Classics Trip to Italy

Our trip began at Heathrow Airport, where, of course, our flight was delayed!  By the time we arrived in Rome, it was 10pm, and we were the last flight allowed to land at the airport that day.  After a very late midnight supper we went straight to our rooms to get as much sleep as possible as there was a big day ahead of us. 

The next morning we headed straight to the Vatican City.  We visited the stunning Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and St. Peter’s Square.  We took lunch nearby, and then it was back on the coach for the next stop - the magnificently preserved Colosseum. The first thing that struck me was the size of it. It was surprisingly small.  Once inside the lay-out became clear and was impressively organised. After this, we walked the short distance to the Roman Forum. This was the heart of the Roman Empire where the Senators came for meetings and where trading took place.  At the ‘Time-Experience’, it was explained to us what ancient Rome was like and how it worked. Sitting in little pods that shook, we were sprayed with water and shown images on a large screen. The afternoon was spent visiting the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the world famous Trevi Fountain.  

The following morning, we travelled in the direction of the Bay of Naples for an hour before stopping at a service station to eat the first meal of the day. On we drove until we reached Pompeii. Here we spent about two hours exploring the amazingly well preserved ruins. We visited ancient shops where counters were unchanged; the largest villa in the town; and the red light district.  On our way out we saw the only building in Pompeii with its original roof intact. It was in the baths, and survived thanks to its curved shape. We also saw a phallic shape carved into the road pointing in the direction of the red light district. This was to help the illiterate sailors find their way.  We then headed for a farm near the town of Sorrento where we would be staying for a couple of nights.  A demonstration of mozzarella production was enjoyed by all.   The next day we headed to Sorrento’s port and caught a boat to Capri for a day trip to the famous island. It only took half an hour on the ferry and the second we arrived everyone was oohing and aahing about the stunning natural beauty of the island. Of course we weren’t the only ones that were dumb-struck. Many of the famous aristocrats of Rome took up residence on the Isle of Capri, including the famous Roman Emperor Tiberius.  

Once in the main port we took a small cruiser around the island. In my opinion, this was the highlight of the day. The water was crystal clear, and several grottos and natural rock arches broke up the high limestone cliffs. After an hour we stepped ashore to find the Capri Moon restaurant where we ate lunch. After lunch it was time for more shopping in town before taking the ferry to Naples where the coach driver met us.  

On the penultimate day, we visited the infamous Mount Vesuvius.  We reached the base of the present crater and from there walked around its perimeter, and marvelled at the magnificent splendour of the bay. We then made our way back down to the coach before heading to the ruins of ancient Herculaneum. The city was 26ft below the surrounding, modern city of Erculano as the city was buried by the pyroclastic flow which occurred on the first night of the eruption. The city was also incredibly well preserved, except for the fact that the careless Bourbons, who originally excavated the site using vertical tunnels, had damaged the ruins.  

On our last morning we took the coach to St. Paul’s Basilica which houses the body of St. Paul, and we witnessed a large group nuns gathered around his tomb singing a hymn. The next stop was the ancient Roman ruins of Ostia, Rome’s ancient port and defence at the mouth of the River Tiber. We were guided around the city, shown the baths and temples, before leaving to go to the airport. The trip was certainly enjoyed by all, and was a brilliant insight into life in Classical times. Actually seeing the effects of the eruption of Vesuvius and all the ancient buildings of Rome makes a better impression of those times than just studying it in books.  

Oliver Greenwood (3A)