The tour starts from the Starhotel Terminus at 0800h (08:00am). You will travel by coach accompanied by a guide. You will travel to the ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii. Pompeii is one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pompeii was buried under lava and ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and lay forgotten for hundreds of years. Excavations began in the 18th century and are still being carried out. Your guide will take you along the ancient streets of Pompeii for a glimpse into the lives of the Romans.
Your guided tour includes a visit to some of these well preserved structures:
• Anfiteatro - the oldest known Roman amphitheatre, it was capable of holding upto 20,000 spectators
• Palestra - an athletic field with a beautiful portico
• Terme Stabiane - a 2nd century BC bath complex
• Lupanaro - Pompeii’s brothel, it has murals depicting the services offered
• Il Faro - this structure has some well preserved statues and paintings
• Casa del Fauno - the ‘House of Faun’, it had a beautiful mosaic that can now be seen in the National Museum of Naples
• Casa del Poeta Tragico - the ‘House of the Tragic Poet’, it is one of the buildings which still has mosaics on site
• Villa dei Misteri – this structure has a beautiful fresco, the Dionysiac Frieze, spanning the walls of the dining room
• Casa del Menandro - a patrician's villa which gets its name from a fresco of the Greek playwright, Menander
• Casa dei Vettii - the ‘Villa of the Mysteries’, it has what some consider the greatest surviving group of paintings from the ancient world
You could also visit the Casa dei Fuggiaschi, Teatro Grande e Piccolo and Palestra dei Gladiatori.
After your Pompeii Tour, set out for Mount Vesuvius, which dominates the Bay of Naples. The only active volcano on the mainland of Europe, its slopes were once covered with vineyards and woods. Take a guided tour of the crater, and enjoy a panoramic view of the bay. A single plume of smoke still rises from the blackened crater, a silent reminder that the volcano is only sleeping.
At the end of the tour you will be returned to the Starhotel Terminus, arriving at around 1600h (4:00pm).