Description
After your driver comes to get you at your hotel in Rome, you will drive south in your comfortable vehicle with large panoramic windows until you reach your first destination of Pompeii, one of the most important archeological sites in the world.
This ancient Roman city was completely buried by ash and debris when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Now the most important UNESCO World Heritage archeological site in Italy has been restored and can be visited as a huge open-air museum dedicated to understanding life 2000 years ago.
Upon arrival you will meet your private English-speaking guide for a two hour walking tour of this fascinating site. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing, as you will be walking outdoors on the uneven, ancient streets.
Your guide will take you to all the most important discoveries, and explain the culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants who walked the very streets you are standing on. At the end of your tour you will meet back up with your driver.
Your next stop is a great local restaurant on the road heading up to Mt. Vesuvius. The restaurant has an amazing view of the Bay of Naples below and out to the islands of Capri and Ischia. After a relaxing lunch, your driver will take you up the winding road to the parking area at the entrance to the climb up Mt. Vesuvius.
The ascent requires a 30-minute walk up a steep dirt trail. At the top you will find a park ranger station and can walk around the rim of the volcano for a look inside. This still active volcano hasn’t erupted for several decades, be sure to ask the rangers what the predictions are for the next eruption!
On your way down, enjoy incredible overlooks to the shimmering Mediterranean Sea below. After descending, you will meet back up with your driver for a return transfer to your hotel in Rome.
