Enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour of Pompeii and Naples, starting with an exploration of the historic heart of Naples. Departing from the port of Da Mole Beverello, go to the city’s most famous highlights, including the Piazza del Plebiscito, Royal Palace, and Basilica of San Francesco di Paola. See the colonnades and porticoes of the San Carlo Opera House, the oldest continuously active venue for public opera in Europe. Marvel at the glass ceiling of the Galleria Umberto I shopping arcade, and the imposing castle of Maschio Angioino (Castel Nuovo). Then, travel across the fertile valley of Mt. Vesuvius, passing Ercolano, Torre del Greco and Torre Annunziata en route to Pompeii. After a break for lunch, explore the archaeological excavations with a local guide. Listen to the tragic tale of how Pompeii was buried beneath the ashes of Vesuvius after it erupted in 79 AD. See all the highlights of the discoveries so far made to build a picture of everyday life in the Imperial Age. Imagine the panic felt in those last few minutes before the city was buried for centuries, and see remarkably intact ruins, such as mosaics, cooking implements, and even the casts of pets and humans in the exact poses they died.