Vesuvius - Pompeii
 

Pompeii and its frozen moment of disaster and Vesuvius which waits to erupt again make for exciting and interesting tour destinations in Southern Italy

Vesuvius and Pompeii - the ultimate Italian cover-up

Pompeii and Vesuvius offers one of the most unbelievable tales of what our environment can do to the human race. The thriving Italian town of Pompeii was ruined and partially buried in 79AD by a volcanic eruption of the nearby Vesuvius Mountain and was then subsequently lost for 1700 hundred years.

The town was accidentally rediscovered in 1748, after other inhabitants were killed in a 1648 eruption. Excavators had to search under solid covers of pumice and ash to find the real story behind the town. United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classified the town as a world heritage site.

Today, the town's main economic activity is tourism as people from the world over go to witness the well-preserved ruins that show what life was like in a once vibrant Roman port.

The Vesuvius Mountain is the only remaining active volcano in Europe standing at 1,200 metres and the climb up can be quite daunting for the inexperienced climber. However, there is a resting place at 1,000 metres a break can be taken or the view enjoyed. For those who can do the entire climb, the peak also offers a splendid view of the bay of Naples. Vesuvius has erupted more than 50 times since the 79 AD one that buried Pompeii. In Pompeii, tour guides take visitors through the Vettis house that was buried under the volcanic ash for centuries. One can also see the thermal baths and the Lupanane, which suffered a similar fate.

Modern day Pompeii offers a variety of international cuisine, hotel accommodation and an insight into the town's ancient history. The ruins are accessible by foot from modern Pompeii through the many entrances built by the local authorities. Exploring the ruins can take several days as it is extensive in area and offers different dimensions of what the earlier Pompeii looked like. Apart from the accommodation offered in Pompeii town, one can opt for to stay in Naples - a 20 minutes drive from the ruins. The archaeological Museum of Naples also displays plaster casts of victims who were buried under the ashes in Pompeii.

The ruins give an insight into day-to-day Roman life - such as an inspection of their bathtubs, houses and paintings. Graffiti found on the walls suggest that a different dialect was in use in the town. The famous amphitheatre and the palaestra with a swimming pool provided water for about 25 fountains around the town, as well as the public baths. Other beneficiaries of the amphitheatre water included private businesses and houses.

Votive objects also suggest that the estimated 20,000 inhabitants of Pompeii practiced phallic worship. Pompeii had straight streets that offer visitors an insight of what Roman town-planning and architecture was like. They are built with polygonal stones with houses and shops erected on both sides of the streets.

One third of Pompeii is still un-excavated and may offer more future tourism attractions. The excavated part of the town, however, gives remarkable detail into the lives of the early inhabitants. Visitors to Southern Europe or Italy searching for a unique and fascinating holidaying destination should not pass up the chance to visit the site and history offered by both Pompeii and its neighbour, Vesuvius.

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Pompeii - Vesuvius