Pompeii, Paestum & Herculaneum

Pompeii is a highlight, where a local guide leads through streets frozen in volcanic ash. Following a scenic drive along the Amalfi Coast, the journey continues to Paestum, where three remarkably intact Doric temples still stand after 2,500 years. The next day features Herculaneum, preserved under layers of volcanic debris with unusual finds like wooden furniture, and nearby Oplontis, a villa where frescoes look almost fresh.

The last two days in Vico Equense offer a chance to relax or strike out independently to the nearby island of Capri or the café-lined streets of Sorrento, both reachable by train. The hotel’s views stretch across the bay towards Vesuvius — a reminder throughout of the power that shaped the places visited.

New to Italy? Our Italy guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.