33 days in Europe Itinerary

Sardinia, with its Mediterranean atmosphere and charm, is loved by visitors looking for things to do outdoors on their holiday, like swimming, boating, windsurfing, hiking, climbing, and camping. Taking advantage of the island's near-perfect summer weather, visitors tend to overcrowd Sardinia's coastal areas. The inner life of the island, away from the most popular vacation spots, remains largely unblemished by mass tourism and commercialization. Sardinia is steeped in history and has a colorful character quite different from the rest of Italy. This is where the ancient Nuragic society, whose stone monuments still litter the land, flourished more than three millennia ago--predating the Etruscan civilization in mainland Italy by several hundred years. Sardinia's seaside resorts may be among the best in the world, but its quieter and more interesting countryside offers a greater array of attractions, including a patchwork of forests, citrus groves, and medieval villages.

Salerno is a city and comune in Campania (south-western Italy) and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city is divided into three distinct zones: the medieval sector, the 19th century sector and the more densely populated post-war area, with its several apartment blocks.Salerno was an independent Lombard principality, Principality of Salerno, in the early Middle Ages. During this time, the Schola Medica Salernitana, the first medical school in the world, was founded. In the 16th century, under the Sanseverino family, among the most powerful feudal lords in southern Italy, the city became a great centre of learning, culture and the arts, and the family hired several of the greatest intellectuals of the time. Later, in 1694, the city was struck by several catastrophic earthquakes and plagues. After a period of Spanish rule which would last until the 18th century, Salerno became part of the Parthenopean Republic.In recent history the city hosted Victor Emmanuel III, the King of Italy, who moved from Rome in 1943 after Italy negotiated a peace with the Allies in World War II, making Salerno the home of the "government of the South" (Regno del Sud) and therefore capital of Italy for some months. Some of the Allied landings during Operation Avalanche (the invasion of Italy) occurred near Salerno. Today Salerno is an important cultural centre in Campania and Italy.

Located just off the west coast of mainland Greece, Zakynthos enjoys a reputation as both a party destination and a family-friendly getaway. Packed with foreign tourists along its eastern and southeastern coastline, the island also features numerous tranquil pockets in its central region of forested mountains and rolling hills. Avoid the overcrowded east by discovering the island's less-explored northern sections, which contain a series of deep caves that feature sun reflecting on seawater and white stones, creating a striking shade of azure particular to this part of the world. The northern capes of the island also offer the calmest waters, which lap a string of developed beaches with plenty of modern facilities.