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Trips to the Bay of Naples for Geography, Geology and Environmental Science Students

A student trip to Naples takes in one of the most beautiful and historic areas throughout all of Italy. The region is home to several world renowned archaeological wonders and is truly not to be missed during a study tour for Geography and Geology students.

The area was settled first by the Greeks and then by the Romans. Mount Vesuvius dominates the Bay and is one of the few active volcanoes in Europe. Its eruption covered the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash, preserving life as it was almost 2000 years ago. The volcano continues to affect the area with the mineral-rich volcanic soil proving the perfect environment to grow the region's famous San Marzano tomatoes - the only topping for a true Neopolitan pizza.

Prices start from£399pp

Sample itinerary

Our sample itinerary provides you with an idea of the visits you can cover during your trip. We can tailor-make an itinerary to support your specific learning outcomes.

Morning Afternoon Evening
1 Daytime flight from a London airport & transfer to Bay of Naples accommodation Visit to Solfatara (time permitting). Check-in at hotel Evening meal. Free time
2 Visit to Vesuvius. Continue on to Pompeii for a guided tour Evening meal. Free time
3 Full day on the Island of Capri; ferry ticket, Capri town, Faraglione & Acro Naturale Evening meal. Free time
4 Transfer to airport for return flight to the UK
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Morning Daytime flight from a London airport & transfer to Bay of Naples accommodation
Afternoon Visit to Solfatara (time permitting). Check-in at hotel
Evening Evening meal. Free time
Morning Visit to Vesuvius. Continue on to Pompeii for a guided tour
Afternoon Evening meal. Free time
Evening
Morning Full day on the Island of Capri; ferry ticket, Capri town, Faraglione & Acro Naturale
Afternoon Evening meal. Free time
Evening
Morning Transfer to airport for return flight to the UK
Afternoon
Evening

Price Shown includes

  • 3 nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation
  • Return flights & airport transfers in resort
  • Visits including: Vesuvius, Pompeii, Island of Capri which includes Capri town, Faraglione & Arco Natural
  • Extensive group travel insurance
  • 1 in 10 free place ratio

The visits shown in the sample itinerary above are not included in your quoted price unless indicated. If you would like to add any of these activities to your quote price, please get in touch.

Price shown is based on 20 paying passengers departing from a London airport on selected dates and is subject to availability.


On-tour support

On-tour support includes...

  • Airport assistance when you arrive back at your UK airport when you book a coach transfer to take you home

Additional on-tour support available...

  • Airport assistance during check-in, security and gate checks on your outbound flight from the UK

Top visits for college groups in the Bay of Naples

Pompeii

Observe the destructive impact of the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD which buried, and consequently preserved these famous towns. Take in the original streets, houses, preserved human casts, and works of art on display. Our activity sheets provide resources for a honey pot analysis and the opportunity to measure the impact of tourism on the site. We recommend a 2-hour guided tour option.

The Island of Capri

This stunning rocky coastline features the Arco Naturale and Faraglione landforms, shaped over many years by the erosive power of the sea. Resource pack activities include photograph and diagram annotation, field sketching and sequencing. The coastline is accessed via a short ferry ride. A laser boat ride around the island is also available upon arrival to see the coastline formations, and a funicular railway can be taken for a five minute journey up to Capri town. Groups can also visit Anacapri and ride the cable car of Monte Solaro. An English-speaking local guide can accompany you on this day, if you don’t have a Field Studies Guide.

Phlegraean Fields

Known by the Greeks and Romans as the fiery birthplace of myth and legend (the entrance to Hades or Hell was said to be here), the Bay of Pozzuoli tucked between Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea is a giant caldera 12-15km across. Within this caldera is a moonscape of smaller eruptions and there is concern that this could be the site of a super volcano.

Visit the Temple of Serapis in Pozzuoli which Charles Babage first used to explain the phenomenon of Bradyseism, followed by a walk around Pozzuoli itself, racked by earthquakes in the 1980s and now substantially rebuilt. Students will be able to see how the port has had to be extended outwards because of uplift, and how the old harbour is now virtually abandoned.

There is an opportunity to climb Monte Nuovo, formed in a single week or walk around Lake Avernus - a volcanic crater lake. Groups may also have chance to visit the Greek ruins at Bala, The Amphitheatre, Naples Underground Museum or the National Museum.

The Amalfi Coast

On the southern side of the Sorrento peninsula lies the famous Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where a ribbon of road clings tightly to steep, rugged cliffs interspersed with picturesque towns. For geography groups there is the opportunity to study coastal landforms and tourism impact. A boat tour of this beautiful coastline is also available.

Pertosa Caves

A fantastic educational journey to discover this Karst cave system which has considerable archaeological value. With your guide, groups will enter the caves on a boat as the entrance is flooded by the waters of the Negro River. Once you enter into the bowels of caves, you will spend 90 minutes exploring inside, including discovering how groups of stalactites and stalagmites are modelled in mysterious shapes. Upon leaving, students will visit the accompanying multi-media museum highlighting the biodiversity of the local environments. This is an ideal addition to Amalfi coast drive.

Olive & Lemon Mill & Mozzarella Farm

Take your students on a guided walking tour of this olive and lemon mill and mozzarella farm in Sorrento. Your group will enjoy a cheese-making demonstration, plus a complimentary pizza and soft drink.

Naples Underground Tour & Museum

There is an entire underground city below Naples - a series of ancient aqueducts that were eventually shut down and used as a bomb shelter during World War II. You can go down a square flight of steps put in place by Mussolini leading down 40m into an actual air raid shelter. The museum is in a huge underground sandstone quarry and contains incredible artefacts and objects found during more than 50 years of exploring the labyrinth beneath Naples.

La Fabbrica Della Pasta di Gragnano

During this fascinating visit, your students will learn about the ancient art of making pasta, which has a very long tradition in Gragnano. The location of this small town, between the sea and the mountains, has provided the ideal climate for producing and drying pasta for over 500 years. Here, your students can see the production process during a 30 minute guided tour of the factory before receiving a small memento of their visit.

Pareo Park

Located off the Domitiana highway in the Neapolitan suburban town of Licola, the Pareo Park (formerly Aquapark of Magic World) calls itself the largest water park in southern Italy, offering customers a wide variety of entertainment, from the popular wave pool to a 65-foot-high slide that whooshes you down at exhilarating speeds.


Evening activites

  • Bowling
  • Taratello show
  • A quiz or disco at your hotel (most hotels can provide a room for groups to use in the evenings)

Study themes

  • Tourism Impacts & Sustainability
  • Rural Environmental Geography