Pompeii

Ruins with Vesuvius Looming Over Pompeii

At the Napoli Centrale station, we went to the  Circumvesuviana train ticket window and got tickets for Pompeii Scavi, which is a little closer to excavations of Pompeii. The trip took about 40 minutes and cost €2.30. At the ruins we rented hand-held audio guides to help explain the site. The site also offers free maps written in many languages which helped us with information on many of the site's key points of interest.

Ruins

Pompeii was everything we expected and more. It's approximately a 10 minute walk from the Scavi station. Pompeii is an amazing ruined city. Allow for an entire day to see the main sites

Breathtaking Pompeii is an archeological treasure. The ancient city of is large, about 65 hectares (170 acres). Mount Vesuvius looms just 8 km (5 miles) away. The story it tells are endless and it’s something we'll never forget.

Victims of 79 CE

The human shaped plaster casts remain in stunning detail and tell a story which have physical remains that tell of how people fell and died, then were covered with ash. Ancient Pompeii is a world heritage site. So try to go in season, as many areas can be closed in the winter.

Pompeii House

Historically, the Romans took control of Pompeii around 200 BCE. On August 24, 79 CE, Vesuvius erupted, burying the town of Pompeii in ash and soot, killing around 3,000 people, the rest of the population of 20,000 people having already fled, and preserving the city in its state from that fateful day. Pompeii is an ongoing excavation site and is an outdoor museum of the ancient Roman world. This site is considered to be one of the few sites where an ancient city has been preserved in such detail.

Temple of Apollo

Pompeii is a walking site only. Note that walking the old cobbled stone roads can be quite exhausting, especially in the heat of summer with loads of fellow tourists about. The temperature is between 32 and 35c in the summer. Make sure to take plenty of water and watch your step as the old roads have grooves in them where the carts ran. It is advisable to wear good footwear, sunscreen and hats. There is a lot to look at and it takes all day to see everything.

Fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries

End your visit at the Villa of the Mysteries, and try to interpret its amazing, bizarre frescoes—scholars have debated their meaning for years. It’s an ancient world.

Pompeii is a must see. Highly recommended!

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