11 U S A ( To l l - f r e e ) 1-877-381-2914 E m a i l info@theculturalexperience.com Early Periods Paestum. The most famous of these is the fresco from the 'Tomb of the Diver', the only extant wall-painting from a Greek tomb. Day 3 – Pompeii. A whole day in Pompeii exploring the public monuments and private residences that best illustrate what life was like in this bustling port and market town. The fountains in the street, worn where thousands of people have rested to take a drink, the stepping stones, wheel ruts, corner shrines, bakeries, public baths, the brothel, street cafés and ancient graffiti – all of human life in AD79 is here when you know where to look for it. Day 4 – Stabiae and Oplontis. Ancient Stabiae, founded between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, was one of the places chosen by the aristocracy of Rome to build their large luxury villas in a panoramic position on the edge of Varano Hill. It was here that Pliny the Elder met his death, probably during the last fatal surge of the pyroclastic cloud. We visit three impressive houses today - Villa San Marco, Villa Arianna and the Villa of Poppea at Oplontis, a grand residential building on an imperial scale, with a huge pool, and cleverly designed gardens. Day 5 – Herculaneum. During the eruption of Vesuvius, the buildings of Herculaneum were smothered by toxic gas and boiling mud which, as it solidified, prevented their collapse. Subsequently sealed under an airtight layer of volcanic rock, the partially excavated town now offers a unique insight into Roman life, with many buildings still with upper storeys intact and frescoes and mosaics in an excellent state of preservation. In the afternoon, we drive up the slopes of Vesuvius, taking the final stage to the summit on foot (a walk of around 200m). Day 6 – Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. A day exploring the area west of Naples known as The Phlegraean Fields. Cumae, the epicentre of the Greek colonization of the 8th century BC; Baiae, the home of pleasure palaces of Roman emperors; the Castello Aragonese which now houses the Archaeological Museum of the Campi Flegrei; and Pozzuoli, with its impressive amphitheatre begun by Roman Emperor Nero and finished by Vespasian. Day 7 – Naples. The National Archaeological Museum, great treasure trove of the Bay of Naples and home of one of the most importantcollectionsofclassicalarchaeology in the world. Among the notable exhibits are the Herculaneum papyri, carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the Alexander Mosaic, originally from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. Continue to Naples for our return flight to London. Pompeii today