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Herculaneum and Pompeii from Sorrento – Private Tour or Shore Excursion

Available in English Hotel Pick up included

Activity Schedule

  • When does it run?

    Daily

  • Duration

    Approx. 6-7 hours

  • Start time

    Start time: Your preferred start time
    Duration: Approx. 6-7 hours

  • Meeting Point
    Your hotel or cruise ship in Sorrento. (Please mention your hotel details at the time of booking. Alternatively, please mention the name and docking details of your cruise ship. If you do not have this information now, please contact the local activity operator 24 hours prior to the start of the tour with these details.)
  • Ending Point

    Your hotel or cruise ship in Sorrento

Key Highlights

  • Peep into the daily lives of the Romans
  • A must for anyone interested in ancient civilizations and cultures
  • Visit an ancient Roman holiday resort

Overview

See ancient history come to life as you tour two lost Roman cities, miraculously preserved by a catastrophic earthquake.

View Herculaneum, once a wealthy seaside resort. Admire the luxurious seafront villas, like the one that belonged to Julius Caesar’s father-in-law.

Enjoy the colorful mosaics and frescos and the perfectly preserved houses with their wooden balconies.

Later, travel to ancient Pompeii for more extraordinary glimpses of the lives of the ancient Romans. Walk the streets grooved by chariot wheels; see the murals, the public baths and even a brothel.

Imagine what it was like for the inhabitants on the day in AD 79 when the mighty volcano Vesuvius awoke from its 800-year slumber.

Itinerary

You will be picked up from your hotel or cruise ship in Sorrento in a private air-conditioned car for your Private Herculaneum and Pompeii Tour - From Sorrento. A private guide in your preferred language (Italian, English, German, French or Russian) will accompany you throughout the tour.

Your guided tours of Herculaneum and Pompeii are approximately 2 hours each. Stops will be made for refreshments and lunch (payable direct).

You will drive first to Herculaneum (a journey of approximately 45 minutes). This was once a seaside holiday resort for affluent Romans. Their sumptuous way of life is reflected in the colorful, intricate mosaics which adorn the villas and the public baths.

Most famous of the luxurious villas is the Villa of the Papyri, now known to be the splendid seafront residence of Julius Caesar’s father-in-law.

Unlike Pompeii, which was buried by ash, lava flowed over Herculaneum and hardened. This created a sealed environment, which resulted in the perfect preservation of some of the two-storey houses with their wooden balconies still intact.

You will then visit the remarkable city of Pompeii, a 15 minutes’ drive away. Pompeii was a hub of activity in Roman times. One of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, it was wiped off the map in 79 AD – buried under 6 meters of volcanic ash – and was not re-discovered till nearly 1700 years later.

Although most of the Pompeii’s 20,000 inhabitants did not survive, much of their city did. This UNESCO World Heritage site has been carefully excavated to reveal its former glory.

The legacy of the disastrous eruption is an extraordinary insight into Roman life. You will stroll down streets grooved by chariot wheels, see stunning mosaics and murals in the villas and walk around the public baths. An ancient brothel is testament to the fact that the ‘oldest profession’ was actively pursued in wealthy Pompeii.

After this amazing trip into the past, you will be taken back to your hotel/cruise ship in Sorrento, where your tour ends.

Inclusions

  • Hotel or cruise ship pick-up and drop off
  • Private guide (English, German or French-speaking)
  • Transportation in a private air-conditioned car

Exclusions

  • Entrance fees to Pompeii and Herculaneum (approximately €11 each)
  • Meals and snacks

Additional info

The confirmation voucher includes the local activity operator’s contact details and local telephone numbers at the destination. They will happily answer any logistical questions you may have.

Customer Reviews

  • Maryann Gerhart-Marcoux

    We really enjoyed the tour. Both the driver Enzo and the tour guide Marianne were both great. Enzo's driving was very safe and we were very comfortable during the ride. He took time to point out some recommended place around town for us to visit on our own after the tour and really appreciate that. Our tour guide Marianne was fabulous! She was so knowledgeable, professional, had a great sense of humor, offered to take pictures of my husband and at certain spots. We learned so much and the tour was truly worth the money!! I highly recommend your company, this tour, and both of our staff.

    United States 11/06/2015

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