Pompeii was first on the agenda for us. Many tourists coming from Rome are likely to find the sights of Pompeii familiar if they have recently visited the Rome Forum, the Colosseum or Palantine Hill in the Italian capital, as it's a similar hodge podge of ruins, old buildings, statues, housing structures and temples. Pompeii is perhaps most famous as the ancient city destroyed by a volcanic eruption of the neighbouring Mount Vesuvius, so it was a chance to get up close and personal with some history.
The Pompeii ruins
The remains of an old temple in Pompeii
An ancient stadium in Pompeii
After taking in the sights of Pompeii, it was time to complete our historical fill by visiting the infamous Mount Vesuvius. It took approximately 2-3 hours each way to reach Vesuvius from Rome, but well worth it for the gorgeous views, the smoky scenes at the crater top, an always-welcome scenic bus ride, and some much needed exercise.
The steep walk uphill the crater
The view of Naples from the crater
Some smoky scenes getting closer to the crater!
The city of Naples seen through smoke (quite hazy on the crater)
In contrast, it's quite clear looking towards the sky...
A view inside one of the craters of Vesuvius
A smoky descent downhill...
For many people (including myself), this was the first time they had encountered a dormant volcano. My friend was slightly surprised not to see anything resembling lava or ash, but when you factor in the fact that Vesuvius has been dormant for quite some time, it's not that surprising. It really just looks like a rocky mountain from afar, but I'm sure the legions of tourists flocking to it each year won't complain if it stays that way!
Some tips for your trip to Pompeii & Vesuvius:
- Go early, plan in advance: Pompeii and Vesuvius can be done in one day, but only if you know your schedule. Depending on if you want to do them as a day trip from Rome or prefer a more relaxed itinerary, you may wish to spend a night or two in Naples instead. I followed this schedule from a post I found on TripAdvisor.
- Decide which site you will visit first: We visited Pompeii first and then Vesuvius the next day. I would actually recommend doing them the other way around as Vesuvius is a bus ride away from a train station further down the line than the one close to Pompeii. In essence, if you're intent on staying in Rome, you'd be visiting Vesuvius during the morning, have a quick lunch, do Pompeii in the afternoon and then be back to Rome at night.
- Choose the Pompeii/Vesuvius experience you want (or that you're willing to pay for): Your trip to Pompeii can be enhanced by purchasing an audio guide at the ticket desk, or by getting a tour from an authorised tour guide. Be sure to choose only a badged official that states which company they are from and be wary of scammers. When it comes to Vesuvius, you need to decide whether you want a brief 1.5 hour venture on the crater (the bus companies shuttle people on and off the crater as fast as possible for obvious reasons) or the full day hiking experience climbing all over the crater top. Again, that is a personal decision, so consider your finances, schedule and physical fitness to choose what's right for you. You might also want to look at Rick Steves' popular audio walking tours for detailed mp3 podcasts covering many European destinations. Best of all, they're completely free!
For the history buffs, there are also the nearby Herculaneum Ruins that can be seen. I didn't have enough time to see it on my trip, but some say they're even better than Pompeii.
Pompeii: Slightly disappointing given how famous it is. Perhaps a guided tour would have made things better. 3/5
Vesuvius: Stunning views and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a real-life volcano make this a must-see. 4/5
What was your experience like in Pompeii/Vesuvius?
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