This tour includes Tickets of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis - Private English-speaking guide (only for you) for 9/10 hours - Limousine or minivan for 9/10 hours - Lunch is not included
If You love archaeology, we suggest you in particular this tour. You can visit the most famous ruins of the Bay of Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneun and Oplontis.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. buried and protected from the ash or mud Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis. So, today the rediscovery of the buildings and the roads, the masterpieces and the simple furnishings, which were found in the three ruins, allows us to reconstruct the environment, a way of living of the Roman civilization. Usually, of ancient cities one can find only fragments that survive as far as now: the ruins, scattered along archaeological sites or incorporated into subsequent buildings, are always remains of public buildings, temples, theaters, spas, which represent only the noble aspects of social life in classical antiquity. Therefore, the testimony offered by these two cities is more valuable if one considers that the shops have their tools, the houses their furniture and intact utensils,etc. The streets with graffiti on the walls give us a glimpse of all aspects of life and of the everyday routine of the population. In particular, it is through the house in Pompeii and Herculaneum that we can reconstruct the image of the Roman society of that time. The need for light and heat inherent in every human being was undoubtedly an important factor that determined the character of the house, its architectural structure. in Pompeii and Herculaneum, the house, closed on the outside by high walls, is built in its interior around various open spaces. These spaces (the atrium, the peristyle, the hortus and the exedra) are enriched by vegetation and the "green", plants and flowers, and the need of green is often represented on the painted walls of the rooms too. In Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis need for light is need for "green".
About Pompeii, in particular, many books have been written.
Pompeii was a large town for those times and even more cosmopolitan than Rome, which was several days of journey away from Pompeii. It has undergone many foreign influences and sacred Egyptian and Greek buildings confirm that. When Vesuvius erupted, much of Pompeii was still recovering from the great earthquake of 62 A.D., and evidence of massive reconstruction efforts were found during modern excavations.
Herculaneum is very interesting too. It was located just nine miles north of Pompeii with a population of nearly 5,000 residents. Some of Rome's wealthiest citizens had homes there, where they could relax in the public baths overlooking the sparkling ocean. And one of the most luxurious and stunning mansions of the Roman period discovered so far in the area is the Villa of the Papyri. Discovered accidentally in 1750, the beautiful residence was located on a plateau near the sea, with a panoramic view over the Gulf of Naples and a large swimming pool. In the Villa scholars discovered a complete library with 1758 papyrus scrolls by the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus of Gadara, and a great collection of bronze statues.
Oplontis can be considered a jewel of the Roman archaeology in the area.
Between Pompeii and Herculaneum is Oplontis, about three miles from Pompeii, at the site of the present day town of Torre Annunziata.
Between 1964 and 1984 several important villas were unearthed in that area. In one of them, diggers found a jar with the inscription SECUNDO POPPAEAE (sent to Poppea, maybe Poppea Sabina). For this reason scholars think that imposing villa belonged to the second Nero's wife.
