Bay of Naples Classics

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A WST tour to the Bay of Naples can support the study of elements of the following exam board specifications.

EXPERT LOCAL GUIDES

One of our expert guides can accompany you when you visit the Classical sites. The guides are highly experienced and know the sites extremely well. We recommended their services for Pompeii, Herculaneum, Solfatara, Paestum, Cumae and Capri. Half and full day options are available.

Pompeii

Walking in the footsteps of the Romans it’s easy to imagine the ruins as complete houses again. Walk the same roads, stop and admire the atriums, try to imagine the upstairs rooms, which had collapsed under the weight of the pumice stones and lava. The preserved town of Pompeii has so much to offer Classics groups starting with the Ampitheatre. You’ll also go on to see thermopolia, temples, baths, theatres, palaestra and a forum. The best possible way to consider city life in Roman Italy and Cambridge Latin Course Groups will be thrilled to take a peek inside Caecilius’s house!

Herculaneum

Life has indeed been suspended in Herculaneum. Smaller than Pompeii but better preserved due to the way the ash fell here, more detail can be seen as well as the upper floors of houses. Herculaneum was a wealthy town, possessing an extraordinary density of fine houses, and lavish use of coloured marble cladding. The discovery in recent years of some 300 skeletons along the sea shore came as a surprise, as it had been assumed that the town had been evacuated.

Naples Archaeological Museum

A recommended visit en route to or from the airport, this truly fascinating museum contains a large collection of Roman artefacts from Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum. The collection includes works of the highest quality produced in Greek, Roman and Renaissance times. It is the most important Italian archaeological museum.

Paestum 

The ruins of Paestum are notable for their three ancient Greek Temples which are in a very good state of preservation. The Romans later built on the site and remains of the Roman Forum and Amphitheatre can also be seen today.  Paestum Archaeological museum houses many pieces including a whole room, which is dedicated to of the “Tomb of the Diver”, dated 450 BC, and is the only example of Greek painting with figured scenes dating from the Orientalzing, Archaic, or Classical periods to survive in its entirety.  We recommend visiting Paestum at the end of a drive down the incredible Amalfi Coastline.

Pozzuoli, *Solfatara And Cumae

These 3 Classical sites are all in close proximity and so can be visited as part of a full day excursion together.

Groups love a visit to the preserved amphitheatre at Pozzuoli. Here, students have a unique opportunity to take steps down and to see the underground corridors where slaves and animals were held in cages before being sent up to fight. It’s also worth a quick look at the Macellum of Pozzuoli, which has fallen and now risen again due to local ground movement.

Cumae was the first Greek colony on the mainland of Italy and the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl. Come and see the long echoing cave of the Sibyl visited by Aeneas (even if only in legend). Visit the Acropolis and the entrance to this tunnel built by Agrippa around 38BC to join his harbour in Lake Avernus to the sea. In Roman mythology, Lake Avernus was seen as a route Aeneas used to descend to the underworld.

*This day would usually include time at Solfatara Volcanic Crater however the site is closed most likely until 2019.

Vesuvius

A must for any group visiting this region. Your coach will take you most of the way up, before you park, and descend the last 200m on foot, accompanied by a guide along a wide and secure pathway offering spectacular views over the region. Upon reaching the rim of this magnificent active crater, your guide will tell your group about the volcano’s history and it’s most famous eruption.

Naples Underground Tour & Museum

Forty meters below the lively streets of the Naples, you find a different world, isolated by time, but deeply connected with the world above. Take a 2 hour guided tour and travel to the past. A world 2400 years old and where every historic epic, from the foundation of Neopolis, to the bombs of WWII, has left it’s mark on the walls of the yellow tufa stone.

Capri

Capri was the favourite island retreat of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius.  Take the boat from Sorrento to this beautiful island. On arrival explore the port of Capri, before taking the funicular up to Capri town with its high end boutiques. Villa Jovis, a must for all Classical fanatics is the best preserved of Tiberius’ villas, and can be visited after a 40 minute panoramic walk. The walk and the site of the villa itself afford incredible views. Another popular addition to a visit to Capri is a 1 hour boat tour around the island’s dramatic coastline.

Villa Poppaea In Oplontis

An excellent visit to the villa situated in the ancient Roman town of Oplontis buried by Vesuvius, about ten metres below the modern ground level. Evidence suggests that it was owned by the Emperor Nero, and believed to have been used by his second and rather notorious wife, Poppea Sabina, as her main residence when she was not in Rome.  

Sorrento Lemon Farm Visit

Enjoy a 45 minutes walk-through this beautiful garden that has been around for several generations. Benches line the paths so that visitors can relax among the trees. It’s very peaceful inside.The grove owners grow orange trees, too. At the end of the walk is a store that sells various home made goods.

Mozzarella Farm Visit in Sorrento

Meet the owners of this family farm, hear about the farms history and enjoy a fascinating demonstration of how both mozzarella and ricotta are made, before tasting sample of the two. You can also extend your stay and enjoy home made pizzas from the wood-burning oven.

La Fabbrica Della Pasta di Gragnano Pasta Producer

Step into the world of one of Italy’s most iconic foods at this family-run business. During a guided tour of the factory, see the whole production process creating different types of pasta from short-cut extruded pasta such as Penne, to ribbon-cut noodles such as Fettuccine. After the tour students will receive a small memento from La Fabbrica Della Pasta.

Amalfi Coast Drive

A beautiful scenic drive, where a ribbon of road clings tightly to steep rugged cliff s interspersed with picturesque towns. Take time to stop in Amalfi for a couple of hours, and perhaps visit the town of Ravello with its incredible views.

Sorrento Bowling

The Sorrento bowling alley is within easy walking distance from the centre and provides a good option to entertain your group.

The Sorrento Musical 'Tarentella' Show

The Sorrento Musical takes its cue from the “Tarantella”, a typical dance of the southern regions. This is a popular show with tourists which takes you through Sorrento's history.