Duration: 8.75 hours
Type of Service: From Naples - Pompeii and Vesuvius Tour with Lunch and Wine Tasting
The Complete Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius Experience - Meet up with your expert local guide in the center of the fascinating city of Naples and hop aboard a comfortable private coach to head straight for the archaeological area of Pompeii. Your guide will prepare you for everything that’s in store on our Pompeii tours from Naples, sharing the captivating stories and history behind the fateful day in 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius exploded in one of the most catastrophic eruptions ever, covering the area in a thick layer of ash and rubble.
Absorbing Explanations and Descriptions - Once we get to Pompeii you’ll benefit from skip-the-line, pre-booked entry and the expertise of an official local guide, as you walk this former port town’s main streets just as the ancient Romans did on stones that are still worn with tracks from the carts that tread them nearly 2,000 years ago. We’ll visit the forum, the center of Pompeii’s political and social life, the startling plaster death casts of the victims of the violent eruption that destroyed the city, as well as take a look inside intact dwelling complete with their porticoes, mosaics, and frescoes. The city’s baths and gymnasiums will also impress as you look across the millennia at a moment frozen in time forever.
An Epicurean Lunch with Local Food and Wine - After Pompeii, head up the lush slopes of Mt. Vesuvius itself to meet its most famous wine producer for a tasting of 6 fantastic native varieties produced from the volcanic soil right under your feet. Enjoy an inviting 3-course lunch of some of the region’s most delectable culinary delights, including cheeses, cured meats, pasta with local ‘piennolo’ heirloom tomatoes and a mouthwatering ‘pastiera napoletana’ pastry dessert with ricotta cheese and fruit. Admire sweeping views from the terrace over the surrounding countryside, and visit the vineyards and cellar with a careful explanation of the grape varietals and each step in the winemaking process from the family that owns them.
From here we’ll finish our ascent to the edge of Mt. Vesuvius’s crater. Take the chance to look an active volcano in the face on the 20-minute hike where you’ll get to look inside the caldera and take in the most breathtaking panoramas of the day. You’ll see Naples, the bay and the island of Capri from a height of over 4,200 feet, as well as bask in the pristine nature that surrounds you.
Things to Know:
- Expert, local English -speaking tour guide
- Groups no larger than 25 people during guided tour of Pompeii
- All transfers in private air-conditioned coach
- Skip the line admission tickets and reservations included in tour cost
- 3 course-lunch with 6 wines produced at the vineyard
- Tour is offered April - October
- Toured is offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Tour Time: Tour departs at 8:45am and check-in by 8:30am
- Meeting Point Location: Naples Train Station – more details are given upon booking
- Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes