Portrait of a young woman from Pompeii; she holds a stylus to her lips, perhaps about to write on a wax tablet such as that preserved below. The wax has gone, but words remain scratched into the wood beneath.
The Temple of Athena at Paestum, one of three which are amongst the best-preserved in the world. The picture was taken in January
Vesuvius dominates the view from the ruins of Pompeii
The forum at Pompeii, with the Capitol at one end, was unknowingly aligned towards the mountain which was to bring about its destruction - Vesuvius is looking very clear in the winter sunshine
The Alexander mosaic from the House of the Faun at Pompeii is full of movement and detail
Human and mythological figures in the complete wall frieze in the Villa of the Mysteries; possibly showing the initiation of a young woman into the cult of Dionysus
Walking along a Pompeii street, one can almost hear the cries of the Roman street vendors and the bustle of the crowds
View over the ruins at Herculaneum, with Vesuvius looming over

2013 Tour Details

Mon 2nd - Mon 9th Sep 2013
with Dr Eireann Marshall FULL
Mon 16th - Mon 23rd Sep 2013
with Prof Alistair Small
Mon 30th Sep - Mon 7th Oct 2013
with John Shepherd NEW
Mon 7th - Mon 14th Oct 2013
with Prof William Manning FULL
Mon 14th - Mon 21st Oct 2013
with Prof Valerie Higgins NEW
Mon 11th - Mon 18th Nov 2013
with Oliver Gilkes

8 Days ||
Early Sep £1595
Price without flights: £1470
Mid Sep £1650
Price without flights: £1470
Late Sep £1650
Price without flights: £1470
Early Oct £1650
Price without flights: £1470
Mid Oct £1650
Price without flights: £1470
Nov £1495
Price without flights: £1365

(sgl supp £140)

2014 Tour Details

Mon 10th - Mon 17th March 2014
with Alan French
Mon 21st - Mon 28th April 2014
with Dr Neil Faulkner
Mon 5th - Mon 12th May 2014
with Prof Alastair Small
Mon 1st - Mon 8th September 2014
with John Shepherd
Mon 15th - Mon 22nd September 2014
with Tony O'Connor
Mon 6th - Mon 13th October 2014
with Tony Wilmott
Mon 20th - Mon 27th October 2014
with Prof Valerie Higgins
Mon 17th - Mon 24th November 2014
with Dr Eireann Marshall

NB - Planning for our 2014 Tours is still at quite an early stage and some details (sites, hotels, dates) may change. You can reserve a place on any 2014 tour with fixed, fully refundable deposit of £300 (no top-ups if you book before 31st May). Should you change your mind when the brochure (with finalised prices) is published in June/ July we will happily refund your deposit, or transfer you to another tour.

Tour Managers

Angela Bentley

Anne Chowne

Jennie Robson

Martin Adams

Maximum Guests

Italy - Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania

Quotes

A really thorough tour of Pompeii and the surrounding area to give context; being taught so much without feeling I was being taught; an easy style of imparting knowledge.
Coming into Pompeii through the deserted amphitheatre gate was brilliant - one could absorb so much before meeting the crowds.
As I wrote on a postcard home "superb leaders, superb hotel, superb food" and then there was the archaeology!
The comfortable hotel in a wonderful setting in the hills above the bay of Salerno, away from the rush and bustle but close enough to reach all the interesting sites without any long periods in the coach.
To start the day - breakfast on the terrace looking out onto all the smoky blue mountains receding in layers and silhouetted against a limpid blue sky was a very special experience. What better way to know that one is in Italy again?

Tour Type

Tour Codes

Sep (early): POM13D
Sep (late): POM13E
Oct: POM13F
Nov: POM13G

Italy - Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania

Perfectly preserved Roman towns in all their vivid, haunting detail, caught forever at the moment of disaster
Special access to some of the best-preserved buildings, and private monuments in Pompeii
Led by expert guides – all specialists in Roman Archaeology or Ancient History – eager to share their knowledge
Seven separate tours scheduled – choose dates to suit you

Nowhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, where life came to an abrupt halt with the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.

