Pompeii

Today we set off by Metro using our Campania cards, which gave us free travel and museum entry in the Naples area. We took the train headed toward Sorrento, as instructed, but unfortunately we got on the wrong line. Along with two other sets of tourists, a father and son and a couple, we decided to all get off together, at what we then found was a largely abandon station! Anyway, the correct train eventually arrived, and we arrived at the correct station, and headed to Scavi Vesuvi - the ruins of Pompeii.

Pompeii was quite a large city, with a big amphitheatre and 25 brothels! There are many taverns, bakeries and temples surrounding the forum and the basilica.

It must have been a very malodorous city, with the inset cobbled roads with ruts of cartwheels intact (see photo) , and raised stepping stones intermittently to protect the feet from the sewage that must have flowed in the streets!

The casts of the bodies found were eerie, but very interesting. We spent several hours here, along with many many other tourists (it was a very busy Saturday), then headed towards our next stop, Herculaneum.Read more