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Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania
From $3,870
Summary
Nowhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Before the eruption of Vesuvius these were thriving, lively seaside towns - Pompeii, a trading town equipped with many bars, shops and brothels, while Herculaneum was an affluent elegant town.
All this came to an abrupt halt, however, one Autumnal day in AD 79 - when Vesuvius - which had done little more than rumble for years - erupted with cataclysmic force. Two thousand years later, the sites of the Bay of Naples confront the modern visitor with a vivid, haunting immediacy like nothing else in the ancient world. In some cases we even know the names, professions and personal histories of the people who owned the villas and shops we visit.
Your expert guide lecturer will bring to life the ordinary people of Pompeii, Herculaneum and beyond on this, our best-selling tour of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This is an exciting time for visitors to these Vesuvian towns, as new discoveries are constantly being made, and new houses constantly opened up. Lose yourself in the past, walking the ancient streets in the footsteps of gladiators, slaves, senators and citizens.
Meet your Experts
Tony O’Connor
Andante Guide Lecturer
Tony O’Connor graduated in Ancient History and Archaeology from Manchester University, specialising in the Roman Empire and the Phoenicians.
Your itinerary
Day 1 - Cava de’ Tirreni
Today we meet for the first time as a group at our hotel in Naples.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | Dinner |
Day 2 - Cava de’Tirreni - Paestum
Our day begins with a visit to the fascinating site at Paestum, ancient Poseidonia. Long before the Romans came, this was a thriving Greek city that was part of greater Greece from the 6th century BC. After lunch, we visit the Paestum Museum, famed for its archaic metopes and its painted tombs. We will also be able to visit the magnificent Store Rooms of Paestum after almost a two-year closure due to the pandemic.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 3 - Pompeii
We devote the entire day to Pompeii. No site compares in revealing details of daily life in a Roman town. We visit some of the most well-preserved buildings as well as an amphitheater, theater, forum, bath-houses, bars, and brothels. Fountains in the street are worn where countless people rested their hands to take a drink and Roman graffiti still marks the walls. Traveling via the best routes to avoid crowds, we visit several villas that are newly reopened to the public.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | Breakfast, Dinner |
Day 4 - Naples - Pozzuoli
Our fist visit of the day is to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, home to exceptional collections of artifacts. After lunch, we move on to Pozzuoli and visit one of the world’s most impressive amphitheaters. Later, we are granted private access to the Cave of Sejanus, an impressive tunnel dating to the age of Augustus, which gives access to the lovely seaside villa of Pausilypon. Here, we visit a theater and odeon, built at a later date.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 5 - Stabiae
Go off-the-beaten-track to the villas of Stabiae, an exclusive Roman resort for the very wealthy. The vast Villa San Marco, with its swimming pool and bath complex, is one of the most opulent along this coast and it remains very impressive in its scale. We also visit the Villa Arianna, with its wonderful frescoes and fabulous views over the Bay of Naples. After lunch we visit the Archaeological Museum of Castellammare di Stabia Libero D’Orsi which opened in September 2020 specifically for the exhibition of the many important items found in the region of Stabia. There are a large number of finds on display, some never before exhibited in Italy, including frescoes, inlaid floors, stuccoes, sculptures, terracottas, tableware, objects made of iron and bronze.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 6 - Herculaneum
The town of Herculaneum, which perfectly complements a visit to Pompeii, is our last port of call. This seaside city was buried to a significantly greater depth than Pompeii — under 23 metres of pyroclastic to be exact — perfectly preserving every-day objects as well as houses up to their rooftops. Herculaneum is a much more compact site and has fewer visitors, but it is certainly no less fascinating than Pompeii. In addition to the site, we explore the Antiquarium, newly opened after 44 years, and which houses precious articles found along Herculaneum’s sea front, including a well-preserved boat.
