BANE AND BOON

As you disembark your cruise ship in Naples, meet your private guide and driver and step back in time to a fateful day in August 79 AD.

You will learn about one of the most devastating volcanic catastrophes in European history. Mount Vesuvius erupted in a cloud of gases, molten rock and pulverized pumice burying several Roman settlements beneath pyroclastic surges and ashfall deposits. Before then Vesuvius had been worshipped as a divinity. Since ancient times both the Greeks and the Romans had chosen to live here because of the fertile farming soil that resulted from volcanic lava and also for the singular beauty of this site. Still today some of Campania’s famous delicacies, including San Marzano tomatoes and the grapes that blend in local Aglianico, Fiano and Falanghina wines owe their existence to the local mineral-rich terroir.

Follow your guide on a hiking trail right up to the edge of the crater of this stratovolcano. The path is wide and safe but can get steep so prepare for a fairly tough climb up the slope. The satisfaction of reaching the top and the incomparable thrill of standing in this momentous spot make the effort worthwhile. The views to be admired from here of the Gulf of Naples are simply breathtaking. As you wind your way up the side of the volcano, your guide will explain how a cataclysmic event caused the destruction of flourishing ancient Roman towns and the death of thousands of citizens but also meticulously secured for us so much priceless evidence of the Roman way of life. We owe our knowledge of the disaster to historian and witness Pliny the Younger who wrote a detailed account of the eruption and interviewed survivors. Pompeii was enshrouded in a cloud of volcanic gases and debris. The rush of extremely hot air burned the lungs of all those in its path in an instant, leaving them no time to escape. The casts of the bodies of the ill-fated population that you will see in Pompeii are trapped in a semi-curled position and are evidence of their last tragic moments.

After a well-deserved lunch at leisure your guide will take you on a carefully planned trail through this incredible ancient settlement and explain the purpose and function of the foundations and buildings you will see along the way. You will also find out about the lifestyle and customs of those who inhabited them, the techniques used to uncover and interpret findings made here and the evidence that has been pieced together to give us such a stunningly vivid and accurate picture of Roman Campania. Although much excavation work remains to be done and conservation presents the curators with a massive challenge, what you can still see and touch here is simply astounding.

Your journey back in time begins as you access the excavations of Pompeii through the city gate of Porta Marina. Once inside, follow your guide through the ruins of the ancient city and conjure up scenes of yesteryear’s inhabitants while they go about their daily chores. Can you imagine how life must have been in this once thriving agricultural and trading centre, peacefully perched in the shadow of mighty Mount Vesuvius, unaware of the imminent disaster? How did Pompeii’s 15,000 residents spend their time 2,000 years ago? What were their occupations, beliefs and traditions? What did they eat? Which leisure activities did they enjoy? The answers to these and many more questions are securely safeguarded within Pompeii’s crumbling walls, jigsaw pieces in a tantalizing, real life puzzle just waiting to be reassembled – with a little help from your guide.

When you walk along the well-planned streets, you’ll notice the road building skills that were needed to set the large paving blocks in place and the high kerbs and stepping stones conveniently arranged to allow people to cross without getting their feet wet and dirty. This is just one small but significant example of the ingenuity of the ancient Romans in the fields of engineering and urban planning, achievements which remained unequalled for centuries and whose remarkable legacy continues to guide us to this day. Our culinary habits, pastimes and vices too may well have their roots here. From fast foods to spas, from red light districts to gambling the ancient Romans of Pompeii were already seasoned experts in the pleasures and transgressions of the city.

Your guide will certainly point out Pompeii’s age-old venues for public meetings: the forum, once the site of the market, administrative offices and court; the thermal baths where citizens came to relax, play sports and socialize; the temples, a source of precious clues to our understanding of the creed and religious rituals of yesteryear’s worshippers. Theatres were popular with the locals who gathered here to watch a varied calendar of shows, such as Greek tragedies, musical performances, poetry readings and the much-loved light-hearted plays that featured frauds, betrayals and brawls. You will also take a peek inside a private residential villa which provides a wonderful example of the layout of a wealthy citizen’s dwelling and the decorative tastes of the age. What was once a bustling hub of ancient Roman city life is now still alive and pulsing with visitors eager to step back into history.

After the tour, meet up with your driver and return to your cruise ship in Naples.