On Sunday 6th July, 40 Year 8 students accompanied by 5 teachers flew from 
Heathrow Airport to Rome to spend a busy two days in the capital city before 
transferring via Pompeii to Sorrento, where a slightly more relaxing time was 
spent exploring sites within the Bay of Naples. The group flew back to Heathrow 
from Naples on Friday 11th July.
Harrison (8A) writes:
When we landed in Rome, the first thing I 
realised was just how hot it was. However, 
I soon adjusted to the heat and started 
to take in the brilliant landscapes that 
surrounded me. After we had checked into 
the Hotel Floridia, we began our walk (and 
metro ride) to the Vatican City (the World’s 
smallest country). When we got there, I 
was simply in awe. The sheer attention 
to detail on the buildings, walls and even 
fountains was extraordinary and the sense 
of holiness within St Peter’s Basilica was 
very peaceful.
The next day, we continued our 
exploration of Rome by visiting all of the 
major tourist attractions. In the morning, 
we walked to the Colosseum where we 
enjoyed a guided tour of the amphitheatre. 
Afterwards, we visited the Roman Forum 
via the Palatine Hill. It was interesting to 
see parts of this hub of Roman life still 
standing after 3000 years. After lunch, we 
visited Piazza Navona which is one of the 
main squares in Rome. What is interesting 
about this place is that it sits directly above 
the Domitian Stadium which was used 
as a circus in the Roman era. Following 
this, we had the opportunity to visit the 
Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the 
Pantheon which are all recognisable movie 
backdrops. However, they definitely look 
even better in real life!
On Tuesday, we visited Pompeii, the 
famous historical city in the bay of Naples. 
Many houses, shops, streets etc. were 
preserved by the ash and volcanic rock 
during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 
AD79; the mountain provided an amazing 
background for many great pictures. 
As such, the city provides an invaluable 
record of Roman life. After exploring 
Pompeii we continued our coach journey 
to Sorrento, where we checked into our 
second hotel of the trip, Hotel La Ripetta.
Wednesday involved more brilliant 
experiences. We took a ferry across to 
the island of Capri and then boarded a 
smaller boat for a tour around the island. 
We then explored the main town which 
was rammed with designer outlets, 
restaurants and many other expensive 
shops. The island seemed so small, it 
was almost impossible to believe many 
famous celebrities, such as Georgio 
Armarni, lived there.
On Thursday, our climb to the top of 
Mount Vesuvius was tiring but certainly 
worth it. Being 1300m above the city of 
Naples allowed many great photographs 
to be taken. After our descent, we 
travelled back to Sorrento where we had 
time to explore the town’s pedestrianised 
streets. Finally, we finished the day in the 
best possible way with a trip to one of the 
clear water beaches of the bay.
The last day was equally as informative 
with a visit to Herculaneum (another city 
engulfed by the volcanic effects of Mount 
Vesuvius). It was a moving experience 
walking the streets of the once busy 
seaside fishing village. Many skeletons 
from the inhabitants still lie over 2000 
years after most of the villagers perished 
in an horrific way. Our last exploration 
in Italy was of the catacombs of Naples 
which contain many important Italian 
patrons’ and martyrs’ tombs. A truly holy 
experience rounded off the trip the best 
way possible. Our last views of Italy lasted 
only a minute or so as we soared up 
through the clouds on the way back to 
London.
Overall, the trip to Italy was a truly brilliant 
experience and is one I would recommend 
to anyone who has the chance to go on.
A taste of LA DOLCE 
VITA for Year 8
36

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