| Tour Dates |
Sunday 26 October 2008 - Sunday 02 November 2008 (8 Days)
Cost of tour: £ 995
(sgl supp £ 145)
Price without flights: £ 785
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Itinerary |
| Note: Specialist Guide to be confirmed for 26/10/08 - 02/11/2008 departure |
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Group flights London to Naples OR meet coach at Naples airport and drive to our hotel just outside the walls of Pompeii (or by the sea at Vico Equense in July).
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Walk from hotel into the ancient city of Pompeii (by train from Vico in July), and spend the whole day on foot here. Lunch can be bought from a cafeteria beside the forum, or there is a picnic site just outside the walls.
About two-thirds of the 66ha town has been excavated, including the complete wall circuit, and no other site so vividly illustrates the reality and dimensions of a Roman town. Buildings still stand which were damaged by a devastating earthquake in AD62, before being shaken and buried by events in August AD79 and then excavated bit by bit from 1748 onwards. The site represents a unique mix of incredible preservation and lost opportunities, tangible tragedy and vibrant everyday life, and it is miraculous that wall-paintings, stucco, mosaics, street graffiti and corner fountains still survive. Stroll from the amphitheatre to the forum, taking in baths, shops, bars, fullers’ premises en route, visit private houses to admire the decor, take in the view from the top of the walls, admire the ancestors’ tombs and finish at the wealthy suburban Villa of the Mysteries. Walk (or train) back to our hotel to digest what you have seen!
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Private coach south to spend the day at the Greek, Lucanian and Roman colony of Poseidonia/ Paestum. There are a number of trattorie and snack-bars beside the site which can provide lunch.
This site provides a textbook introduction to the early chronology of the region - a Greek colony, which was taken over first by the native Lucanians, becoming a Latin colony and then a Roman town. In its Greek phase it boasted three impressive Doric temples, which continued to be venerated throughout the Roman period, and indeed one became an early Christian church. All three still stand, and are amongst the best-preserved in the Mediterranean world. The areas between them are filled with the trappings of a Roman town - forum, amphitheatre, public offices, shops and houses. The finds in the site museum here include famous carved temple metopes (panels) from a nearby sanctuary to Hera and remarkable painted Greek and Lucanian tombs. We include a visit to this Heraion and small site museum.
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Private coach to the northern region of the Bay, called the ‘Phlegraean’ (burning) Fields by the Greeks - an area of extinct volcanic craters. Lunchtime will be spent in a small seaside town with a choice of trattorie.
We visit the Greek colony of Cumae (the first on the Italian mainland), home of the famous Cumaean sibyl, prophetic priestess of Apollo. Her possible cave has been identified largely from Virgil’s description in the Aeneid: ‘a hundred entrances and a hundred tunnels lead into it through which the Sibyl’s oracle emerges in a hundred streams of sound’. The view from the hill alone is worth the climb. Continue to a Roman spa complex at Baia, built into the side of an extinct ancient crater which had partly fallen into the sea. Steam rooms were excavated from the rock to take advantage of the natural hot springs, and the restorative bathing facilities included pools, temples, accommodation and exercise areas. Nearby is an excellent museum in an Aragonese Castle.
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By Circumvesuviana railway train to Naples; metro to National Museum, which is the treasure-house of finds from the region. Free afternoon to explore Naples, which could include underground excavations at San Paolo and San Lorenzo di Maggiore, with access to the Roman theatre; some of the many historic churches; the Capodimonte art gallery (details of options will be provided) - go shopping, return to the hotel to relax, or even explore further afield.
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By Circumvesuviana railway train to Herculaneum, where the deep covering of volcanic mud has made excavation much more difficult, but has miraculously preserved wooden structures such as folding doors, staircases and shelves - the latter even had some foodstuffs still sitting on them. Free afternoon to continue exploring the site alone, or perhaps take the local bus to climb Vesuvius (only the last bit need be on foot!).
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By Circumvesuviana railway train to the opulent Roman villa at Oplontis, buried by both ash and mud. Excavated relatively recently (since 1960), its remarkable wall-paintings have been left in situ, and can be admired by walking from room to room. Free afternoon - take the railway to return to the hotel, enjoy further independent exploration of Pompeii or visit another site such as Stabiae.
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Private coach to Naples Airport, to take group flights home or to wait for your own flight - or continue your holiday independently.
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