Bay of Naples: The Grand Tour

Bay of Naples: The Grand Tour - Directed by John Klopacz, Stanford University, and Constance Richardson, Castilleja School

Vergilian Society Summer Tour - June 25 to July 6, 2019

During this tour of the Bay of Naples we will walk in the footsteps of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century Europeans and Americans who made the “Grand Tour” of Italy and in the process gain an appreciation for the cultural diversity of the region: Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Spanish, and French. Using the Harry Wilks Study Center at the Villa Vergiliana as our base we will visit the sites associated with Book VI of the Aeneid(Cumae, Lago Averno, Pozzuoli, i Campi Flegrei). We will spend the “quality time “ with the antiquities of Naples that is not possible when leading student tours: an extended tour of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, a search for the remaining traces of Greek settlements, a tour of underground Naples and a pilgrimage to Vergil’s tomb. Royal Naples will not be overlooked as we visit the Palazzo Reale and San Carlo Opera House, Caserta, and Naples’ own version of the Pantheon, San Francesco di Paola. Moving out from Naples we will explore Paestum, spend a night on Capri, visit Herculaneum and Pompeii. Along the way there will be time to sample pizza in its place of origin and chocolate in the city that first made it in the sweet version we know today, sip limoncello and Vesuvian wine, and “take the waters” on Ischia.

Day 1, Tuesday, June 25   Assemble at Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (19 Via Algardi); departure for Villa Vergiliana; visit Sperlonga (Villa and Grotto of Tiberius) andMinturnae (remains of Roman town along Appian Way)

Day 2, Wednesday, June 26  Cumae and Environs: morning visit to Pozzuoli; afternoon visit to the Acropolis of Cumae and Lago Averno 

Day 3, Thursday, June 27 Greek and Roman Naples: morning visit to Museo Archeologico Nazionale: pizza lunch; afternoon walking tour of Centro Storico and vist to La Neapolis Sotterrata; stop at Gay Odin to sample a chocolate Vesuvius

Day 4, Friday, June 28  Royal and Baroque Naples: morning visit to Piazza Plebiscito and San Francesco di Paola (modeled on the Pantheon); guided tour of Teatro di San Carlo and lunch (on your own) at Scaturchio or Caffé Gambrinus; afternoon tour of Palazzo Reale and Biblioteca Nazionale

Day 5, Saturday, June 29  Vergilian Naples: morning visit to Castel dell' Ovo (associated with a medieval Vergilian legend), Parco Vergiliano (site of the poet’s "tomb") and Villa Pausilypon; lunch in Posillipo; early return to Cumae for wine tasting at a local vineyard

Day 6, Sunday, June 30  Paestum: morning tour and lunch at Tenuta Vannulo (organic farm that produces mozzarella di bufala); afternoon visit to site and museum

Day 7, Monday, July 1  Capri: free time and overnight

Day 8, Tuesday, July 2  Capri: morning climb to Villa Iovis; afternoon return to Villa Vergiliana

Day 9, Wednesday, July 3  Herculaneum and Vesuvius: morning visit to Herculaneum; afternoon visits to Oplontis and Boscoreale; climb of Vesuvius

Day 10, Thursday, July 4  Day trip to Ischia: visits to archaeological sites and thermal baths prized by the Romans

Day 11, Friday, July 5  A full day at Pompeii

Day 12, Saturday, July 6 Morning departure from the Villa Vergiliana; stop at Caserta (the “Versailles on Naples”); return to the Intercollegiate Center in Rome

Includes 11 nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner at the Villa Vergiliana, some lunches, round-trip transportation from Rome to Cumae and return, all local ground transportation and ferry to Capri, all fees for group visits to archaeological sites and museums.

PRICE: $2,695 ($500 Single Supplement)