Campi Flegrei, Solfatara, Herculaneum Private Tour

This option offers a tour through the main locations of the area of the Campi Flegrei, an area of the city of Pozzuoli located just outside the city of Naples, such as the volcanic complex called Solfatara and the excavations sites of Cuma and Bacoli, to then go to Herculaneum and visit the archaeological site.

During this fascinating experience you will literally set foot in an active volcano, the Solfatara fields, a volcanic system that is comprehensive of about forty craters, with the characteristic sulfuric rocks and mud pools, and then move to the archeological sites of Cuma and Bacoli, where you can admire the famous “Antro della Sibilla”, the “Anfiteatro Flavio” and the temple of Apollo.

This tour is truly your best choice if you want to see with your own eyes the impact that an active volcano has on the area, and witness the great influence of ancient Greece in the area around Naples.

The Solfatara of Pozzuoli is an active volcanic complex formed almost four thousands years ago, characterized by the exposed pools of boiling hot mud and the gaysers of vapors and sulfuric fumes and it is exactly the fact that they are exposed what helps the pressure underground the area of Naples to be constant.

 The Solfatara was extremely important way back in the Roman Empire, infact the Romans believed it to be the Home of “Vulcano”, the blacksmith of the gods, but also because from the Solfatara they extracted the so called “Bianchetto”, a material similar to cement that they used of course for construction

Today the Solfatara represents one of the main points of interests of the area surrounding Naples, attracting thousads of visitors and geologists every year

The Campi Flegrei are a “must see” destination for anyone passionate about history, for they are rife of archeological monuments from both the Roman Empire and the Greek colonies. Some examples worth mentioning are without a doubt the Temple of Apollo, the “Antro della Sibilla” and the “Anfiteatro Flavio”.

The Anfiteatro Flavio of Pozzuoli, not to be confused with the one in Rome better known as the Colosseum, is the third biggest Roman theatre in Italy, after the aforementioned Colosseum and the Anfiteatro of Capua. It was active especially during the Republican era of Rome and its contruction is attributed to the same architects that built the Colosseum.

The “Antro della Sibilla” is a particular place similar to a cave, home of the Sibilla Cumana. The Sibilla was a clairvoyant and an oracle for the Roman army, but since she used to write her predictions on many leaves that she then scattered in the wind, her answers were never completely clear and open to different interpretations.

Finally you can visit the temple of Apollo, partially buried by earthquake caused by the Solfatara itself but still retaining most of his beauty.

In contrast to modern Ercolano, classical Herculaneum was a peaceful fishing and port town of about 4000 inhabitants, and something of a resort for wealthy Romans and Campanians.

Herculaneum’s fate paralleled that of nearby Pompeii. Destroyed by an earthquake in AD 63, it was completely submerged in the AD 79 eruption of Mt Vesuvius. However, as it was much closer to the volcano than Pompeii, it drowned in a 16m-thick sea of mud rather than in the lapilli (burning pumice stone) and ash that rained down on Pompeii. This essentially fossilised the town, ensuring that even delicate items, like furniture and clothing, were discovered remarkably well preserved.

The town was rediscovered in 1709 and amateur excavations were carried out intermittently until 1874, with many finds being carted off to Naples to decorate the houses of the well-to-do or to end up in museums. Serious archaeological work began again in 1927 and continues to this day.