Acheloo Viaggi - Ischia

If you decide to spend a weekend or a week in Ischia that means take advantage of its many opportunities. You can enjoy the sea but not only.

The island of Ischia is rich in history and offers many opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Ischia is an island of incredible beauty that makes you dream for its beautiful landscapes and its blue sea .

Of volcanic origin, Ischia was formed following the lifting of rocks occurred in the last 150,000 years, with deposits of effusive and explosive eruptions that have generated bays, coasts and beaches of absolute splendor but also hills covered with pine and chestnut forests that donated to Ischia the nickname of " Green Island " .

Its volcanic nature makes Ischia one of the largest SPAS of Europe. Springs and mud baths are located throughout the country, with well-equipped and highly qualified facilities. The thermal waters of Ischia are alkaline.  They contain sulfur, iodine, chlorine, iron, potassium and trace elements of active substances. Depending on their composition, they are a healing remedy for many diseases, such as rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgia, fractures, muscle sprains, female disorders, respiratory diseases and skin diseases .

The climate and the extraordinary variety of the vegetation of the island, the good Mediterranean cuisine and the friendliness of the people round the benefits of an unforgettable holiday. 

Trekking in Campania

Trekking in Campania: "Acheloo viaggi - The Path of the Gods Summer has begun and for people like us, concerned with tourism, work is really hard. Everyone wa..."

Trekking in Campania

Acheloo viaggi - The Path of the Gods

Summer has begun and for people like us, concerned with tourism, work is really hard. Everyone wants to leave. Some wants fun, others seek silence and relax. For those who want silence but also new experiences, we recommend some walks in Campania.
In our region there are amazing paths where you can walk passing through a wild nature and stunning views. Areas hiding caves and deep coves, suspended halfway between the heaven and the sea. We're talking about the "Path of the Gods", which starts from Agerola and finishes in Positano, on the Amalfitain coast.
This walk takes about 3 hours, and it is recommended to enjoy the Amalfitain coast from another point of view, enjoying nature and fantastic landscapes. There are other amazing paths in Campania. They are mountain paths passing through valleys and vineyards that climb the hills, through a succession of medieval villages perched on the rocks.
We can find these paths in the province of Avellino, also known as the "Green Irpinia", where summer is never too hot and unbearable, and where it is possible to walk through a wild nature, visit the famous wine cellars of Fiano, Taurasi and Aglianico wine, and taste typical dishes of the simple cooking of Irpinia at the old restaurants located on the path.



Acheloo viaggi - Laceno Lake


 

Easter in Procida

Easter in Procida: "Easter is coming, the sun shines in the blue sky and we want to leave, to go abroad visiting new places. But work still do not allow u..."

Easter in Procida

Easter is coming, the sun shines in the blue sky and we  want to leave, to go abroad visiting new places. But work still do not allow us to go for many days.

Anyway, during the days of Easter, we can try to take a city break somewhere without going too far!

Of the three islands in the Gulf of Naples, Procida the smallest, is a riot of colors between sky and sea, suspended in the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Procida is a delightful town with an unspoilt nature, an island which still keeps much of its old charm especially in the succession of its narrow and quiet streets and squares, in the picturesque and coloured houses overlooking the sea or clinging to the rock.

The period of Easter is the best time to visit and experience the intensity of the island. The spiritual celebrations of Holy Week is an event keenly felt by the islanders involved with a deep religious faith in the show of the Passion. This is a moment of intense drama where the holy tradition is mixed  with the secular one. 
Good  Friday is the most important day. Following an ancient tradition that dates back to XVII century, people  bring the so-called Mysteries, floats prepared in secret by a small group of inhabitants of Procida.

The melancholic sound of the trumpet and roll of drums mark the measured tread of the religious procession that starts from “Terra Murata”, reaches the port of  “Marina Grande”, along the narrow streets crowded with inhabitants and tourists.

We can not describe this particular event, which must be experienced in person, mingling in the crowd of the street. We can  not capture in words the unspoilt beauty of the place. If you want to avoid mass tourism, a weekend in Procida is the right choice for anyone interested to know the island that has inspired writers and filmmakers around the world.

Acheloo viaggi - Procida

Contact us to know more. 

