- Duration
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Country
- Italy · Campania
- Focus
- Classics & history
- Ancient sites
- Five, entry included
- Guides
- Two every touring day
Five days in the shadow of Vesuvius. Walk the streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum, step inside a Roman villa at Oplontis, and stand among the Greek temples of Paestum.
Your group stays in Pompeii, a short walk from the archaeological site, with a private coach on hand for every excursion. Each touring day is led by two licensed English-speaking guides, with headsets so every student can hear.
The itinerary moves from Roman daily life at Pompeii and Herculaneum to the luxury of an imperial villa, then south into Magna Graecia, where Greek settlers built temples and schools of philosophy six centuries before Vesuvius erupted.
Packed lunches include a choice of sandwiches, a vegetarian option among them, plus water, a soft drink, fresh fruit and a sweet snack. Dinners are three courses of Campanian home cooking, served from 7pm.
Opening days at the archaeological sites are set each year, so the order of visits may change once the season's timetable is confirmed. Every tour is guided in English.
Day 1 · Airport to Pompeii by private coach
In the shadow of Vesuvius
Arrival in Naples
Airport to Pompeii by private coach
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Your private coach meets the group at Naples International Airport for the short daytime transfer around the bay to Pompeii. Check in at the Hotel Zeus Pompeii, a few minutes on foot from the archaeological site and the Pompei Scavi station.
Settle into rooms, take a first look at Vesuvius from the town, and gather for dinner at the hotel.
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Meals · Dinner at the hotel
Day 2 · A capital city in the morning, a Roman town in the afternoon
Kings above, Romans below
Royal Naples & Herculaneum
A capital city in the morning, a Roman town in the afternoon
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Begin in the monumental heart of Naples, one of Europe's oldest cities and once capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. This is a guided walk past the city's great squares and landmarks, seen from the outside.
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On the walk
• Piazza del Plebiscito
• Teatro di San Carlo
• Galleria Umberto I
• Piazza Municipio
• Maschio Angioino
• The seafront promenade
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Herculaneum
The coach then takes the group to Herculaneum, one of the best-preserved Roman towns in the world. Where Pompeii was buried in ash, Herculaneum was sealed by volcanic mud, which kept wooden beams, mosaics and frescoes in remarkable condition. Students explore homes, baths, shops and public buildings that still stand almost 2,000 years later.
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Evening · Bowling night
After dinner at the hotel, the coach takes students out for an evening of bowling, arcade games and foot bowling, supervised by their teachers.
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Meals · Breakfast, Packed lunch, Dinner at the hotel
Day 3 · The ancient city, then an empress's villa
From high street to high society
Pompeii & Oplontis
The ancient city, then an empress's villa
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Today is the heart of the tour. Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites anywhere. Hidden for centuries after the eruption of AD 79, its streets, villas, temples, theatres and everyday objects survive much as the Romans left them.
Students walk original Roman streets and step into homes, shops, bathhouses and public spaces, building a first-hand picture of how a Roman town worked.
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Oplontis · Villa of Poppaea
In the afternoon the coach continues to Torre Annunziata and the Villa of Poppaea, thought to have belonged to the wife of Emperor Nero. Its grand rooms, gardens and frescoes are among the finest Roman wall paintings to survive. Oplontis is quieter than Pompeii, and shows how the wealthiest Romans lived.
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Meals · Breakfast, Packed lunch, Dinner at the hotel
Day 4 · South to Magna Graecia and the Cilento coast
When Italy spoke Greek
Paestum & Velia
South to Magna Graecia and the Cilento coast
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A full day south of Naples in the Greek world of southern Italy. Paestum was founded by Greek colonists in the 6th century BC and keeps some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, dedicated to Hera, Athena and Neptune, along with its ancient streets, walls and public spaces.
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Velia
Further down the coast lies Velia, founded by Greek settlers as Elea. It was home to the Eleatic school of philosophy of Parmenides and Zeno. Students walk ancient roads past baths and houses to the Porta Rosa, one of the earliest true arches in Greek architecture, with views over the Cilento coastline.
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Meals · Breakfast, Packed lunch, Dinner at the hotel
Day 5 · Pompeii to Naples Airport
See Naples, then home
Homeward
Pompeii to Naples Airport
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Breakfast at the hotel, then collect packed lunches for the journey. The private coach transfers the group back to Naples International Airport in daytime hours for the flight home.
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Meals · Breakfast, Packed lunch
Where you will stay
The group stays together in Pompeii for all four nights, a few minutes on foot from the archaeological site.
What is included
Inclusions
- Accommodation — 4 nights at the Hotel Zeus Pompeii, walking distance from the archaeological site. Shared rooms for students, single rooms for teachers.
- Meals — Sweet and savoury buffet breakfast daily, 4 dinners at the hotel with water, and a packed lunch on 4 days.
- Private coach — A private coach for both airport transfers and all three touring days.
- Expert guiding — Two licensed English-speaking guides on every touring day, with headsets for the whole group.
- Site entry — Entrance to Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis, Paestum and Velia. The Naples walk is outdoors and needs no tickets.
- Evening activity — A bowling night for students with bowling, arcade tokens and foot bowling, plus coach transport.
Exclusions
Want this trip built around your school?
Every itinerary here is a starting point. Tell us your dates, your year group and your budget, and we will rework it.