10. Pozzuoli

Puteoli was founded earlier than Naples by some greek refugees escaping a dictatorship and that's why they called the new city Dicearchia ( the city of justice). Dicerachia became later on Puteoli which was fully integrated in the Roman Empire system as the most important see port for connecting Rome with all mediterranean. It still keeps impressive monuments of those days and not only. The visit highlights are the wonderful and well preserved Flavium Amphitheatre, the Macellum but also the Rione Terra, a small borgo built on steep rock on the sea, where the greek and roman city and the Middle age settlement mix. Pozzuoli's life during the centuries cannot be understood without knowing the peculiar volcanic activity of Bradisism that has lifted up and down the soil and that has contributed to save the old roman port, a wide area with warehouses and roads, situated today integrally 4 mtrs under the sea level. A visit to the Solfatara, the active crater of the Campi Flegrei, is also reccomended.

Standard tour length: half day
Cost for a guided standard tour 160 euros
Entrance ticket for Rione Terra : 3 euros
Entrance ticket for Solfatara’s crater 4 euros

11. Baia and Miseno

In the middle of Pozzuoli's Gulf there is Baia, once the nicest and richest resort of the Roman Empire. Situated in a bizarre volcanic scenario, its beauty was soon caught by Julius Cesar and Augustus who established here there residences and followed later on by Nerone, Caligola, Lucullo and many more. Baia became a land of gardens and luxurious residences built by the most innovative building techniques.Baia and Miseno, one aside of the other had strong connections at that time. While Baia was an Emperors resort, Miseno was the base of one of the strongest roman fleet, that found easy and safe harbours in the volcanic lakes just behind. Abandoned during all Middle Age, its myth was still alive for the Grand Tour Travellers of the XVIII century and it remained a sort of out of time land until the new urbanization of the XXth . Still now it's impossible not to be taken away by the fascination of the places.
The visit will touch Lago Lucrino and Lago D'Averno with the Apollo's Temple, The Diana's Temple, the Imperial Villa of Baia, the Archaeological Museum of Miseno Castle, the gorgeous Piscina Mirabilis, the beach of Capo Miseno and the Pharo.

Length of the visit: full or half day
Cost of the tour: according if it’s a full or a half ay tour
Entrance ticket for Baia’s archaeological park and the Castle 4 euros ( Closed on Monday)

Proceeding from the Campi Flegrei there's the archaeological site of Cuma. Here during the VIIIth century b.C. landed the greeks form the nearby island of Pythecusa ( Ischia), the first towns of the Magna Grecia in the bay of Naples and in the upper part of the tyrrenean sea. Cuma was founded on the top of a hill right on the sea, from the which it dominated the coast and played a vital role in spreading the Hellenic culture. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, it was progressively abandoned for becoming a safe shelter for pirates and Saracens and for this reason destroyed by an alliance of close cities in the Xth century. Tradition recognizes in one of its tunnels the Atrium of the Sibyl where the greek hero Enea was announced a glorious destiny that will lead him to found the eternal Rome. Acropoli’s ruins deserve a visit if you love archaeology and wild sceneries.

Standard tour length: 2 hours
Cost for a guided standard tour 120 euros
Entrance ticket for Cuma’s ruins : 4 euros