At the time of the dramatic eruption, Pompeii counted about 11.000 inhabitants, while Herculaneum had a population of some 5.000 people. A number of emperors and aristocrats had their holiday villas in thesecities. One day, in 79 AD, several meters of ashes buried the whole areain a matter of few hours. Centuries later, in 1748, under the Bourbons government, excavation works started. The discovery was greeted with enthusiasm as it added great wealth to the kingdom and inspired the neoclassicism movement in Europe. Nowadays, the ruins of Pompeii are amongst the most visited archaeological sites in the world, while Herculaneum is renewed for its Villa dei Papiri containing a library of over 1800 papyruses.
Included in this tour there is a stop to a Cameos and Corals workshop, to learn more about this ancient art-craft, for which the Neapolitan school is still considered of great importance. Cameos in particular are carved sea shells representing scenes of mythological deities.
Lunch break to a local restaurant with a 3 course tourist menu, drinks not included.
The tour manager will meet you by the nearest pick-up point to your accommodation between 08:00 and 09:00 am (see timetable) and this tour will last approximately 8 hours in total. Check our full list of complimentary scheduled pick up points, or provide us your lodging address and we will arrange it for you.
Extra info: both the archeological sites are completely open air and the visit will last about 2 hours on foot on each place. It is advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothes according to the weather conditions. Entrance tickets are not included as the fee may vary under certain circumstances, such as age, nationality and profession or in occasion of special events and discount cards. To date, single entrance ticket costs 15 in Pompeii and 11 in Herculaneum. Check the official Pompeii and Herculaneum website for detailed information.The visit at Pompeiis ruins is led by a tour guide with a minimum of 6 people; under this number audio-guides are provided. The visit at Herculaneum ruins provides audio-guides with a minimum of 6 people; tour guide upon availability.
