Pompeii

Pompeii was a Roman city located near Naples in Italy. It was completely destroyed during the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which covered the city in nearly 60 ft. of ash and pumice. Though the eruption caused total destruction of the city - it also preserved every aspect of the city - from the detailed frescoes on the buildings, to the furnishings and even jewelry of the city's inhabitants.

The city was rediscovered during excavations by the Spanish Military in 1748. Though only about 50% of the city has been fully excavated, it can take upward of 6 hours to see everything. When visiting the site, I suggest getting the audio tour and its accompanying map as it is relatively easy to get lost in the vastness of the space.

Reaching Pompeii is easy to do via the Circumvesuviana Napoli-Sorrento train line (the Pompei Scavi stop), which takes around 30-40 minutes from either Naples or Sorrento.

Visiting Pompeii:
Hours:
November - March, every day from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last admission 3.30 p.m.)
April - October, every day from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. (last admission 6 p.m.)

Closed: 1st January, 1st May, 25th December

Tickets are valid for the full day and cost € 11.00

If you plan on visiting some of the other sites in the Bay of Naples, such as the Mt. Vesuvius National Park, and Herculaneum etc. It is definitely a good idea to get an ArteCard which will provide discounted entry fees.

I loved reading Pompeii: A Novel by Robert Harris. It is a fantastic blend of historical and fictional characters, set during the time of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.