COURTING CAMPANIA

Fall in love with Campania on this full-day excursion to a world-famous archaeological site, a highly esteemed winery and a delightful hilltop town.

Your private chauffeur will meet you outside your accommodation and drive you to Pompeii. Here your guide will be waiting ready to lead you on a tour of the excavations. Buried in deadly volcanic ash after the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and accidentally discovered in 1748, Pompeii is an absolute must for first-time visitors to Italy. 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.

Step back in time as you access the excavations through the city gate of Porta Marina. Once inside, follow your guide through the ruins of the ancient city and conjure up scenes of Pompeii’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, 2,000 years ago? How did Pompeii’s 15,000 residents spend their time? 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, taking the very same route once trodden by faithful temple-goers and busy market traders, 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.

Casts of the bodies of the ill-fated population, trapped forever at the very moment of death, leave the visitor with a particularly haunting memory of a cataclysmic event that has meticulously secured for us so much priceless knowledge about the Roman way of life.

After the tour rejoin your driver and head for a renowned Campanian winery. The estate covers eight hectares and was established in 2004 by three farming families who shared the aim of reviving ancient viticultural traditions. All of the vineyards are planted in volcanic soil and situated on steep terraced slopes, between three hundred and five hundred metres above sea level. The highlight of the farm is a historical pre-phylloxera vineyard, dating back three hundred years, where Tintore and Piedirosso grape varieties are grown. The fruit of these vines makes a valuable contribution to the estate’s much-praised signature wine. By selecting a butterfly as one of its symbols, this winery aims to demonstrate its commitment to preserving and protecting nature and to supporting the region’s efforts to reduce the use of phytochemicals. Here, you will sit down to a delicious meal made with local prime quality ingredients and paired with a selection of the estate’s wines.

A 30-minute drive will then bring you to Ravello where you may enjoy some independent sightseeing. With its charming hilltop location, unparalleled panoramas and splendid gardens, Ravello has captivated countless artists, writers and musicians throughout the centuries. Founded in the 5th century as a refuge from the Barbarian invasions, the town flourished under the rule of Amalfi when wealthy merchants built its most famous villas. Highlights include the Church of San Giovanni del Toro, home to the pulpit mosaics that prompted M.C. Escher to create his interlocking patterns; Villa Rufolo, whose atmospheric setting inspired the enchanted Garden of Klingsor of Wagner’s Parsifal; Villa Cimbrone, world-known for its belvedere poetically named Terrace of Infinity. Ravello also prides itself on a thriving tradition of ceramic-making. As you wander through its streets you’ll encounter a number of pottery shops selling beautifully displayed and exquisitely hand-painted goods, including plates, vases, fruit bowls, mugs and limoncello cups. You’ll find much to feast your eyes on in this tiny jewel of a town!

After a leisurely stroll your chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation.