DETAILS
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.
- Pricing from
- $4,045
Maximum of 18 travelers!
- Trip Type
- Group Travel Tour, International Land & Rail Voyages
- Departure Dates
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May 26, 2024 - Jun 3, 2024
Sep 15, 2024 - Sep 23, 2024
Sep 22, 2024 - Sep 30, 2024
Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 7, 2024
Oct 27, 2024 - Nov 4, 2024
ITINERARY
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day 1
Cava De' Tirreni
Today we meet for the first time as a group at our hotel in Naples.
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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.
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day 3
Pompeii
We devote the entire day to Pompeii. No site compares in revealing the details of daily life in a Roman town. We visit some of the most well-preserved buildings as well as an amphitheatre, theatre, 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. Travelling via the best routes to avoid crowds, we visit several villas that are newly reopened to the public.
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day 4
Naples/Pozzuoli
Our first visit of the day is to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, home to exceptional collections of artefacts. After lunch, we move on to Pozzuoli and visit one of the world’s most impressive amphitheatres. 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 theatre and odeon, built at a later date.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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day 8
Naples
After breakfast, our tour ends and we make our independent journeys home.
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