Pompeii, Paestum & Herculaneum

Itineraries

• Day 1 UK/Naples
• Please note:The itinerary may run in a different order,your Tour manager will confirm the times and dates of your excursions in resort.After your flight to Naples we’ll transfer you to the pretty town of Vico Equense, on the Sorrento Peninsula. Your hotel is in the heart of the town and offers lovely views over the Bay of Naples towards Mount Vesuvius. Your Tour Lecturer will be on hand throughout your holiday to help you discover the archaeological treasures of this beautiful part of Italy.
• Day 2 Pozzuoli, Baia & Cumae
• A day of contrasts awaits you on an included tour, which begins at Pozzuoli. Here you can follow in the footsteps of gladiators as you wander the maze of underground tunnels beneath its well-preserved Roman amphitheatre. In its heyday, this arena held crowds of up to 20,000 people. Next you’ll head toBaiaand visit the Archaeological Park of Terme Romane. Here you willdiscover someimpressive Roman ruins located on the slope of a hill. Finally we will visitCumae, where only ruins remain of the Greek temples that once stood here. The Cave of Sibyl and the Temple of Jupiter are incredible sights nonetheless.
• Day 3 Pompeii
• Today is the day that you will explore the remarkableruins of Pompeii.Asyou wander its streets, you’ll understand what life was like here before MountVesuvius erupted in 79 AD smothering it and its inhabitants in hot ash. On yourfull-day tour, you’ll see many of Pompeiis best sights, including villasdecorated with frescoes, colourful mosaics, Roman baths, an impressiveamphitheatre and more.
• Day 4 Amalfi & Paestum
• Before you reach historic Paestum today, a treat is in store in the shape of the beautiful Amalfi Coast. You’ll travel along twisting clifftop roads andwith views ofthe lovely resorts of Positano and Ravello to reach your destination. At your journey’s end you’ll discover three magnificent Doric temples. It’s incredible to think that 2,500 years after they were built, the temples of Ceres, Neptune and Hera are still standing relatively intact. There’s time too to step inside the museum here, which houses fascinating artefacts.
• Day 5 Oplontis & Herculaneum
• Today your Tour Lecturer will host a further day of exploration. We’ll head to Herculaneum, which was also buried by the Mount Vesuvius’ eruption. It’s actually better preserved than Pompeii, and your Tour Lecturer will talk you through its highlights and outline the lives of its well-heeled former residents. The nearby Villa Poppaea at Oplontis was so well preserved by the ash from the same eruption that the Roman art inside almost looks freshly painted.
• Day 6 Capri
• Today is free for you to spend at leisure. Alternatively, join our full-day optional excursion to the glamorous island ofCapri, which is reached via a short boat trip. As you explore independently you’llsoon see why so many have been charmed by its beauty over time, from RomanEmperors and poets to movie stars and artists. You could choose to take astroll around the village of Capriand perhaps hop into one of the open-top taxis for a journey along windingstreets to Anacapri. Here you can visit Villa San Michele, the former home ofcelebrated doctor and philanthropist Axel Munthe, which is surrounded byfragrant gardens.
• Day 7 Vesuvius & Naples
• Today join your Tour Lectuer on an optional excursion to the Vesuvius and Naples. You’ve seen Vesuvius from a distance and learned all about its immense power but today you can actually walk to its summit.Towering almost 1,300 metres above the Bay of Naples, this is mainland Europe’s only active volcano and the views you’ll experience will take your breath away. You’ll thenhead tothe Museum of National Antiquities in Naples, where many of the relics discovered at Pompeii are displayed.
• Day 8 Naples/UK
• Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for yourflight back to the UK.