We spend one whole day in Pompeii, exploring public buildings, private houses and shops, bars and brothels, where the occupants left evidence of their everyday lives, as well as their frantic attempts to escape the disaster.

The whole region was affected, of course, as our visits to other towns, villas and farms will reveal. Opulent seaside villas and modest farmsteads have returned, after 2000 years, to the light of day as the covering blanket of volcanic matter has been disturbed by later building activity, and more and more of the hidden landscape of the first century AD has emerged.

“It was not clear from which mountain the cloud was rising, but it was like an umbrella pine... Ashes were already falling, hotter and thicker, followed by bits of pumice and blackened stones. On Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points... They debated whether to stay indoors or take their chance in the open, for the buildings were now shaking with violent shocks, and seemed to be swaying to and fro as if they were torn from their foundations.” Pliny the Younger in a letter to Tacitus

Itinerary

Day One
Arrive Naples and drive to Corpo di Cava.

Day Two
Drive south to explore the temples, site and museum at Paestum. This was the Greek colony of Poseidonia, and its impressive remains include three of the best-preserved Doric temples anywhere in the Mediterranean, and the unique painted ‘Tomb of the Diver’ dated to around 480BC. A brief stop at the sanctuary site of the Heraion (if open) provides a context for the 6th century BC metopes (stone sculptures found on Doric temples) displayed in the museum at Paestum.

Day Three
The whole day is spent exploring as much as possible of Pompeii. No other site can compare in revealing the scale and proportions of a Roman town. We arrange access to some of the best-preserved buildings, as well as the public monuments and private residences which best illustrate what life was like in this bustling port and market town. The fountains in the street, worn where thousands of people have rested their hands to take a drink; the stepping stones, wheel ruts and remnants of lead-piping along the pavement; the corner shrines and street signs; official graffiti in the streets and unofficial scratchings on house walls - all of human life in AD79 is here if you know where to look for it.

Day Four
Visit the exceptional collections of artefacts at the National Archaeological Museum at Naples. Many of the best wall-paintings were brought here in the early years of the excavations, as was fine statuary, tableware and incidental objects of everyday life... a unique collection indeed. Continue to Pozzuoli to see one of the largest and best-preserved amphitheatres in the world. The passages and enclosures beneath the arena are particularly well preserved here, tranquil and cool now, but where once desperate humans and animals would have spent their last hours.

Day Five
Explore the region of the Phlegraean Fields, north of the Bay of Naples: the extensive and well-preserved bathing complex at Baia, terraced into the side of an extinct volcanic crater to take advantage of the hot springs; the excellent museum in the Aragonese Castle; Cumae was an important Greek colony, home of the prophetic sibyl allegedly consulted by Aeneas on his journey from Troy to Italy.

Day Six
A visit to Herculaneum perfectly complements a visit to Pompeii. The town was a favourite retirement spot for rich patricians, who built large elegant houses from which they could enjoy a sea view. Much less of the town has been excavated, but it was buried to a much greater depth, and what you see is better preserved. Wood and other organic remains were carbonised but still survive, as do upper stories. Until relatively recently it was thought that most of the population of Herculaneum escaped the eruption. However excavations have now uncovered over 300 skeletons of townsfolk who had taken refuge in boat chambers along the shore. A modest farm-house has been discovered at Boscoreale, named the Villa Regina, now with a fine antiquarium beside it, with environmental evidence from sites destroyed in AD79.

Day Seven
Begin the day with an ascent of Vesuvius - mostly by bus, but the last part of the crater requires an uphill walk. The reward is amazing views both down into the crater, and out across the Bay of Naples, putting everything you have seen during the week into perspective. The villa at Oplontis is one of many destroyed by the eruption, but is exceptional for the quality and preservation of its wall-paintings. The gardens have been replanted using, as far as possible, the sorts of shrubs and flowers which might originally have been grown.

