Sorrento, Italy

The stunning Sorrento Peninsula has been designated a World Heritage Site and together with the Bay of Naples forms the back-drop to this exciting destination. Dominated by Mount Mount Vesuvius, the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii have been preserved as a snapshot in time; Sorrento is a bustling town and a fine base from which to explore the region, the Amalfi Coast and island of Capri.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - KS 4
Day 1: Fly to Naples and transfer to your Hotel. Depending upon arrival time visit the Naples Archaeology Museum en route to your hotel
Day 2: The Amalfi Coast. Drive to the village of Positano which appears to cling to the cliffs. Transfer to a small bus that takes you down into the narrow streets of the village and the black sand beach. Optional land use survey. Return to the coach and continue to Amalfi. Enjoy the town and beach or go shopping. Optional tourism questionnaire.
Day 3: Around Sorrento. Drive to the hilltop village of Termini and take a stroll along the peninsula to the headland with fantastic views of the Isle of Capri. Learn about the Mediterranean climate, vegetation and l.and use. Opportunity to study coastal features and field sketching Return to Sorrento and visit a farm to see how mozzarella cheese is made and how olive oil is traditionally pressed. Now visit Sorrento for a shopping questionnaire and some personal retail therapy in the quaint old streets.
Day 4: Drive to Pompeii for a guided tour of this once thriving town and visit the The Roman Forum, theatres, Amphitheatre and the plaster casts of the victims of the 79AD eruption. Take a short trip to the Vesuvius National Park and from the coach park stroll up to the summit of the only active volcano on mainland Europe.
Day 5: A guided visit to Herculaneum in the morning. This was a coastal residential town at the time of the eruption and was destroyed by mud. Travel around the Bay of Naples to visit Pozzuoli, a magnificent amphitheatre with the underground rooms intact and/or Solfatara, a dying volcano with mud pools and fumaroles. Transfer to the airport for your return to the UK.

This is a suggested itinerary. Tours can be of any length, combined in a variety of ways and can include the Geographical visits and excursions that you require. Excursion and entry fees are not included in the tour price.

THE ACCOMMODATION
There are numerous hotels in the Sorrento region which provide excellent accommodation for groups. Over the years we have based our study groups in the town of Sorrento itself. We use good 3* hotels such as the Hotel Londra that is fifteen minutes walk from the town centre but with a quiet location. You are assured of a friendly welcome from to the English speaking staff. Rooms are multi-bedded for students and twin/single rooms for staff, all with en-suite facilities. There is a lounge and large outdoor pool, weather permitting. Hotel Villa Gardenia is a superior 3* hotel ten minutes from the town centre. The hotel has recently been refurbished and renovated to a high standard. Rooms may be multi-bedded for staff students with twin rooms for staff all with en-suite facilities. There is a lounge, bar meeting room, large outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts, weather permitting (own rackets required).

Price Guide
Based on 40 paying passengers

Study Options
Pompeii and Herculaneum
On August 24 th, 79AD the world stopped for the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. A violent earthquake triggered a massive eruption that, it is estimated, released 4kms³ of ash into the atmosphere in less than one day, blocking out the daylight and changing weather patterns for years afterwards. The people of Pompeii were showered with ash and pumice whilst Herculaneum was buried by rivers of boiling mud. Restoration was begun in 1631 but it would take another 300 years to reveal the whole story that is so well preserved today.

Amalfi Coast
The coastline between Sorrento and Amalfi is spectacular. The vertical cliffs and small inlets are dotted with villages that cling to the rocky Mediterranean coastline. Positano is just such an example and worth a visit for its narrow, quaint streets, church and volcanic shingle beach. The largest town is Amalfi with its winding alleyways, terraces of vines, olives and lemons and a beautiful cathedral. In summer months it is possible to travel the Amalfi Drive by coach and return by sea. From the water you can appreciate the dazzling limestone cliffs, bedding planes and joints that is home to the highly adapted Mediterranean vegetation.

Isle of Capri
The chic and fashionable Isle of Capri is a short distance from the Sorrento coast, connected by a regular ferry service. This is probably the most famous of the offshore islands and upon arrival your group can be transported to the town centre or take the funicular railway. For the energetic it is possible to take the steep walk from the harbour and enjoy the views whilst regaining your breath. It is also possible to take a boat trip around the harbour and the Blue Grotto, a sea cave where sunlight reflecting on the water at the mouth is a fantastic blue.

Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is part of a complex of major and minor volcanic centres that are still active today. Famous for catastrophe that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, Vesuvius last erupted in 1944 emitting pyroclastic flows and lava. It is a mountain that is closely monitored today as there are approximately 5 million people living in the immediate area. Your visit will take you through the National Park of Vesuvius, past the lava flows of 1944 and from the “near summit” car park you can walk to the crater rim of the only active volcano on mainland Europe. The volcano is dormant but there are fumaroles, solidified lava, tuff pumice to find and splendid views of Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Bay of Naples on a clear day.

Sorrento
The town has been a popular Italian holiday resort for decades. Located amongst the vineyards and lemon groves, Sorrento is an ideal base from which to explore the surrounding area. Piazza Tasso several narrow streets radiate towards the old port. Here you will find the perfect place for gifts to take home. In addition there are designer outlets – indeed something for everyone. Almond cakes and the sweet-sour liqueur limoncello are traditional too. Land use studies, shopping questionnaires and a local farm visit can be undertaken here. The Sorrento peninsula is easily accessible from the village of Termini and enables the students to understand Mediterranean vegetation and land use. There is also a good coastal field sketching opportunity too!

Solfatara
Located on the opposite side of the Bay of Naples to Sorrento, Solfatara is a dormant volcano that is part of the Phlegrean Fields. This is an area of bubbling mud, solfataras, and fumaroles; a small live volcanic area. It is also possible to feel seismic shakes along a nearby fault line and will see the measuring instruments that record the rising gases and detects Bradisism. This is the rising and falling of land levels associated with the volcanic activity that has affected the area for centuries.