Classics Italy Trip Student Report

In October 43 GCSE and A Level Classics students were given the opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to visit the archaeological sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Villa Oplontis, all situated in the Bay of Naples. The trip was for four days, and jam-packed full of fun visits to the sites, as well as plenty of chances to sight-see.

When we arrived in Italy after a very early plane ride, we were immediately off to see Herculaneum in the afternoon. It was much warmer in Naples than England, which was a pleasant surprise (or perhaps not so pleasant for those who, like me, had packed winter coats). Herculaneum is much smaller than its more famous counterpart Pompeii, but beautifully preserved. Walking down its narrow, cobbled streets, you could easily believe you were in a real Roman town. The carbonized remains of beds, doors and even food were particularly interesting. Even after two thousand years, I thought the carbonized bread looked appetising, although students and teachers alike deterred me from trying any.

On the second day of the trip, we visited Pompeii, and were incredibly fortunate to have a tour guide to show us round. Everyone enjoyed seeing the forum and Caecilius' villa, and the amphitheatre was a huge hit all around. Following on from Pompeii. We were visited the beautiful town of Sorrento one evening, and have a wander around the beautiful old streets and look into some of the shops. Obviously, most people ended up drifting towards the restaurants – you can’t visit the Naples area without sampling the famous Neapolitan pizza and some gelato!

The following day hurt our legs, as we were walking up Mount Vesuvius. Despite the tiring hike, the climb was well worth it, as we could see the whole of the Bay of Naples from the summit, and we saw inside the volcano's crater, from which had covered Pompeii and Herculaneum. That afternoon, we visited Villa Oplontis, a lesser-known site, but no less wonderful than the Roman towns. The frescoes were amazingly well-preserved, with vibrant colours, and it was fantastic to walk around the villa which was owned by Emperor Nero.

On the last day we visited the Naples museum. Although it rained, it didn’t dampen our spirits. It was incredible to see so many artefacts that I have studied in GCSE and A-Level Classics, especially the famous Sappho fresco. It was fascinating to see so many artefacts from across the Mediterranean, dating all the way back to prehistory.

Sadly, our trip ended there, and all that was left was to return to Naples airport, with enough time to buy ourselves some final souvenirs and Italian food before we flew back to England.

Annabel and El – Year 12

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