PUGLIA TO POMPEII CLASSICAL SOUTHERN ITALY - WITH OPTIONAL CAPRI AND AMALFI COAST EXTENSION - Academy Travel
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PUGLIA TO POMPEII CLASSICAL SOUTHERN ITALY WITH OPTIONAL CAPRI AND AMALFI COAST EXTENSION MARCH 21 – APRIL 6, 2019 TOUR LEADER: DR ESTELLE LAZER
PUGLIA TO POMPEII
Overview
CLASSICAL SOUTHERN ITALY
This 17-day tour will appeal to those looking to take the ‘road less
Tour dates: March 21 – April 6, 2019 travelled’ through the regions of Puglia and Basilicata, and on to the
famous archaeological sites of the Bay of Naples. Along the way we
Tour leader: Dr Estelle Lazer encounter a wealth of little-visited classical, Byzantine, medieval and
Baroque sites set among rugged mountains and Mediterranean scenery.
Tour Price: $7,970 per person, twin share We also enjoy the fine food and hospitality that is traditional in southern
Italy, a region still pleasantly free of mass tourism. Using the characteristic
Single Supplement: $1,750 for sole use of towns of Lecce, Matera and Trani as our base for the first part of the tour,
double room we explore settlements on the Adriatic coastline, ranging from the
troglodyte dwellings of Matera to ancient Greek colonies, fine Byzantine
and Norman castles and cathedrals and the dramatic scenery of the
Booking deposit: $500 per person
Salentine peninsula.
Recommended airline: Emirates The latter part of the tour explores both the history and natural beauty of
the Bay of Naples. Our sightseeing here will showcase an impressive line-
Maximum places: 20 up of world-class archaeological sites, as well as some of the outstanding
art and architecture to be found in this exciting region, which became a
Itinerary: Lecce (3 nights), Matera (2 nights), must-see destination on the European Grand Tour with the rediscovery of
Trani (3 nights), Vietri sul Mare (3 nights), Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Naples (5 nights)
This journey has all of the characteristics of an Academy Travel tour –
extended stays in centrally located hotels, background talks before site
Date published: February 27, 2018
visits and a maximum group size of just 20.
There are plenty of options for extending your travel, with extra stays in
Rome or Naples, or a Capri and Amalfi Coast Extension after the tour,
all easily arranged.
Your tour leader
Dr Estelle Lazer is an archaeologist with an
international reputation for her years of work on
the human skeletal remains discovered at
Pompeii. Estelle has also worked on
archaeological sites in the Middle
East, Italy, Cyprus, the UK, Antarctica and Aust
ralia. Estelle teaches at the University of
Sydney and the University of NSW.
Most recently, Estelle has embarked on a large project – using special CT-
scanning and x-ray equipment – to examine more of Pompeii’s casts, of
animals as well as humans. The Italian government has dedicated a
significant amount of funding, as part of efforts to raise the site’s profile
after decades of controversial political neglect; and the BBC has ensured
Enquiries and a wide audience, with Mary Beard’s documentary on Estelle’s project,
bookings Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed.
For further information and to “Estelle Lazer was terrific – knowledgeable and with a nice sense of
secure a place on this tour humour. She was thoughtful of everyone and nothing was a bother to her.”
please contact Kathy “Our tour leader Estelle was outstanding. She never stopped working and
Wardrop at Academy Travel was conscious of everyone’s needs and abilities. Her knowledge made the
on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 tour ever more enjoyable.” – Feedback from Estelle’s Sicily and the
699 (outside Sydney) or email Aeolian Islands tour, October 2017.
kathy@academytravel.com.au
Tour Highlights
LECCE’S BAROQUE SPLENDOUR
The architectural style Barocco Leccese was the result of a
citywide impulse in the 17th century to redo the town in an
exuberant fashion. This is Baroque with a difference, lighter
and more intricate. The Basilica di Santa Croce is a fine
example, along with the adjoining Palazzo della
Prefettura. The facade is a riot of sculptures of saints, angels
and columns, all in the local honey-coloured stone.
