Sorrento - Food Technology School Trip

Day 1 - Fly to Naples, transfer to Sorrento, ice cream workshop

After arriving in Sorrento and dinner either at the hotel or in a local restaurant, start your food tour with an ice cream workshop at Gelateria David. Students get to enter a working gelateria and see how the experts craft their artisan ice cream. The gelateria was the brainchild of Mario Gargiulo, the heir of a renowned family of dairy masters and a bold experimenter with unusual flavours. In the workshop, students witness a unique masterclass revealing the secrets of artisanal gelato straight from Mario’s laboratory. Maestro Gelataio Mario’s popular flavours include Parmesan cheese and tomato and basil. Suitably inspired, students can then choose an ice cream from the wide selection to try for themselves.

Day 2 - Buffalo mozzarella farm and Paestum archaeological site

Today, journey by coach to visit a local renowned organic Buffalo Mozzarella Farm. Take a tour of the farm and learn about the process undertaken to produce this deliciously creamy mozzarella, handmade from buffalo milk. See the factory floor where the mozzarella is mixed together into its final form, head over to the huge building housing all the buffalo and see the sophisticated milking machines they use to extract the milk. Following the tour, sample the mozzarella for yourself. You can even buy some to take away. There's a Yoghurt Shop, Dairy, Tasting Room, Bakery, and Leather Shop, all of which are included in the guided tour of the estate. A Museum of Farming Culture on site gives students the opportunity to further explore the agricultural world and its impact on food production.

After lunch, jump back on the coach to travel to the nearby archaeological site of Paestum. Once a major ancient Greek city, here you can explore three of the world’s best-preserved ancient Greek temples. A UNESCO world heritage site, students can explore the Doric Temples of Hera, Neptune, and Athena. The site contains the city’s defensive walls and an amphitheatre, which are largely intact. Paestum is also renowned for its painted tombs, the most famous being the Tomb of the Diver which shows a young man diving into a stream of water. The National Archaeological Museum includes many Greek terracotta figurines, statues, and pottery.

Finish the day with a meal at a restaurant.

Day 3 - Full day excursion to the Amalfi Coast or Capri Island

Today is a full day excursion. You can customise your tour with a choice of a visit to either the Amalfi Coast and Ravello by coach, or Capri Island by boat.

The Amalfi Coast overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its beauty was captured in the 2017 film "Wonder Woman," where it was used as the Amazon island of Themyscira. It is renowned for its limoncello, produced from Amalfi lemons, or Sfusato Amalfitano, grown in terraced gardens along the coastline and its anchovies. Food connoisseurs around the world know Amalfi for its wine and Cetara’s colatura di alici—an amber-coloured condiment known for its intense salty flavour and used to season spaghetti. If time, walk through the stunning hilltop town of Ravello and make your way through the windy, cobbled streets to Villa Cimbrone. The villa dates back to the 11th century, and while now a private hotel, students can visit its delightful vast gardens and witness the beautiful Amalfi Coast from the Terrazza dell’Infinito - the Terrace of Infinity, named for its incredible, seemingly endless surrounding views.

Capri Island’s dramatic coastline has long made it a beacon for the rich and famous, but its breathtaking natural vistas make it an ideal day out for all. The journey from Sorrento to Capri takes between 20 and 30 minutes depending on whether you are on the hydrofoil or fast ferry. Arriving in Marina Grande, there are three main modes of transportation: bus, funicular, and... by foot! The fastest method is the funicular, which climbs uphill through lemon groves and drops you directly in the Piazzetta in Capri town in 15 minutes. From there you can explore the scenic town centre and walk to the botanical gardens of Augustus which are well worth a visit and provide further photo opportunities for the Capri coastline. The views of the Faraglioni rocks and Siren's Rock are stunning, with the latter named after the mythical creatures who were said to have seduced Odysseus with their song.

Day 4 - Pasta factory visit, Pizza making workshop, Olive Oil farm tour

Today, continue to learn about Italian food production in Naples and Sorrento with an exciting visit to a renowned local pasta factory. Students can explore the pasta museum and take a factory tour, at the factory run by the third and fourth generations of family pasta makers. The pasta here combines the finest Italian semolina with water from the centuries-old local area spring. Learn how crucial the weather, in particular the wind, and location are in the production of this pasta. With over 100 different varieties and colours produced, the pasta is exported all over the world. In the private museum, students can see the ancient wooden presses, dies, and pasta-making tools.

From here, take the coach to a local olive oil farm, where Sorrento olive oil is produced before being exported to over 50 countries. Here a guide will show students where olive trees grow, the conditions required, and explain how the oil is produced. You will also see the equipment used to process the olives and learn about the stages involved to achieve the final product - extra virgin olive oil. Students then have the opportunity to sample the olive oils. This is followed by a pizza masterclass, where students make their own pizzas from scratch and eat them on the beautiful terrace, surrounded by olive trees and overlooking the Bay of Naples. Buon appetito!

Day 5 - Half day visit to Pompeii, fly home

No visit to the Bay of Naples would be complete without a visit to Pompeii, the site of the legendary preserved city buried beneath the volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The excavated city now offers insight into the Roman way of life. Students can explore the site with a guide and headsets. Keen ‘foodies’ can continue their food journey, visiting the excavated bakery and the Fullonica di Stephanus’ reconstructed kitchens. Archaeologists and researchers have fitted the kitchens with metal grills, earthenware crockery, pots, and pans - all found in the ash - to show how the kitchens would have looked 2,000 years ago. The fossilised remains of 2,000-year-old bread and a bean and vegetable soup can be seen on permanent exhibition in Pompeii’s gym.

In 2020, a thermopolium - a fast food eatery or snack bar for the poor in Regio V - was excavated. In the snack bar, brightly coloured frescoes show some of the food on offer, and terracotta pots still contained remnants of meals including duck, goat, pig, fish, and snails, leading experts to suggest one of the dishes on the menu was a type of paella. The snack bars were used by those who didn’t have kitchens in their homes, with typical menus including coarse bread with salty fish, baked cheese, lentils, and spicy wine. The year 2023 even saw a still life uncovered in Regio IX, depicting an ancestor of the modern pizza.

After lunch at Pompeii, take the coach back to Naples International Airport to return home.