In the morning you will be visiting Pompeii, a town that disappeared from the maps and from peoples memories as it got completely buried under the ashes erupted by the volcano in 79 AD. That dramatic day, in a matter of few hours, stopped the lives of an entire bustling city to only come unearthed many centuries later. These ruins give an incredible picture of ancient romans daily life and their original urban setting: homes, shops, frescoes, thermal baths, mosaics and much more.
In the early afternoon, you will be heading towards Napoli. Unlike Pompeii, Naples long history never stopped for the past 3.000 years. Remains from all ages are mostly embedded into each other, layer after layer, in a succession of architectural styles as well as adaptations from the local folk itself.
The tour in Naples will show you three areas of the city. First, a drive along the seaside passing onto lungomare Caracciolo and Mergellina and up to Posillipos hill from which you can take a snapshot of the most popular view of the city embracing the whole bay, Capri island and Mt. Vesuvius. Driving back to the center you will pass by the ancient Castel dellOvo, the oldest standing stronghold in town (12th century) embedded in an old fishermen village (Borgo Marinari). Second, you will have a short stroll to the monumental area. This neighborhood counts a number of outstanding buildings placed side by side, such as: Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino, 1279); Real San Carlo theatre, the world's oldest working opera house (1737); Royal Palace (1644); Plebiscito Square, the largest in town and named after the vote that in 1860 declared the unification of the Kingdom of Italy; Galleria Umberto, a shopping mall from 1887; the neoclassic church of San Francesco di Paola from 1820 inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Back to the vehicle, you will be heading to the historical center Naples splitter (Spaccanapoli), the ancient Greek urban structure and heart of the city: a pedestrian area filled with small shops and workshops, cafes and restaurants, buskers and street vendors that attract locals and foreigners every day.
Extra info: the archeological site of Pompeii is completely open air and the visit will last about 2 hours on foot. 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. 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.