Day Eight
If flight times allow, we will arrange a visit to the remarkable rock-cut monastery complex beneath the hill town where we are staying. Return flight from Naples.

What's Included

Flights - Scheduled flights with BA from London Gatwick to Naples
Local Travel - Private a/c coach
Guide Lecturer - Dr Eireann Marshall (early Sep 13, Nov 14), Alan French (Mar 14), Tony Wilmott (Oct 14), Prof Alastair Small (late Sep 13, May 14), Prof William Manning (Oct 13) and Oliver Gilkes (Nov 13), Dr Neil Faulkner (Apr 14), John Shepherd (early Sep 14), Tony O'Connor (late Sep 14), Prof. Valerie Higgins (Oct 14). Not to be confused with "guest lecturers"! The guide lecturer will be with you from breakfast to supper, and probably even a drink in the bar afterwards. There is the occasional site where they may not be allowed to guide because of local regulations but otherwise the guides are just that. They will have been chosen because of specialist knowledge and their ability to communicate and interest you. After 29 years of making tours worldwide, we are highly appreciative of the attributes of a good guide, and intensely critical of people who do not possess them
Tour Managers - Angela Bentley (Late Sep 13); Jennie Robson (Sep 13); Anne Chowne (Oct 13); Jennie Robson (Nov 13). We never know how best to call the very special people whom we choose to accompany you on your tour. They are usually employed in this capacity only by us, and have been trained to do things in the Andante way - unobtrusive, friendly and quietly efficient
Meals - All meals included (dinners with wine & water) except lunch Days 1, 3 & 8. Other lunches in trattorie / pizzerie
Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included
Field Notes

Hotel

7 nights in a lovely, characterful family-run hotel in the tiny village of Corpo di Cava, with a covered outdoor pool, set in the wooded hills above Cava dei Tirreni. The Hotel has been in existence since 1821, owned and run by the same family for all that time. It is set in beautiful gardens, with fabulous views out over the hills. Just below the hotel is a huge rock-cut monastery and abbey, once the second-largest Benedictine foundation in Italy.

"A lovely family run hotel with fantastic views."

"Delightful hotel in a scenic location."

"Pleasant to stay in one hotel, which was well appointed with good food."

"Particularly appreciated the charm of the hotel with its lovely setting."

"Lovely home style cooking at the hotel."

"Good to have a hotel away from Naples and away from the heat."

pool

Useful Reading

Guide Lecturers’ Choices: (if you only want to read one or two books)
Wallace – Hadrill, Andrew Herculaneum: Past and Future. Frances Lincoln (2011) The most recent study of Herculaneum, by the English scholar best-placed to write it. An up-to-date, scholarly yet accessible book, lavishly illustrated. A valuable source of reference.

Ling, Roger (Tempus 2005) Pompeii – History, Life and Afterlife. Excellent summary of all the latest evidence from Pompeii, presented as a chronological survey of the town.

Beard, Mary The Life of a Roman Town (Profile Books September 2008) – what sort of a town was Pompeii? This book tried to make sense of the remains, with headings like Bad Breath, Intestinal Parasites, Performing Monkeys, One-Way Streets, Water shortages……a new and interesting approach!

Grant, M. (1971) Cities of Vesuvius. Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London. Still the best general introduction to Pompeii and Herculaneum, although rather dated in places.

Berry, Joanne The Complete Pompeii (Thames and Hudson Jan 2008). Readable, well-informed book which brings the reader up to date with thoughts about Pompeii, and results of recent work.

Lawrence Keppie, The Romans on the Bay of Naples. An Archaeological Guide. Stroud, The History Press, 2009. ISBN 978 0 7524 4840 4, £17.99 It is only 191 pages long, is fairly light, and easy to handle. The History Press, The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG.

Easy Reads:
Colin Amery & Brian Curran Jr, The Lost World of Pompeii (Frances Lincoln 2002)

Alex Butterworth & Ray Laurence. (2005) Pompeii: The Living City. - written by an academic historian (one of Andante’s Guide Lecturers!) and a dramatist, using real individuals known from texts and inscriptions to build a compelling portrait of the city during its last 25 years.

