Discover the Archaeological Park of Pompeii: Private 2-hour Tour
Explore the majestic ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, a once thriving and vibrant Roman port town on the bay of Naples. On 24 August 79 AD, the city suffered one of the most famous and deadliest volcanic eruptions in history, Mount Vesuvius. Thanks to the ash and lava flows that spewed from the Volcano, the ancient city remained preserved in volcanic rock for two thousand years. It is now one of the most complete, fascinating, and visited archaeological sites in the world.
On your private tour, you will:
- Meet your expert private guide at the entrance to the archaeological site of Pompeii;
- Enjoy a guided 2-hour private tour of the ruins of Pompeii, a famously busy and bustling ancient Roman port town and holiday destination;
- Walk around the amphitheatre and hear about the theatrical shows and gladiatorial fights;
- Explore the houses, apartments, and businesses of the local Pompeiians, and learn about their habits and daily life;
- Admire the many works of art inside some of the grander homes and public buildings such as mosaics and frescos, that depict myths of the Roman gods and goddesses, or paintings of food;
- See examples of political graffiti daubed onto the outside of public buildings;
- Walk down ancient cobbled streets, where the carriage wheel marks are still visible;
- Visit the bakery and see the many fast food joints - and learn about the kind of snack food the ancient people enjoyed;
- Wander through the opulent bathhouses of Pompeii - with their mosaics and stucco still intact, and learn about the importance of hygiene and bathing rituals in ancient times;
- See the magnificent town square and enjoy spectacular views of Vesuvius and towards the sea;
- Stop to look at the incredibly moving plaster casts of the people and animals that were killed during the devastating eruption - and who were preserved in the layers of hot ash and lava;
- Learn exactly what happened that fateful, tragic day, about the massive volcanic eruption that destroyed a city with a population of 15,000 people;
- Hear the eyewitness accounts from Pliny the Younger, about how the drama unfolded, and what the massive ash cloud looked like before it started raining down pumice, ash, and lava on the denizens beneath.
Explore the amazing ruins of Pompeii - one of the busiest and most important trade and port towns for the ancient Romans, as well as a popular seaside resort. Your expert private guide will tell you all about the infamous eruption of Vesuvius in August 79 AD, which buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum – preserving them for two thousand years in lava, ash, and rubble.
Explore the original cobblestoned streets of Pompeii, with the carriage wheel and hoof indents still visible, with your guide who will bring the past back to life for you as you learn about the daily life and business of the Pompeiians. You'll visit the magnificent public bathhouses, walk through the various tepid, hot, and cold baths each opulently decorated in stucco and mosaic, and learn about the Romans' well-developed sense of hygiene.
Wander around the Forum with its temples and basilicas - public meeting houses, and see the fast food shops, the villas of the rich, and the apartments of the less well-off. Learn about the politics of the times as you wander past walls daubed painted with political graffiti, and admire colourful frescoes and mosaics in the grander buildings.
Take some moments to contemplate the deeply moving plaster casts of the people and animals who tragically lost their lives in the eruption. Learn everything that we know about the drama of that day, and also the fascinating stories of how Pompeii was rediscovered and excavated throughout the last century, and the ongoing work to discover more and preserve it for future generations.
