In 2013, Peter Sommer Travels offers discerning travellers a unique opportunity. Only this year, is it possible to combine a visit to the British Museum’s sensational exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum with a cruise around the Bay of Naples, to experience those famous sites, destroyed and thus preserved for posterity by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD, but also to explore their surrounding region, all in the company of dedicated experts.
The show (28th of March to 29th of September 2013) is the first such exhibit at the British Museum. It showcases over 250 important artefacts chosen from the rich finds of both sites, some discovered only recently, others long celebrated. In many cases, it is the first time the objects are shown outside Italy. The display will be especially informative as regards the daily life of the two cities’ inhabitants.
Peter Sommer Travels’ ‘Cruising the Amalfi Coast‘ is an 8-day trip, dedicated to exploring one of Italy’s most beautiful and evocative shores, its archaeology, history and cuisine. Listed by the London Times as one of the 25 Top Tours to Italy for 2013, it is accompanied by historian/archaeologist Dr. Michael Metcalfe and Francesca del Vecchio, an expert on art history.
The majority of tours in the area are land-based, but Peter Sommer Travels uses a gulet, a wooden motor-yacht hand-crafted in Turkey according to traditional techniques. Its authenticity and elegance are the perfect match for the beauty and fascination of the area.
The itinerary is a veritable string of highlights. It includes a whole series of first rate archaeological sites, such as the Roman baths at Baiae, the Villa Oplontis with its extraordinary frescos and of course the huge collections in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, housing the most significant artifacts from both Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Other unforgettable stopping points are the delightful ports of Amalfi and Positano, and the lovely islands of Capri and Ischia, each with its own fascinating history and sights.
The experience is rounded off by the delicious meals, some prepared by a chef on-board, others at selected traditional restaurants ashore, and by ample occasion to swim, sunbathe or simply view the uniquely attractive scenery.
The culmination of the cruise is the tour of Pompeii itself one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the world. An additional visit to Herculaneum can be easily arranged at the end of the cruise.
If your passion is Italian food and you prefer to travel on land, Peter Sommer Travels also have a Gastronomic Tour of Sicily in October to whet your appetite.