We will also visit an extraordinary exhibit at the Reggia di Portici entitled 'The Wood that Didn’t Burn', which consists of wooden artefacts found in Herculaneum and preserved by virtue of the more than 20-metre deep pyroclastic flow that hermetically sealed the seaside city, delicately preserving its organic objects.
After lunch we travel to the Villa Sora in Torre del Greco, where we have special access to a fine residence once thought to be owned by a member of the Julio Claudian Family.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 7 - Vesuvius - Oplontis
Today, we ascend to the great volcanic crater of Vesuvius. The majority of our journey will be by bus, but the final part requires a short walk, which will be well worth the effort. The walk starts at Monte Somma, the crater of the AD 79 eruption, where we grasp the scale of it. After the ascent and peering into the crater being forged since the ancient eruption, you will see fumaroles and the layers of previous eruptions, while walking around the perimeter of the crater affords magnificent views over the Bay of Naples. On good days, you can even make out Pompeii. After lunch, we will continue on to the impressive villa at Oplontis, which boasts sumptuous frescoes, a bath complex, an enormous swimming pool, and interesting slave quarters. This villa was supposedly owned by Emperor Nero and was both destroyed and subsequently preserved by Vesuvius’ eruption.
| Hotel | Hotel Scapolatiello, Cava de' Tirreni |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 8 - Naples
After breakfast, our tour ends and we make our independent journeys home.
| Meals included | Breakfast |
|---|
Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Expert Guide Lecturer
- Professional Tour Manager
- Local travel aboard a private air-conditioned coach
- Accommodation
- Meals as per the itinerary, wine and tea or coffee with dinner
- Entries to all sites as per the itinerary
- All taxes & gratuities
- Field notes
| Tour Departure | Tour ID | Departure date | Return Date | Guided by | Price | Deposit | Single supplement | Offer | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 September 2023 | APOM230904 | 4 September 2023 (Monday) | 11 September 2023 (Monday) | Tony O’Connor | $3,870 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 | Call for availability | |
| 11 September 2023 | APOM230911 | 11 September 2023 (Monday) | 18 September 2023 (Monday) | John Shepherd | $3,715 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $230 | Call for availability | |
| 2 October 2023 | APOM231002 | 2 October 2023 (Monday) | 9 October 2023 (Monday) | John Shepherd | $3,800 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $230 | Call for availability | |
| 30 October 2023 | APOM231030 | 30 October 2023 (Monday) | 6 November 2023 (Monday) | Dr Doru Bogdan | $3,595 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 | Book your trip | |
| 15 January 2024 | APOM240115 | 15 January 2024 (Monday) | 22 January 2024 (Monday) | John Shepherd | $3,745 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,605 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 18 March 2024 | APOM240318 | 18 March 2024 (Monday) | 25 March 2024 (Monday) | Tony Wilmott | $3,795 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,655 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 22 April 2024 | APOM240422 | 22 April 2024 (Monday) | 29 April 2024 (Monday) | Dr Doru Bogdan | $3,795 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,655 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 6 May 2024 | APOM240506 | 6 May 2024 (Monday) | 13 May 2024 (Monday) | Dr Eireann Marshall | $3,890 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,750 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 27 May 2024 | APOM240527 | 27 May 2024 (Monday) | 3 June 2024 (Monday) | Tony O’Connor | $3,965 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,825 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 9 September 2024 | APOM240909 | 9 September 2024 (Monday) | 16 September 2024 (Monday) | John Shepherd | $3,965 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,825 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 16 September 2024 | APOM240916 | 16 September 2024 (Monday) | 23 September 2024 (Monday) | Dr Gillian Shepherd | $3,965 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,825 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 30 September 2024 | APOM240930 | 30 September 2024 (Monday) | 7 October 2024 (Monday) | Diana Blumberg | $3,890 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,750 save $140 |
Book your trip |
| 28 October 2024 | APOM241028 | 28 October 2024 (Monday) | 4 November 2024 (Monday) | Dr Jamie Sewell | $3,795 (ex. flights) |
$750 | $0 |
$3,655 save $140 |
Book your trip |
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