April 20-29, 2026
Southern Italy Saints and Superstition Tour
with Patrick and Melissa Mason
$4200/person double occupancy
Does not include airfare. Friend pairs and couples only.
Itinerary is subject to minor changes.
Mixed Group of max 7 couples (friend pairs welcome)
Fitness level: Intermediate- 5-7 miles walking per day
Southern Italy
offers a warmth and hospitality that feels worlds apart from the more reserved, fast-paced north. South of Rome, you'll find a slower rhythm of life where strangers are treated like family, and meals are taken as seriously as work. Here, hospitality isn't just a custom—it's a deeply rooted cultural value. This region is also rich in superstition and folk religiosity, where saints are revered like local celebrities and traditions blend the sacred with the mystical. From protective charms hanging in doorways to vibrant festivals honoring patron saints, Southern Italy invites you into a living tapestry of devotion, warmth, and age-old belief—something you simply won’t find in the polished cafés of Milan or the elegant avenues of Florence.
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Naples: Pompeii, Palaces and Pizza
April 20-22
In Naples, there's a saying: "You cry twice when you go to Naples—once when you arrive, because it's chaotic and messy, and once when you leave, because you've fallen in love with it."
Superstition abounds here. Naples is the perfect gateway to the deep-rooted culture of saints and folklore found south of Rome. Add the world's best pizza to the mix, and you're bound for glory.
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Highlights:
Guided tour of Pompeii
Convent of St. Claire
​The Palace of Caserta
World's Best Pizza​
Historic Naples
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Puglia and Alberobello
April 22-26
We're staying 4 nights in a charming villa nestled among the olive groves of Cisternino. No one does hospitality—or breakfast—quite like the crew at our villa.​
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Highlights and Day Visits:
Alberobello and lunch at nearby Farm
Stroll Locorotondo
Swim and Seafood in Polignano a Mare
Bari​- Visit 500 year old bakery for Focaccia
Cooking class in Ceglie Messapica farmstead.
Matera​
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Lecce/Matera
..April 22-26 continued...
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Considered the Florence of the South, Lecce
is a charming city with beautiful cathedrals and ancient origins. We will explore this charming city, its food, history and cathedrals.
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Highlights:
Tour of Cathedrals
Traditional Cuisine
Newly discovered Masonic dwelling​
Roman Amphitheater
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Visit Matera en route to Sorrento
Sorrento and Capri
April 26-28
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Of the cities on the Amalfi Coast Sorrento is our favorite. It's less crowded, charming and full of life. From this base we will take a day tour on a private fishing boat out to the island of Capri.
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Highlights:
Private Boat to less busy side of Capri and Coastal Tour of Roman Ruins
Swim while Captain makes lunch on boat
Excellent Seafood in Sorrento
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Guest Tour Leaders
Patrick & Melissa Mason
Patrick is a prominent scholar of Mormon history and thought. He holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University, where he also directs the Religious Studies program. He is widely respected for his ability to bridge academic scholarship with lived faith, offering thoughtful insight into the modern Latter-day Saint experience and the role of religion in public life.
Melissa is a therapist in private practice who specializes in relationships, sex, and grief. She is also a nationally recognized modern quilter, with pieces featured in art museums and magazines. She shares her creative life on Instagram @quiltallthethings_.
Patrick and Melissa met while studying at the University of Notre Dame and fell in love over shared interests like peace and Pearl Jam. After graduation, they built a life of curiosity together—living in places like Egypt and Romania and raising their four kids to be kind humans.
This tour is Organized and Led by
Casey and Melanie McFarland of Son of the Far Land Travel
Casey is a graduate of Richard Rohr's Living School
Melanie has an emotional wellness practice
435-881-9795
Casey is a fluent Italian speaker who has been leading groups to Italy since 2014. He has spent 1-2 months a year in Italy for almost a decade apart from serving and LDS mission on the island of Sicily. A career photographer, Casey has traveled to nearly 40 countries—both on assignment and for personal exploration.
In 2025, he completed the year-long Living School program founded by Father Richard Rohr. In 2017, he was part of a global 12-person Secular Buddhism cohort led by Noah Rasheta. He is cohost on the Podcast Pioneering Paradox.
Casey is known for skipping the merely “good” gelato shops—he prefers to guide his guests to the truly unforgettable, knee-buckling ones.
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Melanie runs an emotional wellness practice now for almost 15 years. She LOVES the superstition, relics and saints found in Southern Italy. If there are bones, strange relics, folklore or jewelry nearby Melanie will sniff them out.
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We both love Holy sites, coffee, seafood, gelato, but most of all we love sharing it all with our guests.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- All lodging begins April 20 in Naples. The tour ends when we arrive in Naples April 28 but we will cover lodging that evening. Some will choose to fly out the next morning but often people choose to remain in Amalfi and explore the region longer. If you choose this option please let us know. For those staying in Naples the night of April 28 the tour will be officially over so food is on your own that day.
-Italian/English Speaking guide (Casey)
- One big meal every day at hand picked restaurants. Breakfast is usually included with our hotel but if it isn't we will visit a local café.
-Day trips at handful of small towns
- Entrance fees to all tours named on itinerary. There will be some free Time to explore extracurricular tours if desired..
- Ground transportation from city to city beginning April 20 and ending April 28..
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
- Flights
- Passport (make sure it doesn't expire within 6 months of travel)
- Travel insurance (optional but recommended)
-Gelato and other snacks, etc. (we only stop at the best gelato places)
- Extra taxi costs during free time in addition to daily transportation provided
- Personal expenses/incidentals
All package prices are based on double occupancy (tickets for the tour are sold as a package for two guests).
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Price for entire trip per person is $4200. Must book as a couple or bring a friend to share a room. Deposit of $1000/person required to book. Deposits are non-refundable after January 1, 2026 unless I am able to fill the slot. Balance is due by April 1, 2026. If you drop out between September 1-Dec 31 you will be refunded 50% of your trip deposit. Again, I highly recommend trip insurance.
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* We recommend arriving at least a day early to acclimate to the time change and in case of flight delays.. Flying into Naples-Capodichino International Airport is the best option for this trip. However, some people come early and explore other parts of Italy or Europe and then meet up with us.
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This trip is designed to be nimble so we can bop in and out of small towns. Once we leave Naples everything we bring will be placed in two 9-passenger vans. That being said we follow the Rick Steves rule of ONE carry-on. Laundry services are available at the villa however Melanie and I usually just wash our clothes in our bathroom. No shame in it.
Because we will be walking a considerable amount this trip requires participants be able to walk up to five miles a day and keep up with a group. Many cities in Italy are built on hills and we will be walking a considerable amount. It's typical to walk 5-7 miles a day without thinking about it but its broken up and not all at once.
Lodging is chosen first and foremost for location and proximity to action and experience.
Rooms are clean and comfortable. The villa in Puglia is somewhat remote. It has a swimming pool but often pools in April are not heated. Each couple has their own room and several have kitchens.
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Expectations: Each guest is expected to come with an attitude of curiosity, learning and open mindedness. Come to get along and make friends! Italian culture differs from ours in a number of ways. Embrace it! Be flexible and ready to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Italian government often shuts museums and venues down for no apparent reason.
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