During the spring half term break, a group of Years 9-Sixth Form Latin and Classics students headed to the Bay of Naples, staying in the beautiful town of Sorrento, the base for our excursions.  

From archaeological treasures to narrow winding streets, our students enjoyed a fascinating journey, which helped deepen their understanding of the ancient world. Here are some student reflections from the trip:

Mimi Seward and Kierra Saloma (Year 10)

“Our first day was spent in Pompeii where we saw incredible ruins, including the famed House of L. Caecilius. After a quick stop for pizza, we visited a rather grand villa, excellently preserved with what would have been a sea view many years ago. It was fascinating to walk the same streets that Romans walked many centuries ago.

“Our last morning was spent shopping in small local stores; it was fascinating exploring the winding alleys of the area. We finished the trip with a stop at the world-famous Naples Archaeology Museum, which was full of incredible and enormous sculptures to gorgeous original paintings and mosaics, many of which were taken from Pompeii and other sites we visited.”

Bavani Dhinakharan (Year 11)

“The trip was very informative, as we could see the impact of events such as the eruption of Vesuvius on towns like Pompeii and Herculaneum and the people who lived there. The detail in the villas was extraordinary, while the skeletons in Herculaneum provided an insight into the panic of the citizens as the town was buried in volcanic ash.

“I would recommend this trip for any Latin and Classics students, especially GCSE Latin students, as it helped us with the Culture paper, as we could see the villas and temples for ourselves. While the trip was informative, it was also relaxing as we had time to shop in Sorrento and explore the town.”

Caitlyn Ward (Upper Sixth)

“Our highlights were Lararia (household god shrines) with intricate mosaics and the frescoes in the houses of Pompeii, which have withstood not only time but the volcanic eruption of 79AD. We enjoyed being immersed in Italian culture with the amazing views of Sorrento right outside the hotel. In our downtime, the Upper Sixth re-enacted random scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses because WE LOVE CLASSICS!”