Rome & Bay of Naples Classics & Ancient History School Trips & Tours

Built as a temple to all the gods and rebuilt circa 126AD during Hadrian’s reign, it’s still in use today. A marvel of Roman engineering and, until the middle of the 20th century, the largest masonry dome built.

Guided walks can be tailored to your requirements. Here's a suggested three hour walk which includes the best of the baths, temples and theatres of Ancient Rome. Visit the Baths of Caracalla and then on to Circus Maximus to see this ancient Roman chariot racing stadium. At the Forum Boarium, site of ancient Rome's meat market, your pupils will be able to view two small temples, the Temple of Hercules Victor and the Temple of Portunus, which are among the best preserved religious structures from Rome's republican era.

Make sure you tell the truth at the Bocca della Verita - the Mouth of Truth! This carved image of a man-like face, located in the portico of the church of Santa Maria, is famous for its role as a lie detector and, it was believed that if you told a lie when your hand was in the mouth of the sculpture then your hand would be bitten off! Walk up to the ancient, open-air Theatre of Marcellus where you will also find the Portico d'Ottavia and finish your tour with a visit to Isola Tiberina where you will see the Ponte Fabricio, a 1st century BC Roman Bridge.

Visit the fountains of the Villa d’Este gardens, but more importantly the Emperor Hadrian’s villa, whose expansive ruins are full of interest.

Take a guided tour by coach or a guided walk with our head guide, Richard, to see the sights of Rome by night.

Shop, go bowling, play on arcade machines and enjoy a meal.

The harbour city of ancient Rome is 20 miles out of the city but is a fascinating visit. Pupils will enjoy exploring the extensive remains of the Roman town and often prefer it to Pompeii and Herculaneum.

The most central of the Seven Hills of Rome is one of the most ancient parts of the city. See the ruins of the Imperial Palaces and the Hut of Romulus, as well as a great view of the Circus Maximus. Explore the pleasant gardens or see vibrant frescos in the house of Augustus.

A great evening activity in the centre of Rome. Take a journey through the development of Rome and experience multi sensorial effects as you watch panoramic screens.

This fascinating museum contains wonderful exhibits including Roman mosaics (the Alexander mosaic and others from the House of the Faun), wall paintings and Greek sculpture (Doryphoros and the Tyrannicides). A valuable additional visit en route to or from the airport.

Visit the site of three of the best-preserved Greek temples in the world. This visit provides a great opportunity to explore the development of Doric architecture, a Roman town and a museum with one of the earliest examples of Greek panel painting.

Solfatara’s tectonic activity makes it feel and smell much more like a volcano than Vesuvius. The Romans thought the entrance to the Underworld was located in this area and a visit will help pupils understand why.

Pupils can take a guided tour of the island of Capri, including a visit to Ana Capri, a walking tour of the Gardens of Augustus and the Palace of Tiberius, a must for all Classical fanatics. Groups access the island by ferry or hydrofoil, which NST can pre-book and pre-pay.

Cumae contains the long echoing cave of the Sibyl visited by Aeneas (even if only in legend). Visit the Acropolis and the entrance to a tunnel built by Agrippa around 38BC to join his harbour in Lake Avernus to the sea.

The well-preserved amphitheatre here is on a smaller scale than the Colosseum in Rome, but better demonstrates the human aspect of the arena.

An excellent visit with the supposed villa of the family of Poppaea, the second wife of Nero.

The Amphitheatre remains include thermal baths, a theatre, domus and funerary monuments. The adjoining Gladiator Museum explores the history of the Amphitheatre.

Take your pupils 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.

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.

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.