ITALY’S SECRET CAVES
At least 9,000 years ago, humans settled in caves in the
canyon walls of Matera, extending them until thousands of
grottoes honeycombed the town. The caves make up Italy’s
oldest continually inhabited dwellings and, in the words of
UNESCO, “the most outstanding example of a troglodyte
settlement in the Mediterranean”. Hauntingly beautiful, the sassi
sprawl below the rim of a ravine like a giant nativity scene.
CASTEL DEL MONTE
Castel del Monte, situated on an isolated peak, is Frederick II’s
extraordinarily sophisticated fortress and one of the most
intriguing secular buildings of the Middle Ages. Frederick’s
passion for astronomy and geometry is evident: the castle is
octagonal in shape with each angle protected by an octagonal
tower. This World Heritage Listed site is consider the most
fascinating castle built by Frederick II.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURES
The ancient Greeks had established a network of colonies
and trading ports up and down the coast of southern Italy.
With leading archaeologist Dr Estelle Lazer, visit the key sites
including Paestum, the best-preserved of these Greek
settlements in the region, Pompeii, the most visited and
Herculaneum, smaller and less visited, but well preserved with
mosaics, paintings and even furniture still to be found in situ.
CAPODIMONTE
The grandiose 18th-century Neoclassical Bourbon royal
palace, located in the hills above Naples, houses a
remarkable collection of fine and decorative art. Once a royal
hunting lodge, the palace is today a world-class art gallery,
containing paintings by Raphael, Titian, El Greco and
Botticelli, as well as fine examples of Neapolitan silver and
majolica ceramics.
Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D. Tour start & finish time The tour starts on Thursday March 21 at 4.00pm, at Rome Fiumicino airport to take an afternoon group flight to Brindisi. The tour ends on Saturday April 6 at 12.00pm when we arrive by coach to Rome Fiumicino airport from our Naples hotel. Thursday March 21 Arrival Meet your tour leader at Rome Fiumicino airport, where the tour begins. There is a group flight to Brindisi and a coach transfer to Lecce, a journey of about 45 minutes. We check into our hotel and, after time to freshen up, meet in the hotel restaurant for a light dinner. Overnight Lecce (D) Friday March 22 Lecce After a talk in the hotel, a local guide takes us on a walking tour of Lecce, the crown jewel of the Mezzogiorno. There is a fine range of monuments to visit, including Roman ruins and the exuberant 16th and 17th-century baroque architecture spread throughout the town. There is clear evidence of the Roman heritage of Lecce but it is most notable for its vibrant ‘Southern Baroque’ architecture, an expressive and highly decorative incarnation of the genre replete with gargoyles, asparagus columns and cavorting gremlins. We have our welcome lunch at a local restaurant, then the later afternoon and evening is free to explore or relax. Overnight Lecce (B, L) Saturday March 23 Otranto This morning we visit the seaside town of Otranto, home to a superb 12th-century Norman cathedral with spectacular medieval floor mosaics, and an Aragonese castle from the time when this Spanish dynasty ruled southern Italy. We travel south on the Salentine peninsula to enjoy a food and wine tasting in a traditional Masseria farmstead. The area is known for its wine, cheeses and olive oil. As we head back to Lecce we visit a local olive oil farmer to taste the local produce. Overnight Lecce (B, L) Sunday March 24 TARANTO and Brindisi Today we travel north to Matera, via the town of Brindisi, the end point of the Appian Way; from here Romans, and later pilgrims, set off for the east. Our next stop is Taranto, once a major centre of Magna Graecia and an important port on the Ionian coast throughout the 4th century BC. Taranto was first colonized by the Taras, Spartan Greeks who arrived in Puglia around 700 BC.
Tarentum as it was then called quickly grew to become one of
the most opulent cities and important ports of ancient Greece.
