Itinerary

Day 1

Early flight (sadly winter timetables dictate this) to Naples, allows us plenty of time to see the wonderful artefacts in the Naples Archaeological Museum as an introduction to the sites. It houses the extraordinary finds from the excavations not only of Pompeii, but those from other towns, villas and farms in the region. Exquisite metalwork which would normally have been melted and recycled; marble statues which would have been broken up to make lime for fertiliser; wall-paintings which would have decayed or been obliterated and plastered over - all would have been lost, had Vesuvius not exploded and buried them all. Drive to our hotel in the hills above the Bay of Naples. Introductory talk before dinner.

Day 2
Travel south to the coastal plain which was once the terrain of the Greek colony of Poseidonia, later the Roman town of Paestum. This is the opportunity to understand the development of the region in antiquity, from Greek colonisation to the early Middle Ages. Three impressive Doric temples still stand from the Greek city, and their continued use for up to a thousand years shows how artistic styles, religious practice, technology and commercial and political considerations changed with time. We also visit the remains of a religious sanctuary to the goddess Hera.

Day 3
We spend today exploring the streets and buildings of Pompeii. This is a whole Roman town, with a complete wall-circuit, and two-thirds of the interior has been excavated over more than 250 years. It contains the story of a fairly ordinary Roman town in the 1st century AD, the first natural disaster for which we have an eye-witness account, and also the development of archaeology from the treasure-hunt it was in the 18th century to the forensic science it is today.

Day 4
This morning we visit Herculaneum, the perfect complement to our Pompeii visit. This harbour town was closer to Vesuvius, and was buried by a pyroclastic surge which raised the present ground level by 25 metres. A much smaller area has been excavated, but buildings are preserved to a greater height, and carbonised organic matter survived – timber, foodstuffs, rope… Walking through the tunnel to what was once the seashore, where hundreds of bodies have been found huddled in the boat-houses (but are not on display) is an unforgettable experience.

We finish our day with a visit to another splendid villa at Oplontis. The relatively recent excavations here have allowed excellent preservation for the wall-paintings, and a detailed study of the gardens and the plants which were grown there.

Day 5
Continue to the airport for our flight home.

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