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.
Click here to view more photos in the gallery.