Many objects recovered from the sites and tombs in the region
can be seen at Taranto's National Archaeological Museum. The
museum dates from 1887 and its collection of Greek and
Roman antiquities is considered to be one of the most important
in Italy. This evening we have dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight Matera (B, D)
Monday March 25
Matera
Today we take a walking tour of the ancient city of Matera,
beautifully situated on the edge of a gully. The town is famous
for its unique ‘sassi’, some 1,500 ancient cave dwellings that
honeycomb the flanks of a steep ravine. First occupied in the
Paleolithic Age, the of myriad natural caves were gradually
burrowed deeper and expanded into living spaces by peasants
and artisans throughout the classical and medieval periods.
Today, these underground residences are being reinhabited by
Italians, and staying in one of the sassi cave hotels has become
one of Europe’s most exotic new experiences. By contrast, the
so-called "New Town," has many elegant Baroque churches,
palazzi, and broad piazzas to explore. Overnight Matera (B)
Tuesday March 26
Alberobello and Egnazia
We leave Matera this morning for Trani, stopping en-route to
visit the nearby town of Alberobello. An amalgamation of more
than 1,000 trulli, ancient beehive-shaped dwellings huddled
together along steep, narrow streets, is a unique and striking
phenomenon. These curious structures were built at least as
early as the 13th century. We continue on to Egnazia an
important Messapian centre during the 5th century BC, fortified
with over 2km of walls, large parts of which still stand in the
northern corner of the ruined town – up to 7 metres high. It was
later colonized by the Greeks and then the Romans (in 244 BC),
who built a forum, amphitheatre, a colonnaded public hall and
temples. This evening we dine together in a local restaurant.
Overnight Trani (B, D)
Wednesday March 27
Trani and Bitonto
This morning we enjoy a relaxed walking tour of Trani. The
beauty of this waterfront town derives from the harmonious
limestone architecture, a fine Norman cathedral and a large
Norman-Swabian fortress lining its two bays. In the afternoon,
we travel to nearby Bitonto to visit the largest cathedral in
Puglia, not well known but very much worth a visit. It boasts
impressive Romanesque architecture and well-presented
excavations dating back to the 5th century. Overnight Trani (B)
Thursday March 28
CannAe, canosa and Venosa Images clockwise from top left: the richly decorated façade of the
Basilica di Santa Croce in Lecce; the striking beehive-shaped
Today we visit a range of sites a short distance inland from dwellings known as trulli in the town of Alberobello; the fine Norman
Trani. First we stop at the site of the battlefield of Cannae, cathedral in Trani; a terracotta female head from Taranto's
Archaeological Museum; and the beautiful seaside town of Otranto
where in 216BC the Carthaginian general Hannibal routed the Roman army. There is a small museum at the site and a viewing platform which allow for a good understanding of this famous event. We continue on to Puglia’s principal archaeological centre Canosa di Puglia, to visit the ancient acropolis and the hypogeum, first used by Dauni as pagan catacombs. We will also visit Venosa to tour the Aragonese castle. Overnight Trani (B) Friday March 29 Castel Del Monte and melfi Today we make the journey across Italy to Vietri sul Mare, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. En route we visit Castel del Monte a remarkable octagonal fortress built by the medieval emperor Frederick II and one of the most significant medieval buildings in southern Italy. The design and purpose of the castle is somewhat mysterious, and has been hotly debated for centuries. We continue on to the town of Melfi, home to the National Archaeological Museum of Melfese, with artefacts found in the area, from prehistoric times and all periods