• Andrew's TravelsAmalfi Coast WalkingTraveler
    Amphitheatre
    AmphitheatreLarge Palaestra Exhibition; victims of the eruption (plaster cast moulds)Large Palaestra Exhibition; victims of the eruption (plaster cast moulds)Via del' Abbondanza, the main road, "the street of abundance"Current ongoing excavation workView down onto current excavationViews down onto current excavationView over some of the Pompeii siteLocal food was served from the pots on the marble counterVia dell' AbbondanzaTeatro GrandePublic water fountainThe Forum, with Mount Vesuvius in the backgroundThe ForumFresco (mural painting)Doric columnsStabian BathsStabian BathsFrescoViews along Via dell' AbbondanzaThermopolium of Asellina with food serving counter and fresco

    Pompeii (Pompei)

    April 2 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    I have visited Pompeii before; in 1978 with Anthony when we did an inter-rail tour of Europe late that year.  It has changed a lot in that time!

    Pompeii is 160 -170 acres in size, almost 10 times the size of Herculaneum, and offers a different perspective on Roman life, providing an insight into ancient urban planning.  Pompeii was a thriving (10-20,000 residents) Roman city near Naples, destroyed and buried under meters of volcanic ash, pumice, and mud by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. The city remained largely undisturbed until its discovery in the late 16th century, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

    We can only see a part of the site in our time here and our guide focusses on the main sites on the Via dell' Abbadanza from the amphitheatre up to the Forum; a full exploration of Pompeii would require a lot more than a day (we are here 3 hours)!  Nevertheless, it is an excellent visit.    Read more