POMPEII
Of all the amazing sites that you can go to see as you travel around Italy, there is perhaps none more striking than the ancient town of Pompeii. All the time that you tour the site, you are conscious of the volcano Vesuvius, looming over you in the sky, only about five miles away. You very definitely feel the sense of danger that comes from living right next to an active volcano. The town of Pompeii itself is huge, and you could potentially spend hours wandering its streets, exploring its buildings, and marvelling at its archaeology. The pavements and roads are quite uneven, so it's not the easiest surface for walking on. Even though Pompeii attracts millions of visitors a year, when we visited off season it felt almost deserted. The town is set out in a grid like pattern, so in theory it should be fairly easy to find your way around (although in reality we found it rather tricky). At the far end of the town is a section with a well preserved Roman amphitheatre, which is definitely worth a visit. You should also make time to see the casts of bodies, which are very touching, because they bring to life for you the reality of the people who were living here. Something else not to miss is the mosaic of a dog, with the words "Cave Canum" below it. An early kind of 'warning doormat', if you like! FIND OUT MORE |