of settlement including the Daunian, Samnite, Lucanian and Roman periods. This evening we have dinner in the hotel. Overnight Vietri sul Mare (B, D) Saturday March 30 Magna Graecia - Paestum Well before the Roman settlement of the Bay of Naples, Greeks had established a network of colonies and trading ports up and down the coast of southern Italy. After a background talk this morning we visit Paestum, the best preserved of the Greek settlements in the region. Here we view the three fine Doric temples, impressive town walls and other structures of the ancient town. In the afternoon, we visit the excellent museum at the archaeological site, containing the famed ‘Tomb of the Diver’ and other important examples of pre-Roman culture. The area around Paestum is also famous for its mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk. We will stop at a dairy and sample some of this local delight. Overnight Vietri sul Mare (B, L) Sunday March 31 Ravello and the amalfi coast Ravello sits high atop a peninsula that offers stunning views of the Mediterranean and the dramatic coastline below, the Villa Cimbrone is the crown laurel of Ravello. Its origins date back to the 11th century, but the villa and the gardens were extensively renovated in the early 20th century. The Villa Rufolo, whose former residents include composer Richard Wagner and film star Greta Garbo, overlooks the Piazza Vescovado and is the historical and cultural centre of Ravello. Afterwards we take the winding road down to meet the famous Amalfi Coast drive, travelling back to Vietri sul Mare where we have the afternoon at leisure to perhaps visit the cathedral to admire the cupola adorned with painted majolica or visit the many ceramic shops. Overnight Vietri sul Mare (B)
Monday April 1
Pompeii
We travel to Pompeii, where we spend the day exploring the
private and public buildings which have captured the
imagination of visitors since the ruins were discovered in the
18th century. Pompeii offers a huge variety of ruins, and there
will be some free time for individual exploration as well as the
structured visit. Our tour here ends at the Villa of the Mysteries,
a large villa on the town’s edge with superb frescoes. We check
in to our hotel set right on Naples’ seafront promenade, and
stroll to a local restaurant for dinner. Overnight Naples (B, D)
Tuesday April 2
National Archaeological Museum
This morning we visit Italy’s most important archaeological
museum with its outstanding collection, housed in a fine
Bourbon building, containing a wealth of paintings, mosaics,
sculptures and everyday objects from Pompeii, Herculaneum
and the Bay of Naples. It also houses the ‘Farnese collection’,
Roman works assembled in the Renaissance by the aristocratic
Farnese family and acquired through marriage by the Bourbons.
The museum itself, housed in a splendid palace, is a testament
to the influence of the European Enlightenment in Naples. This
afternoon is at leisure. Overnight Naples (B)
Wednesday April 3
Art and artefacts
Naples boasts over 900 churches, testimony to a wide range of
architectural styles and repositories of spectacular artworks.
This morning we visit just three of these: San Giovanni a
Carbonara, a treasure trove of marble sculpture and 15th-
century frescoes, coupled with a majolica mosaic floor; the
Cathedral, with its fascinating multilayered architecture; and
finally, the Pio Monte della Misericordia to view Caravaggio’s
Seven Acts of Mercy, painted in 1607. We then venture
underground to Napoli Sotterranea, to explore the complex
layered history of the city, and stroll back through vibrant
Spaccanapoli along the decumani, the ancient Greco-Roman
thoroughfares. Overnight Naples (B)
Thursday April 4
Herculaneum and Oplontis
Herculaneum is smaller and less visited than Pompeii, but is in
many ways a better-preserved site, with mosaics, paintings and
even wooden architecture and furniture still to be found in situ.
