.
On my last tour, we didn’t just visit places and take pictures. We had opportunities to actually experience the culture.
We went to a family winery. We did a cooking class. We met local people. We had experiences that I probably wouldn’t have found — or even known to look for — if I were putting the entire trip together myself.
That’s the stuff I remember.
Of course I want to see the beautiful cities and famous sights. But I also want the experiences that make me feel like I got to know a little bit of the place I traveled all that way to see.
And that’s one of the things I think Collette does REALLY well.
They handle the big logistics, but they also build in those cultural experiences that make the trip more than just:
Get off bus. See pretty thing. Take picture. Get back on bus. 😂
🇮🇹 THE PLACES I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MISSED ON MY OWN
Here’s a perfect example of why I sometimes LOVE an escorted tour.
If I had planned my Best of Italy trip completely on my own, of course I would’ve gone to Rome, Florence, and Venice. Those were no-brainers.
But would I have planned a stop in Ravenna to see the incredible Byzantine mosaics?
Probably not.
Would Orvieto have made my itinerary?
Maybe not.
Would I have gone to San Marino?
Probably not.
And Milano Marittima?
Y’all, I’m just going to be honest…
I didn’t even know it was a thing. 😂
But those ended up being some of the experiences that made the trip so interesting.
And that’s something I’ve really come to appreciate about a well-planned escorted tour.
Sometimes it’s not the big bucket-list places you already know you want to see that surprise you the most.
It’s the places you never would’ve thought to put on your itinerary in the first place.
And for someone like me who travels a lot and genuinely enjoys planning her own trips, that’s a pretty big selling point.
Could I plan Southern Italy and Sicily independently?
Absolutely.
And I’d probably have a blast doing it.
But for THIS trip, I want the local experiences. I want the guides. I want someone to introduce me to places and experiences I might never discover on my own.
And then give me some free time so I can wander off and explore by myself too. 😂
🇮🇹 NO, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND EVERY MOMENT WITH THE GROUP!
I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions about escorted tours.
You do NOT have to spend every waking moment with the group.
And this was actually one of the things I LOVED about my Collette tour.
In the morning, we would often do a walking tour. We’d learn some history, see the major sights, and get a really nice overview of the city.
I loved starting the day that way because now I knew where I was and what I wanted to go back and see.
And then?
We had time to go do our own thing.
If there was something I wanted to see more in-depth, I could go back.
If I wanted to find something completely different to do, I could.
Want to grab lunch with everybody? Great.
Want to head off with a couple of people you’ve met? Go for it.
Want to disappear on your own for a few hours because you found something YOU want to see?
Also completely fine.
That’s actually one of the things I ended up loving about this style of travel.
You get the structure when it’s helpful without giving up your independence.
For me, it’s kind of the best of both worlds.
Someone gives me the lay of the land, and then I can go explore.
THAT is my kind of group travel.
🧳 AND CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE LUGGAGE? 😂
This deserves its own section.
Because there was one Collette perk that I liked when I took my tour…
And then I got to Venice and realized just how much I REALLY liked it.
I basically didn’t touch my luggage.
When it was time to change hotels, I put my suitcase outside my hotel room.
And then somehow, magically…
It appeared at the next hotel.
That’s it.
No dragging it down the street.
No hauling it onto trains.
No fighting with it over cobblestones.
And then I got to Venice and saw these poor bastards schlepping their luggage over bridges and cobblestone streets. 😂
Suddenly, I appreciated that luggage service on a WHOLE different level.
I remember looking at them thinking…
“Yep. I’m good with the tour.”
Listen, I travel independently. I am perfectly capable of carrying my own suitcase.
That doesn’t mean I WANT to. 😂
There is something pretty wonderful about putting your luggage outside your hotel room and basically saying:
“See ya at the next hotel!”
For a trip where we’re moving through Sicily and several different parts of Southern Italy?
YES, PLEASE.
💰 OKAY MEL…BUT WHAT IS THIS GOING TO COST ME? 😂
Now, y’all know I fell in love with Collette tours…
But that love ain’t cheap! 😂
I’m not going to pretend this is a cheap vacation.
So how am I gonna do it?
Well, y’all know I LOVE what I call my…
Travel layaway. 😂
One of the reasons I’m able to travel as much as I do is because I book the trips I really want to take WAY in advance.
I don’t decide a month before a big European vacation that suddenly I need thousands of dollars.
I plan ahead.
That gives me time to prepare and budget for the trip instead of trying to come up with all the money at once.
And that’s exactly what I’m doing with this one.
We’re not leaving until June 2028. We’ve got time!
I also secured a group rate, which helps make the trip more cost-effective for everyone joining us.
For me, that’s how a big trip goes from…
“Ooooh, I’d love to do that someday.”
to…
“Okay… I can actually make this happen.”
Book early. Give yourself time. Plan for it.
Travel layaway, Cousin Mel style. 😂
And honestly, that’s one of the secrets behind how I travel as much as I do.
I’m usually planning my next adventure LONG before you see me getting on the plane for the current one.
🚶 ONE THING I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW…
This isn’t a sit-by-the-pool-for-13-days vacation.
Collette rates this trip Activity Level 3 — Active.
You’ll need to be comfortable with walking, hills, stairs, uneven surfaces, and spending time on your feet.
And considering where we’re going, that makes sense.
Italian hill towns weren’t exactly designed with escalators. 😂
I’m telling you that because I want the people who come with us to actually enjoy the trip.
If you’re wondering whether the activity level would work for you, talk to me. We can go through it before you make any decisions.
🇮🇹 SO…WHO WANTS TO COME TO ITALY WITH US?
Here’s the plan:
🇮🇹 SOUTHERN ITALY & SICILY
📅 June 3–15, 2028
🌍 13 days
🍝 17 meals
📍 Taormina • Savoca • Matera • Alberobello • Sorrento • Positano • Pompeii
🚶 Activity Level 3 — Active
And yes…
2028 sounds far away.
That’s the point!
It gives us time to plan, prepare, and look forward to one AMAZING trip.
Dylan and I will be there, and I’m hoping that by the time June 2028 rolls around, we’ll have a really fun Cruisin’ With Mel group heading to Italy together.
Want to see the complete itinerary and current group pricing?
Southern Italy & Sicily group page
And if you’re sitting there thinking…
“Hmmmm… Italy in 2028 actually sounds pretty darn good.”
Message me.
You don’t have to be ready to book just to ask me questions. That’s literally what I’m here for.
I love talking travel anyway. 😂
Come talk Italy with me. 🇮🇹