Today we welcome Dr. Simon Elliott, an award-winning archaeologist, respected historian and guide lecturer with Andante Travels for their immersive journeys across Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. Here he tells us about some of his favorite places!
By Dr. Steven Elliott, FSA
Nice to meet you! My name is Dr. Simon Elliott FSA, and I’m an award-winning and best-selling archaeologist, historian, and broadcaster. I have written 22 books on Roman and classical world themes, with two more due this year, appeared in countless broadcast and social media shows, and am frequently a guest on podcasts. I am an honorary research fellow at the University of Kent, where I studied for my PhD in Classics and Archaeology, have an MA in Archaeology from UCL, and an MA in War Studies from KCL. I was also a trustee for the Council for British Archaeology for eight years, and am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. BUT, most importantly here, I’m also a veteran guide lecturer for Andante Travels across Roman sites in northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa. And being a veteran means…I really, really enjoy it!
Where to begin! Being able to share something you are passionate about with like-minded people is such a joy! The classical world really is the gift that keeps on giving, and every day brings something new, both for the guests and even me. Let’s start with Rome. The grandeur of the Forum Romanum beneath a copper blue sky. The climb to the top of the Palatine Hill with the imperial palace and fine views across Rome from on high. The mighty Colosseum, dwarfing all around with its brutal history. Nero’s Golden Palace, where you can step back in time 2,000 years. The Pantheon, with its breathtaking architecture, a testament to the greatness of Roman engineering. These, and many more sites in the eternal city, never fail to impress and define the word awesome.
Then Campania, with the Bays of Salerno and Naples. A trip dominated, always, by mighty Vesuvius. Which, don’t forget, is missing its top third after the AD 79 Plinian eruption. My trips often begin at Paestum, the Magna Graecia city of Poseidonia. This is an astonishing site, a real historical layer cake featuring Greek, Lucanian, and Roman phases. With its three monumental classical temples, it never fails to blow the socks of guests visiting for the first time. Then you have Pompei, the city frozen in time by the eruption of Vesuvius. This is always top of many people’s bucket lists, and it is a real pleasure to show guests around its never-ending series of archaeological delights. I have filmed there at dawn for broadcast TV as the sun rises over the theatre, a breathtaking experience. And every time we visit, there is something new to see. Next, Herculaneum, a step up in terms of glamour from the working port that was Pompeii. In Herculaneum, you get the vibrant colours of a thriving city on the day it was buried in super-heated ash blasting down the side of Vesuvius at 700km per hour. Covering it takes seconds. Then Vesuvius itself is a glorious climb. From its summit, which is the most recent caldera, you can see the whole Bay of Naples in its entirety. And then, on the same trip, the stunning National Archaeological Museum in Naples with its breathtaking collections, and the fabulously wealthy villas of the Roman super rich in Stabiae and Oplontis. Truly a holiday of a lifetime.
But then, don’t forget Roman North Africa. The Roman Empire was a Mediterranean empire with the southern shores as much a part of it as Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Travelling in Roman North Africa is to experience the widest variety of the Roman world, from Constantine the city in the clouds, 640m high on a plateau in the Atlas Mountains, to Timgad and Lambaesis on the Saharan fringe.
I feel truly blessed to be a guide lecturer with Andante Travels, and I really hope you can join me on my next trips.
Here are some upcoming tours you might be interested in:
- Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania
- Prehistoric Italy
- The Island of Sardinia
- Classical Greece – Homer’s Heroes
- The Isle of Wight
- Relaxed Syracuse
To explore more, visit www.andantetravels.co.uk
Call 844 279 9113 to book or request your brochure. Mention HISTRVL26 or visit andantetravels.co.uk.
Recommended Reading
- Paul Wilkinson. 2019. Pompeii: An Archaeological Guide. London: Bloomsbury Academic. For me a fabulous guidebook for the whole Roman Campania experience and particularly the story of Pompeii and its fate. This includes all of the history, told in an up-to-date way, together with detail of all of the major locations in the town to help the reader interpret them.
- Peter Green. 1990. Alexander to Actium. The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age. Berkely: California University Press.
- Simon Elliott. 2020. Romans at War. Oxford: Casemate Publishing.
For 40 years, the award-winning Andante Travels has been at the forefront of archaeological travel, creating journeys that go far beyond traditional sightseeing. Founded in 1985 with a vision to explore the ancient world in greater depth, Andante has grown into one of the leading providers of specialist archaeological tours. Their carefully designed itineraries invite travelers to uncover the stories behind some of the world’s most remarkable sites, guided by leading historians, archaeologists and scholars who bring the past vividly to life. Andante Travels believes that learning and leisure should go hand in hand.
What sets them apart is their commitment to meaningful access combined with truly expert interpretation for small groups of dedicated enthusiasts. Their tours include opportunities rarely available to independent travelers – from visits to active archaeological excavations and private museum viewings to behind-the-scenes encounters with historians and local specialists -made possible through decades of relationships with cultural institutions and site custodians. To explore more, visit www.andantetravels.co.uk
