Hercolaneum and Pompeii shore excursion

At Pompeii, a licensed private guide from our team will lead you around the archaeological area for about 2 ½ hours, bringing to life the history of this ancient Roman port city that met its brutal fate with Mount Vesuvius explosion in 79AD.  For centuries, the town remained astonishingly preserved under layers of ash until excavations started in the 18th century.

Prepare to walk upon the same roads as the Romans once did, touch the smooth counter-tops of ancient shop remains, visit the small homes of average citizens and stand in awe at the colored frescoes and tiled mosaics that decorate the wealthy Romans’ villas. From the forum to hidden brothels and from the amphitheater to great ancient baths, your guide will piece together the daily life of Pompeii.

After the tour of the Pompeii, your guide will give you suggestions of local restaurants where you can taste the excellent food of the region.

After lunch, the tour continues as your private car drives to the Roman Archeological sister site, Herculaneum. The large commercial town of Pompeii is a big contrast with the small and even better-preserved ruins of Herculaneum.  Prepare for more intact frescoes, two-story structures and colorful mosaics. Since Herculaneum is located closer to Vesuvius, a diverse lava flow preserved the town better than Pompeii, allowing wood and organic material to survive after thousands of years. During your visit, you can see the famed Villa of Papyri, where current high-tech x-ray systems are being used to uncover hundreds Herculaneum’s of preserved ancient texts.

After your visit to Herculaneum, the tour will conclude as your private driver takes you back to the port of Naples on time board your cruise ship.  As with all our  private tours, you may adjust the pick-up and drop-off time according to the cruise schedule.