Acheloo travels: Ischia, the green island

Ischia, the green island

Ischia, the green island

Acheloo travels - Ischia

Finally Spring is coming. Days are longer, the sun shines, the sky is clear and the air is sweeter: this is the right time to spend a week end or more in the island of Ischia, in the Gulf of Naples, to enjoy the warm sun and the silent winter sea, the cozy thermal parks and the services of the luxurious spas, and to taste local food at the typical restaurants of the place in the evenings.

When the boat approaches the port, the tourist realizes that he is arriving in the garden of Eden.
Ischia is an island with undeniable charm that attracts people from all over the world. It is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples.

It is called the green island, the island of eternal spring, for its beaches, blue sea and spa resorts. The green hilly landscape is attractive, as are the little fishing ports, and you can enjoy a pleasant holiday without seeking out more developed attractions.



Acheloo travels - Ischia, The castle



Time can be happily spent taking boat trips, seeing the island by bus or enjoying food and drink on panoramic terraces above the sea. However, there are some particular sights which are worth seeing if you're staying in Ischia for a few days.

Acheloo travels offers several attractive solutions for your staying in Ischia. Visit our website or contact us for more information.

Acheloo travels: Incoming

Acheloo travels: Incoming: "Acheloo viaggi - Sorrento
Hi to everyone. On this page you will be able to connect to our brochure. There you can read some of the&..."

Acheloo travels - The Grand Tour in South of Italy

Acheloo travels: Acheloo travels - Villa Campolieto, HercolaneumWel...: "Acheloo travels - Villa Campolieto, Hercolaneum Welcome back to everyone! This article is the result of a long and detailed historical r..."

Acheloo travels - Villa Campolieto, Hercolaneum

Welcome back to everyone!

This article is the result of a long and detailed historical research. We hope you will find it interesting.
The area we want to introduce is the so-called "Miglio d’oro". This is a road with beautiful baroque villas (Ville Vesuviane), that from Naples arrives to Torre Annunziata, passing through Portici and Ercolano.
In XVIII century, Naples became the cultural centre of European Enlightenment for its natural beauties and for the charm of the classical myth and history. For these reasons in 1738 the Bourbon royal family and many noble families choose Portici and the surrounding areas, to build their new royal palace and aristocratic houses,  attracted by nature and the beginning of the excavations at Herculaneum.
The XVIII century sees also the birth of the modern concept of cultural tourism. In fact to complete their education, upper-class European young men undertook  the "Grand Tour": an educational travel to Europe in search of the classical antiquity and historical myth. The trip could last from several months to several years and Naples was the last and most attractive Italian city where travellers stopped. Sometimes, arriving in Naples, the journey  had no return because  people fell in love with the place so much, that decided to stay forever. It is the case of Lord William Beckett, who fell madly in love of Ravello and settled there for the rest of his life.

Today it is not easy to have the same feelings of wonder and curiosity that characterized the protagonists of the Grand Tour, but we can still visit some places where we can share intense emotions such as those described by Goethe in his "Italian Journey":

"(...) You'll never really adjusted to give an idea of this sea, this bay, this Vesuvius of this city with its suburbs, and with its castles, and above all of this air we breathe. (...) How to describe the magnificence of the streets, squares, gardens, the sea, when illuminated by the moonlight, as I see them lit up tonight? I am taken from the vertigo of infinite space, and in this sweet charm, my mind is dreaming things that i can dream only here. "- Wolfgang Goethe

To live those emotions we have to go back over the road of  “Miglio d’oro”. There we find the Royal Palace of Portici, Villa Ruggiero, Villa Campolieto and all the other aristocratic houses nearby. All that will report at the time of the Bourbons and their court. We can not fail to visit the archaeological excavations of Herculaneum and Oplontis, and the famous ruins of Pompeii to be fascinated by the myth of Roman classicism.
Very interesting to visit in this area, the Archaeological Virtual Museum at Herculaneum, a centre of culture and technology applied to the history.
We conclude our journey with an ascent to the cone of Vesuvius, to get to the main cause of so much death and destruction, and yet of so much history.
Why you are still waiting? Contact us and we will help you to plan and live this “historical” dream.

Acheloo travels - Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompei

 

Acheloo travels: Happy New Year with our itineraries

Acheloo travels: Happy New Year with our itineraries: "The Nativity After Christmas holidays, we are preparing for the New Year Party. Some people have decided to spend the last day of th..."