Unlike Pompeii, which was an agricultural centre, Herculaneum
was a ‘resort’ town on the coast, and the site features large
seafront houses as well as the baths, shops and other public
buildings that one expects to find in a Roman town. If possible
we will also call in at the Herculaneum Conservation Project, an
Images clockwise from top left: some of the best preserved remnants
important international effort to preserve the ruins of one of the of Greek civilization in the region can be seen in Paestum; a stone
world’s leading archaeological sites. In the afternoon, we visit roadway in ancient Pompeii; Caravaggio’s The Seven Works of Mercy,
the Imperial ‘Villa of Poppea’ at Oplontis, a massive structure 1607, in the Pio Monte della Misericordia, in Naples; a view of the
with well-preserved frescoes on the walls. The villa is believed Amalfi Coast from Ravello; and the Terrace of the Infinite, Villa
Cimbrone, in Ravello
to have belonged to the Emperor Nero and used by his second wife Poppea Sabina. Overnight Naples (B) Friday April 5 capodimonte The Palace of Capodimonte is in the hills above Naples. Once a royal hunting lodge, the palace is today a world-class art gallery, containing paintings by Raphael, Titian, El Greco and Botticelli, as well as fine examples of Neapolitan silver and majolica ceramics. We return to Naples in the afternoon where, time permitting and for those who still have some energy, we stroll up the Via Toledo to view the Caravaggio painting in the Banca Commerciale and the majolica cloister of the Santa Chiara monastery. This evening we enjoy our farewell meal together at an excellent local restaurant. Overnight Naples (B, D) Saturday April 6 Departure There is a coach transfer to Fiumicino airport for those on late afternoon flights. (B) Hotels Above: fresco in the Villa of Poppea at Oplontis Hotels have been selected principally for their central location. All hotels are excellent four-star properties that are renovated Below: Spaccanapoli – the street running through the heart of old palazzi. Naples viewed from high above at the Certosa Lecce, Hotel Patria Palace (3 nights) Housed in an aristocratic mansion dating back to the 18th century and located in the heart of Lecce. www.patriapalace.com Matera, Hotel to be announced (2 nights) Trani, Hotel San Paolo al Convento (3 nights) An old monastery renovated into a 4-star hotel, set in front of Trani's harbour, offering panoramic views www.hotelsanpaoloalconventotrani.it Vietri sul Mare, Hotel to be announced (3 nights) Naples, Hotel Santa Lucia (5 nights) Located on Naples’ seafront promenade, the hotel offers panoramic views across the Bay of Naples and Castello dell’Ovo. www.santalucia.it
Tour Price Fitness Requirements
The tour price is $7,970 per person, twin share (land content of THIS tour
only). The supplement for a single room is $1,750 per
person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is GRADE TWO
required to secure a place on the tour.
It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that
Tour Inclusions you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this
tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness
Included in the tour price required to participate on our tours, we have given them a
star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature
One way airfare Rome-Brindisi extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater
All accommodation in selected five-star hotels fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider
All breakfasts your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.
Lunches and dinners as mentioned in the itinerary
Land travel in Italy by air-conditioned coach Participation criteria for this tour
Extensive background notes This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active
Background talks lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of
Services of two Australian tour leaders throughout tour physical activity per day on most days, including longer
All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing
Qualified local guides at sites where required stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and
a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or
Porterage of one piece of luggage at all hotels
several internal flights.
Not included You should be able to:
International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) keep up with the group at all times
Travel insurance walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only
Meals not mentioned in itinerary short breaks
Expenses of a personal nature stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and
museums
Air travel OPTIONS tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,
humidity and heat
The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour walk up and down slopes
we recommend Emirates which offers flights into and out of negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,
Rome from most Australian cities. Please contact us for the which are often uneven and unstable
best possible prices on economy, business or first class get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or
fares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for boat unassisted, possibly with luggage
all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. move your luggage a short distance if required
These may be group or individual transfers.
A note for older travellers
Enquiries & bookings If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility,
it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging.
For further information and to secure a place on this tour You will have to miss several activities and will not get the
please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until
9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your
kathy@academytravel.com.au situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour.
While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the
Weather on Tour physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to
refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour
This tour takes place in the early spring, when there are are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean
fewer tourists around. It will probably be cool to mild we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.
throughout the trip with daily maximum around 16°C - 22°C
degrees, dropping to 10°C -12°C degrees at night. There is
of course some chance of grey skies and rain on a few days.
We suggest you bring a waterproof jacket and a light jumper
for the evenings.
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