After a week spent traveling around the Bay of Naples, I was still somewhat baffled by what I had seen at Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Villa di Poppaea Sabina at Oplontis. To visit all these sites I’d ridden the Circumvesuviana, a privately owned train that runs around the base of Mount Vesuvius. At each, the … Read more
The big green buses of BusVia carry passengers halfway up Mount Vesuvius to the trail head, from which visitors must hike 20 minutes up this steep cinder path to reach the rim. The trail offers sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and the dense population corridor between Naples and Sorrento, which are threatened by … Read more
Typical Pompeii street shows deep ruts from cart wheels. Carts were forbidden to enter the Forum, perhaps to protect the brilliant white travertine pavement that had been laid down in this large public area that was the focus of political, economic, and religious life.
Intricate frescoes on the walls and vaulted ceiling of the Stabian Baths in Pompeii, the oldest of the bathhouses in the ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The walls are decorated with plain white and red frescoes, while the vaulted ceiling features elaborate polychrome designs that incorporate … Read more
The Temple of Vespasian in Pompeii was dedicated to the Emperor Vespasian, and residents of the city were expected to worship and make sacrifices to him. Elaborate carvings that frame the entrance have been protected by plexiglass.
