This was my second tour with Dario, who is highly knowledgeable, eager to show the ruins, and able to connect what he shows with what researchers have learned from studying Pompeii.
Private tour in Pompei Dario D
5.0
(64) reviews
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Dario D.
5.0
Guide rating
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My name is Dario and I'm from Sorrento, in the bay of Naples. I have a University Degree in Foreign Languages specializing in History ("Orientale" University of Naples) and a second University Degree in Archaeology ("Luigi Vanvitelli" University of Santa Maria Capua Vetere). I've been a licensed guide of the Campania Region since 1996. I've been working as archaeological guide for 25 years in Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Archaeological Museum of Naples, etc. I'm an expert in Roman archaeology and History, and for those of you who look for something "special", tailor-made, it will be a pleasure for me to arrange a specific tour for you. As an archaeologist, the archaeological excavation I'm proud of is the one carried out in 2017 in Cumae, which is the "cradle" of Western culture. The Greeks emigrated from their homeland in Southern Italy and founded Cumae as their first settlement. From there the Greeks transmitted their alphabet to the Romans who, by Romanizing it, transmitted the same alphabet to the populations that were gradually conquering in the world. So, if today the whole Western world uses the same alphabet it is thanks to Cumae from which everything started. This magical place is where I used my trowel with great emotion. In addition, together with engineers and scholars of other disciplines, I have conducted scientific research on different topics such as the Roman aqueduct in Pompeii, the fresco technique, the Roman construction techniques and other studies of this kind. WHY A REAL ARCHAEOLOGIST FOR YOUR PRIVATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOUR TO HERCULANEUM AND POMPEII ? The Roman ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and Oplontis are in an extraordinary state of preservation and deserve a visit worthy of their value. In the company of a real archaeologist, you will be able to appreciate the most evocative places of these mysterious Roman towns. What was the urban planning, the interiors of the houses, the daily life with all the furnishings, the objects in common use: in other words, what constituted the essence of a Roman city, and it can only be found in magic places like Pompeii and in Herculaneum. Ciao - Historian - University "Orientale" of Naples (Italy) - Archaeologist - University "Luigi Vanvitelli" of Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Caserta) - Italy - Official licenced guide of Campania Region (Italy) - Official licenced tour leader - Participation in the archaeological excavations of Cuma 2018 with the Luigi Vanvitelli University of Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Caserta) - Italy - Participation in the archaeological excavations of Stabiae in June/July 2019 in collaboration with the Museum of Hermitage in Saint Petersburg - Russia SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: - Origin of Pompeii - Origin of Neapolis (Naples) - Aqueduct of Pompeii and Herculaneum - Roman Mortar - Roman Environment in Pompeii and Herculaneum during the I century A.D. - Urban Planning of Pompeii - Urban Planning of Neapolis (Naples) - Magna Graecia (Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς) and Sicily of the ethnic cultures - Structural analysis of the Norman defensive tower (donjon) at Montella (Avellino) - Italy None
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Enjoy a great three-hour private tour with a real English-speaking archaeologist (private - only for you) in the ancient Pompeii. Today Pompeii is chocked with more than 3 million visitors every year: only by escaping the hordes and lingering along its silent streets shown by your guide, you can truly fall under the site's spell. On a quiet backstreet, all you need is a little imagination to sense the shadow palpably filling the dark corners, to hear the ancient pipe's falsetto, to envision a rain of rose petals gently covering a Roman senator's dinner guests.
This was my second tour with Dario, who is highly knowledgeable, eager to show the ruins, and able to connect what he shows with what researchers have learned from studying Pompeii.
Our 3-hour private tour of Pompei with Dario D. was absolutely amazing! As an archaeologist, Dario added details and perspective to our tour that simply would not have been possible to achieve without him! Dario is very personable and tailored his tour to our interests. If you actually want to learn about Pompei on multiple levels, book a tour with Dario D!
Dario is not a "tour guide". He is a highly knowledgeable archaeologist. He has written scholarly articles about Pompeii. This was my third visit to Pompeii and I saw and heard things I had never seen (or heard) before. In addition, we traveled from Rome to Pompeii on the day of a train strike so we were quite late and Dario was extremely gracious about our schedule. There is no other guide I would use for Pompeii. I had 11 people on this trip and they all loved him
Dario was a fantastic tour guide. My daughter and I agreed he was easily the best of our week in Italy. He was passionate, knowledgeable and flexible to adjust the things we are most interested in seeing. We learned a lot but didn't ever feel overwhelmed. He also helped us make sure we got back to the train station, which was hugely appreciated!
Dario was outstanding. If you have tour fatigue then he is your answer. We strolled around Pompeii asking questions about everyday life. He pointed out details, took us inside houses, and explained to us the perspective by which we should view the past. It was the best. If you get a chance he is your guy.
Visiting Pompeii with Dario was an unforgettable experience. As an archaeologist, his depth of knowledge was impressive, but what truly set him apart was how engaging and approachable he was throughout the tour. He didn’t just explain facts—he told stories that brought Pompeii and its people vividly to life. From daily routines and social customs to the tragedy of the eruption, Dario helped us see the city as a living place rather than just ruins. He was great at answering questions, pointing out details we never would have noticed on our own, and adjusting the tour to our interests. Thanks to Dario, Pompeii felt real and human I highly recommend touring Pompeii with him if you want an experience that is both educational and genuinely captivating.
The itinerary is pretty simple: the tour starts from one of the Pompeian gates and goes through the highlights of the site step by step over its thousand years of history. We can make one or two stops if you need to use facilities or getting some snacks.
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On foot
1 Via Villa dei Misteri, Pompei, Campania, 80045, Italy
We'll meet by the Bar Sgambati close to "Pompei Villa dei Misteri" Circumvesuviana train station. I'll hold a signpost with your name written on it.
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