Happy New Year with our itineraries

The Nativity

After Christmas holidays, we are preparing for the New Year Party. Some people have decided to spend  the last day of the year abroad or in the most important Italian cities, others prefer to stay home with their families. For those who remain in Italy for all those who decide to spend New Year's Eve in Naples and surrounding areas, we dedicate a series of tips on what to do and what to visit, away from the usual confusion, preferring something “unusual”.

We want to propose two particular itineraries. We speak about: a visit to the “Forgotten Nativity", and about "Aeterno Flore"

Handmade Nativity is an old Neapolitan tradition . Many have been the artists who carved little masterpieces of art, representing the characters of the crib. Among all we remember an Italian artist of the eighteenth century: Sammartino, who carved also the sculpture of the Veiled Christ. Many of the "works" of Sammartino, are kept in the Museum of  Certosa di San Martino.

It is from there that our guide Ludovica will take you to discover the origins, the curiosities and the secrets of the Neapolitan crib, "observing the city from top to bottom!"  La Certosa, in fact, was a monastery built by Charles of Anjou in 1325, on the hilltop overlooking the Gulf and the city. Today the building is a museum.

The “Aeterno Flore” is instead a guided visit in the mysterious athmosphere of the catacombs of San Gennaro. The guides are some actors playing the life of Ianuarius and telling old stories and anecdotes. This visit can be booked till January the 8th and take place only in the evening.
For those who do not want to stay in Naples, and prefers to see something different, we advice a romantic evening walk in the centre of Salerno, to admire the spectacular exposition of luminous artworks: "Luci d'artista", that enchant visitors until January.
Do not hesitate to contact us for any information.
HAPPY 2011 TO EVERYONE!

Acheloo travels: Naples again

Acheloo travels: Naples again: "Acheloo viaggi - Maschio Angioino, Naples After all the news and videos circulated about “Rubbish” in Naples, we were not sure if it wa..."

Naples again

Acheloo viaggi - Maschio Angioino, Naples

After all the news and videos circulated about “Rubbish” in Naples,  we were not sure if it was a good idea to continue to talk about the city, its monuments and wonderful views, about what to do and where to visit in this special Christmas period.

But we thought it was correct, on our part,  to continue our "walk" through the streets of the downtown area, it seemed we were "betraying" Naples, victim of such unpleasant situation, if we did not . We are sure that everyone will understand and not condemn our city, and will continue to choose to spend a weekend in Campania, despite everything.

Today we walk from the old town to Piazza Plebiscito. We will pass monuments and churches where hidden and unexpected treasures are still unknown to most tourists.

We start from Piazza del Gesù, where we can admire on the left of the square, the beauty of the Renaissance and Baroque basilica of Gesù Nuovo contrasting, on the right, with the austerity of the Gothic Santa Chiara church. Inside, there are the remains of some frescoes by Giotto, the wonderful Majolica cloister, and the excavations of ancient Roman baths. The complex Santa Chiara was built between 1313-1340 by King Robert of Naples, whose tomb is inside the basilica, and Queen Sancha of Majorca.
Before leaving Piazza del Gesù, we have to look at "Spaccanapoli", the street that traverses the old, historic centre of the city, dividing it in two parts. Spaccanapoli is one of the typical streets, combining traditional Neapolitan art and culture. Local craft shops, rich pastries, the famous workshops in S. Gregorio Armeno street, bars and old libraries, monuments and churches, make it one of the most vibrant and lively streets in the city. From Piazza del Gesù, passing through via Medina, we arrive at Piazza Municipio: here, wherever you turn your eyes, you can see spectacular monuments and buildings of great artistic value. From the majestic “New Castle”, the Royal Palace, the Gallery Umberto, the Theatre San Carlo, Piazza Plebiscito, and the church of San Francesco di Paola.
Looking up towards the hill overlooking Piazza Municipio, we see the fortress and the museum of San Martino, and finally, between the chaos of works and excavations at the subway, we can see the ruins of the ancient port of the 1st century AD, with a pier of limestone.
But we will talk about all this next time

Acheloo travels: Christmas time

Acheloo travels: Christmas time: " San Gregorio Armeno st. At Acheloo travels we are very busy during these days, preparing our windows for Christmas: colored lights, an ..."

Christmas time



San Gregorio Armeno st.

At Acheloo travels we are very busy during these days, preparing our windows for Christmas: colored lights, an original Christmas tree and  so many offers to propose to our customers during this holiday period. This time we want to offer our readers something different, a return to our origins and lost traditions. A walk back in the past to find the colors, smells, tastes and sounds of Christmas in Naples streets beginning from the end of November.

