ITALY
Pompeii with Herculaneum January 29 – February 4, 2021 from £1895 per person | with Steve Mastin
Tour Director Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years, leading trips to Italy, France and Germany. He has also worked overseas training history teachers in Singapore, Australia and Kazakhstan. A committed advocate of the power of storytelling, Steve is passionate about bringing a life-long love of history to students of all ages. He is a Fellow of the Historical Association and is a regular speaker at history conferences both in the UK and overseas. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, and participants should be aware that the terrain at the archaeological sites can be uneven, with few opportunities to sit down. Please note that the optional ascent up Vesuvius involves a steep walk of around 30 minutes. Day 1 Depart London 1430 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1810. Transfer to Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, for six nights. Short evening talk.
Domus fresco
• This perennial favourite offers a thought-provoking window onto Roman life • Discover Cumae, one of the most important Greek city-states in antiquity, alongside Pozzuoli with its impressive Roman amphitheatre • The renowned Archaeological Museum in Naples supports our site visits with its excellent collection of artefacts “Meanwhile on Mt Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasised by the darkness of night…” – so wrote Pliny of the sudden eruption of Vesuvius nearly 2000 years ago. Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed yet preserved by the volcanic catastrophe, offer unrivalled insights into day-to-day life in the Roman Empire. As well as investigating the ruins of Vesuvius’s twin victims, we will view the exceptional finds on display at the National Archaeological Museum in the evervibrant city of Naples. Paestum, “inexpressibly grand” according to Shelley, was founded c 600 BC by Greek colonists from Sybaris. Here we 14
will pay particular attention to the Doric sanctuaries of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, which rank among the best-preserved Greek temples to be found anywhere in the ancient world. Our comprehensive tour in and around the Bay of Naples will take in a wide array of further ancient treasures, such as the vast villa complex at Oplontis. Adorned with sumptuous wall paintings that unveil the extravagant lifestyle enjoyed by the Roman elite, the villa is thought to have been Nero’s wedding present to his second wife, Poppaea. Cumae, one of the most important Greek city-states in antiquity, is also on our itinerary together with Italy’s third largest Roman amphitheatre at Pozzuoli.
Day 2 Morning visit to Naples Archaeological Museum (artefacts from Vesuvian sites), followed by lunch on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. Continue the ascent by coach, followed by optional ascent to the crater (weather permitting; must be done on foot). Evening talk. Day 3 Whole day visit to Pompeii (forum, shopping macellum, Houses of the Faun and Venus, baths, theatres) including Villa of the Mysteries. Day 4 Herculaneum (panoramic villas, palaestra, baths, shops) followed by Villa of Oplontis (fine wall-paintings, huge piscina) and Villa Boscoreale. Evening talk. Day 5 Whole day excursion to Paestum: Temples of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, museum (fine archaic reliefs and the famous painted Tomb of the Diver). Day 6 Cumae (cave of the Sibyl, acropolis), Pozzuoli (amphitheatre) and Stabiae Villa. Evening talk. Day 7 Depart Naples 1255, arriving London 1445.
We will stay at the Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, an attractive four-star establishment set in beautiful grounds. Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Archaeological sites can close or change their opening times at short notice; therefore, some visits may be reordered.
Cost of £1895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, one lunch, dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £255. TOUR CODE: POM121
aceculturaltours.co.uk
