A-LEVEL geography students from Downend School had a field trip to remember when they visited the Bay of Naples.
Not only did the 19 students, in Year 13, climb the famous volcano Mount Vesuvius, which looms above the city, they also got to sample some authentic pizza from the home of the margherita, along with local ice cream and pastry specialities.
The four-day residential trip led by teachers Naomi Browne and James Smale saw them based at an independent hotel in Sorrento, with views across the Bay of Naples and “unbelievable” sunsets.
During the trip in February they scaled Vesuvius.
Mr Smale said: “The pupils had to walk several kilometres up the rocky terrain – light work for one of them, who won the ‘Mountain Goat’ award for his ability to effortlessly scale the volcano.
“At the summit we received a guided tour from a local expert, learning about the various previous eruptions, including the famous one that destroyed Pompeii in 79AD.
“After taking in some of the breathtaking views and perusing the conveniently-placed souvenir shops on the side of the volcano, the group headed to Pompeii.
“Here pupils were given the opportunity to explore the ruins and soak up the history of one of the most famous disaster sites in the world.”
The rest of the trip saw the students visit the popular tourist island of Capri, visiting some locations now famous as photo spots on TikTok and other social media channels.
Mr Smale said: “They also had the opportunity to taste the incredible gelato and cannolis that Capri had to offer.
“Due to seismic activity, our fourth day had to be adjusted with relatively short notice.
“Instead of going to see a gladiatorial amphitheatre the pupils were taken back in time to witness suburban living on the outskirts of Pompeii.
“Exploring a large, incredibly well preserved villa at Oplontis, the pupils were able to get a sense of what day to day life would’ve been like on the edge of Pompeii.
“The pupils were a real pleasure to take away and a credit to the school and sixth form.
“We packed a huge amount into a relatively short trip and each and every pupil approached every day with enthusiasm and intrigue (even if one of them did win the award for being ‘the hardest to impress’).
“You really cannoli believe how amazing Naples is!”