Pompeii and the Classical Wonders of Campania

Summary

The region of Campania in southwest Italy is blessed with a dramatic coastline, a perfect Mediterranean climate and a host of ancient ruins. The most famous of these is Pompeii, a once thriving seaside town whose existence came to an abrupt end one August day in AD 79, when the nearby volcano Vesuvius erupted with cataclysmic force and snuffed out all life in the town. Since its rediscovery in 1748 Pompeii has been a major tourist destination, offering as it does a unique insight into the lives and times of ordinary people from two thousand years ago, with many of the streets and buildings uncovered and excavated to reveal an astonishingly well-preserved example of a Roman town.

Equally revealing are the nearby remains at Stabiae and Herculaneum, where even some of the rooftops have been preserved. Other highlights include the fascinating site of Paestum, which shines a light on the world of the ancient Greeks and the Archaeological Museum in Naples, home to many of the most significant and illuminating finds from Pompeii and other sites. We also take a close-up look at Vesuvius itself, the volcano which brought unimaginable horror to the local inhabitants yet in doing so has allowed us to share in their lives two millennia later.

Tour highlights:

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• Walk the streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum, almost as they were two thousand years ago
• Visit the opulent villas of the Roman super-rich
• Marvel at the classical treasures housed in the Archaeological Museum
• Peer into the crater of Vesuvius
• Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of Naples as you saunter out for a pizza