Their first activity was to tour the fascinating Naples Archeological Museum where the most valuable Roman artefacts are kept, including frescos, mosaics and statues from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

On a visit to the Pompeii site the next day, the girls enjoyed exploring streets, houses, leisure buildings and key sites, including The Forum, amphitheatre and Temple of Apollo, which provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire, before being buried in hot ash and pumice at the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Herculaneum offered a contrasting example of a smaller town which was buried under approximately 20 meters of mud and ash.  The town remained hidden and virtually intact for more than 1600 years until it was accidentally discovered by some workers digging a well in 1709 and excavations began.

‘It was quite an overwhelming experience to imagine that 2000 years ago Pompeii and Herculaneum were thriving towns and we couldn't help be moved by the petrified image of the Pompeii inhabitants who were overcome so suddenly by the Vesuvius eruption.'

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