What can we say about Pompeii, at school you probably learnt about the destruction caused by Mount Vesuvius but seeing a town frozen in time in person is an amazing experience!

“The features of our face are hardly more than gestures which force of habit made permanent. Nature, like the destruction of Pompeii, like the metamorphosis of a nymph into a tree, has arrested us in an accustomed movement

 -Marcel Proust

Getting there

• We were based in Rome for this one day trip so we booked a tour with City Wonders at £105 each,
• This was a coach from Rome down to Pompeii, early start,inclusive of stops along the way which I will go through below

The Trip

• Starting point Piazzo del Popolo which was the pick up point, inclusive of this trip was a tour of Mount Versuvius, at this point we were told the vulcano wasn’t accessible due to fires, alternatively we were offered a refund or to go to Mount Solfatara ( which we accepted on this would be a really short blog)
• So as we travelled down the tour guides gave us history, stories and trivia of the areas which was really engaging, we stopped for a pit break as it quite a drive.
• We went to Mount Solfatara (which is covered below) and had an inclusive lunch as well
• Then onto Pompeii
• On the way back we stopped for a tasting session of limoncello and other Italian delights with the opportunity to purchase

Mount Solfatara

• We had a tour guide from the site taking us around this active crater ,the Romans knew of this site since Imperial times, and was known as forum vulcano, dwelling of the god vulcano, entrance to Hades.
• Good knowledge and narrative given with a strong smell of sulphur as expected
• Gave us demonstration of different aspects of a vulcano – such as throwing a boulder onto the ground which echoed round the empty cavern from previous eruption, hot steam vents, and yellow gases etc
• People used to come here for its healing abilities
• Good well rounded tour with guide, not sure if you walked round without it would be the same
• If you have children, you need to make sure they stay with you and within the areas they are supposed

Pompeii

• Again, we would recommend at site tour guide if you do this without a tour, but would definitely say that City Wonders tour has a massive thumbs up from us

• Our guide was called Enzo and he was very passionate about Pompeii and took us round to the best parts , so we got stories about the eruption and how if the wind was blowing the other way it would not have been Pompeii who suffered from the vulcaic fury, saw a gladiator school, buildings , an amphitheatre, a brothel with pictures on it of what was on offer , a spa lots of lots of orative was given

• They had a section of different thing s that had been preserved as well
• There is a collection of souvenir and beverage stalls outside the site

Other Things to Know

• Currency – Euro
• Cost – as above, it’s quite a long day but we enjoyed it and felt that we got our monies worth
• Weather – we was in Pompeii in July late 20’s temperature, at the volcano site temps were around 47 degrees
• Do make sure you stay hydrated and have sun cream, sun hats and trainers as there is a lot of walking and it’s dusty and hot.

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