Connolly, P. (1979) Pompeii. Aimed at children, but superbly researched reconstructions.

Deiss, J.J. (1987) Herculaneum. The only easily available popular study of Herculaneum, but now rather dated.

Etienne, R. (1992) Pompeii: the day a city died. Thames & Hudson. Beautifully produced with remarkable collection of illustrations.

More Detailed Accounts:
Lazer, Estelle. (2011) Resurrecting Pompeii Routledge. This is a more in-depth book looking at the evidence from the skeletal material.

Claridge, A. & Ward-Perkins, J. (1976) Pompeii AD 79. Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogue. Very good general introduction, and widely available in second hand bookshops.

Mau, A. (1904) Pompeii, its life and art. Still by far the best synthesis in English.

Jashemski, W. F. & Mayer, F.G. (2002) The Natural History of Pompei. A fascinating, but expensive, study of its subject. Available from the USA through Amazon.com and, more cheaply, from their associates.

Dobbins, J. J. and Foss, P. (eds.) 2007, paperback 2008, The World of Pompeii, London, Routledge. Contains up-to-date studies on many aspects of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the villas in the surrounding area.

An extensive range of publications can be bought at the bookshops in Naples Museum and at the major sites. A particularly good group are published by the Soprintendenza Archaeologica di Pompeii and include such titles as Around the Walls of Pompeii; Herculaneum, The Excavations, local history and surroundings.

Social & Economic History:
Laurence, R. (1994) Roman Pompeii: space and society.

Wallace-Hadrill, A.F. (1994) Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum

Jongman, W. (1988) The Economy and Society of Pompeii AD79

Zanker, P. (2001) Pompeii: Public and Private Life. Harvard University Press.

Art & Architecture:
Richardson, L. (1997) Pompeii - an architectural history. The John Hopkins University Press (available in paperback) “... tells the story of the city and its buildings."

Ramage, N. & Ramage, A. (2004) Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine (Prentice Hall)

Ling, R. (1991) Roman Painting

Pedley, J.G. (1990) Paestum: Greeks and Romans in Southern Italy

Ancient Sources on Pompeii:
Cooley, A.E. & M.G.L. (2004) Pompeii: A Sourcebook. A compilation of the ancient references to Pompeii, including many of the graffiti, advertisements, and scribbled notices found on the walls of the city itself. (Routledge).

Guide Books:
All of the main series of guide books have volumes on Southern Italy and the choice depends on the number of illustrations and amount of detail which you feel you need.

Pauls, M. & Facaros, D. (2003) Cadogan Guide to Bay of Naples & Southern Italy. Very successful guide, highly enjoyable, readable information.

Maps:
Campania and Basilicata, 1:200,000 scale, Italian Touring Club.
Amalfi Coast, Kompass Map No. 682

Book Now!

Mon 2nd - Mon 9th Sep 2013 with Dr Eireann Marshall	Singles: Full	Twin/Doubles: Full
Mon 16th - Mon 23rd Sep 2013 with Prof Alastair Small	Singles: Full	Twin/Doubles: Full
Mon 30th Sep - Mon 7th Oct 2013 with John Shepherd	Singles: Last one	Twin/ Doubles: Available
Mon 7th - Mon 14th Oct 2013 with Prof William Manning	Singles: Full	Twin/Doubles: Full
Mon 14th - Mon 21st Oct 2013 with Prof Valerie Higgins	Singles: Available	Twin/ Doubles: Available
Mon 11th - Mon 18th Nov 2013 with Oliver Gilkes	Singles: Last one	Twin/Doubles: Available
All 2014 dates	Singles: Available	Twin/Doubles: Available

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2013 Tour Details

2014 Tour Details

Alan French

Dr Eireann Marshall

Dr Neil Faulkner

John Shepherd

Oliver Gilkes

Prof William Manning

Professor Alastair Small

Professor Valerie Higgins

Tony O'Connor

Tony Wilmott