Review: Private Pompeii Guided Tour

Ever since watching Mary Beard’s BBC documentary on Pompeii I have been waiting for the chance to visit the ancient site myself. Perfectly preserved in the metres of volcanic ash that fell during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii is something out of a fiction novel. Almost unbelievable in the fact that a city lived and breathed so long ago is still with us today.

Despite doing loads of research myself prior to my visit I was still sure that I wanted to a have a guided tour of Pompeii. I knew that I would never find the same wealth of knowledge online as I would by having a local guide talk me through the site’s ancient artefacts. To make sure I wasn’t wasting my money I went with a company I have toured with before, called Sightseeing Tours Italy. I went on some of their tours whilst I was in Rome and found them more than satisfactory. Still, I thought I would read some reviews of their Pompeii one before going ahead with the booking. Luckily they’d received positive responses so I booked onto their Private Pompeii Guided Tour, which you can find here.

I made my way to Pompeii myself from nearby Naples and met the guide and the rest of my group at the Marina Gate entrance. Most other people in the group seemed to know each other, nevertheless it was a good size group. Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating, switching between English and Spanish to assist different people. He also stopped at various points to point something out to us, such as the incredible views of Mount Vesuvius, or let us take a picture before moving on. The first site we visited was the Basilica, the oldest and most important public building in Pompeii. Then we went to the forum or main square where our guide showed us the ancient Pompeii equivalent of fast food, demonstrated by big ovens and stoves where food would have been put in big bowls. For two hours we wandered from one significant landmark to another. My favourite was learning about the Roman baths, a place which equalised roman society as these public baths were for anyone and everyone to use, making it a central hub in Pompeii. Equally intriguing was the Lupanar brothel, that our guide informed us (contrary to common belief) was one of the few brothels in Pompeii.

Our tour was nicely wrapped up by a visit to the House of Vettii, a house that would have been occupied by someone from the upper-class. Excavated between 1894-1895, the House of Vetti now acts as an example of a rich domestic space with the dynamic paintings offering some insight to how they would have lived. It felt like the tour went very quickly, so serious history buffs might want to look for something longer? But on reflection 2-hours was the perfect time for me, as you’re on your feet the whole time, which in summer can get tiring, and you’re also absorbing a lot of information in a short period. So, on this occasion I think I’ll stick with the phrase of quality over quantity.

Enjoy your trip to Pompeii if you go! I can confirm its more than worth it, and I can’t wait to go back again.

Recommended Pompeii Tours Company: Sightseeing Tours Italy

Alice

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