We start our visit from the heart of Christmas market in Naples in Via San Gregorio Armeno: the historic center of the ancient Greco-Roman city, the largest historic center in Europe (1,700 hectares), listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, with 27 centuries of history, and more than 400 churches! Along this narrow street, a series of workshops expose and sell outside on the street, all kinds of shepherds, and all the accessories and objects necessary for the scene of nativity. In some shops, it is also possible to assist at artisans’ work, while assembling and painting their handmade shepherds.

At the end of the street of San Gregorio Armeno, we reach the little square in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, dating back 1200. Beneath San Lorenzo, about half of an original Roman market has been excavated . In this area each corner, each stone, each building tells a story: Naples underground, the ruins of the Roman theatre inserted into the walls of the buildings, the church of  "anime pezzentelle" (“poor souls”)


At lunchtime, the return to origins, brings us to the "Cantina", a sort of canteen. At the beginning of the century, in the old wineries in Naples, people could buy wine and they could spend some time sitting at a table with friends, eating something with a glass of wine. Today these sort of wineries are very few , but they are the only places where you can try popular dishes of the ancient Naples, eating in a warm and homely everyday atmosphere, in the heart of the city.

Contact us for information about this itinerary

Why you have to travel with Acheloo Travels????

Naples at night

Why should you choose Acheloo as a tour operator for your trip to Italy, and to Campania??? We do not have a "resonant" name, we are not part of all those important company known throughout the world of tourism, we do not "cover" all tourist destinations worldwide ... we have never done any advertising and we do not have our catalogs in travel agencies. Why should you entrust to us?? Just because we do not like mass tourism, because we do not offer the usual vacation or weekend, but we want to create with you a unique product and which is never the same. As the big names in high fashion, we do not sell "prêt-à-porter tourism", but products that are sewn on to those who order them, at competitive prices because our organization is formed by all those people who work with important brands . This means that if you choose to travel with us, you will buy the product directly to the source without passing through an intermediary. It will be like buying your clothes at the factory without going to the store. You will talk directly to the sewers that will sew your itinerary with patience, choosing the same paths sold by all the most famous tour operators dealing with the product "Campania", but using a different "cotton". We want to introduce you to our beautiful region not only from its beauties, but from its "human heart" with all its lights and shadows, telling the truth of this land that is charm and sorrow, tears and happy smiles, that can be heaven and hell ......  A place often hated, but that can only be loved at the end ...

Acheloo travels: About us

Acheloo travels: About us: "


 Acheloo is a tour operator and a concierge company, located in the South of Italy, 30 km far from Naples, that provides Corp..."

Why Acheloo???

When we decided to open our travel agency, we wanted a name that could be easily recognized and remembered. We looked for a name with a deep meaning, which could represent our strong desire to be on the market as the best one! We wanted a name with an historical meaning linked to the place.

Why we choosed Acheloo? Who is that?

Acheloo was a minotaur and the patron deity of the Acheloos River, which is the largest river of Greece, and thus the chief of all river deities. In the past, in fact  he was the patron deity of the Abella river, an old village near the place where we are.

History says that he was also suitor of Deianeira, Heracles' wife. Acheloo turned himself into a bull to fight against Heracles for Deianeira, but Heracles tore off one of his horns and forced the god to surrender. Heracles gave Acheloo's horn to the Naiads, who transformed it into the cornucopia.

For all these reasons, Acheloo represents perfectly, our strong desire to realize our projects, and his cornucopia is a symbol of fortune for us....

No other name could be better  than this!

Hi to everybody from Italy




 Hi to everyboby!

First of all I want to introduce ourselves. This is the English version of our Italian blog. We are a travel agency and a tour operator, founded in April 2004, located in the South of Italy, not far from Naples, with a deep experience in tourism and incoming in the best places of Italy.

Through this blog, we want to inform you  about our services. We will give you useful tips to travel in safety in Italy, as well as advices and curiosities about the most beautiful places to visit in our region and all over our peninsula, about our amazing landscapes, our history and traditions.

We love to travel. For this reason, first of our services is to make a trip unforgettable because we plan everything according to customers’ taste and needs. We take care of them in the phase of organization and during their vacation, ready to respond also if they are on the other side of the world. We never let them alone.

So, do not miss the appointment with our blog: together we will explore the fascinating world of tourism in Italy and abroad.