On August 24, AD 79, life in the prosperous cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum suddenly halted.  Miles high smoke plumes, ash, poisonous gases, lava and boiling mud from Mount Vesuvius rained down over the area.  The current day cities of Pompeii and Ercolano contain the ruins of those ancient Roman cultures.

Pompeii, originally founded about 600 BC, was a favorite resort for wealthy Romans.  It was once a prosperous, vital city full of hotels, inns, shops, grandiose public buildings, temples and private homes.  Bustling with people, during its height, Pompeii reached a population of 20,000.

During the eruption in AD 79, Pompeii was hit by a gigantic cloud of poisonous gases, ash, white-hot stones and lava that buried the city under a layer of debris up to 7 meters (about 23 feet) deep.  In 1595, the lost city was discovered but soon again forgotten.  In 1748 excavations began and, during the mid 1800s, the word spread and people became interested in discovering what secrets the lost city held.  The archeological excavations since those times have been on going.  Much of Pompeii has been excavated and it has revealed a great deal about how people lived (and died during the eruption).

Because of Pompeii’s wealth, art, including paintings, mosaics, statues and elaborate architecture was of great importance and fortunately well preserved over time.  The showers of wet ashes and cinders that accompanied the eruption formed a seal about the town, preserving many public structures, temples, theaters, baths, shops, and private dwellings.  In addition, remnants of some of the 2000 victims of the disaster were found in the ruins of Pompeii.  Ashes, mixed with rain, had settled around the bodies creating molds that remained after the bodies themselves had deterorated.  During the excavations, liquid plaster was poured into some of these molds producing the forms of the bodies during their last moments alive.  The casts of the ‘frozen people’ are exhibited in glass cases throughout the ruins.

A half-day visit will give you the basics but a full day is needed to truly explore the ruins completely.  Though the whole area is of great interest, there are certain places not to be missed.  The large, rectangular Forum was once dotted with statues of emperors and gods and surrounded by a colonnade.  This site was the commercial, civic and religious center of the city.  In this area you can see the remains of the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Apollo, which held a column topped by a sundial, and the nearby Forum Baths.  The public baths were divided into two sections for male and female with separate changing rooms, offered cold, lukewarm and hot water baths, and also contained a gymnasium.  Another bath located in the city was the Stabian Baths, which were privately owned and more luxurious than the public Forum Baths.

Another must see is a large complex that consists of the remains of the Great Theater, constructed during the 2nd century BC and capable of holding up to 5,000 people, the Odeon (little theater – less than 1,000 people) Theater, constructed later for music and dance concerts and the Temple of Isis.  Down the road from this complex lies one of the highlights of Pompeii, the Amphitheater.  It is the oldest Roman amphitheater known, dated approximately 80 BC, and could hold up to 20,000 spectators.  Near the amphitheater is a large Gymnasium surrounded by porches with the remains of a swimming pool in the center.  As the graffiti of Pompeii explains, the gladiators would train at the gymnasium then, in the amphitheater, fight to their deaths in front of thousands.

The Brothel is the most popular and highly visited site in Pompeii.  The explicit paintings inside the brothel show erotic scenes.  Above each stall, a painting depicts the services and specialties offered by the prostitutes.  Many of the original uninhibited works of art are located at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples in an exhibit called The Secret Chamber.

As you walk throughout the ruins, note the paved roads with evidence of ruts from carriages cut into the paving stones.  The roads were used to drain rainwater, and sometimes waste.  In certain areas and intersections, large, cut stones were placed across the roads to enable pedestrians to cross the road without getting their feet wet but still allowing for carriage passage.

There are numerous houses worth visiting.  The most elaborate is the infamous Villa of the Mysteries.  It is one of Pompeii’s best-preserved houses with perhaps the largest painting from the ancient world.  The Dionysiac Frieze, with life-sized figures, is thought to be a painting depicting the initiation of a bride into the cult of Dionysus.  The House of the Vettii reflects the life of the wealthy through its vivid frescoes, two atriums, servants’ quarters, and many decorative columns and statues, not to mention a painting of Priapus, the god of fertility, displaying his colossal member.  Other remarkable houses to see is the House of the Faun, which derives its name from a bronze statue of a dancing faun found in its atrium, the House of Tragic Poet with its excellent black and white mosaic showing a dog with the words ‘cave canem’ (beware of the dog), the House of Ceius and the House of Menander both with exquisite, detailed paintings and murals.  The House of Tiburtinus and the House of Venus are huge complexes with their gardens replanted according to modern knowledge of ancient horticulture.  There are many houses open for exploration throughout the ruins so be sure to provide ample time to see it all.

Just down the road from Pompeii is the city Ercolano, which contains the ruins of the ancient city Herculaneum, supposedly founded by Hercules.  Similar to Pompeii, the city catered to the richest of the rich and the most powerful.  It was considered a resort even more prestigious and expensive than Pompeii.

Instead of being covered by ash from the volcanic explosion, the city was buried under a flow of boiling mud that was up to 30 meters (almost 100 feet) deep in some places.  The layer of mud, acting as a protective blanket, preserved the town, its structures, works of art, household articles and even wood, which would normally deteriorate.  Excavators found wonderful marble and bronze statues, paintings, and nearly 2,000 papyrus rolls. Most of these works are housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

As you tour throughout the Herculaneum ruins, realize that only a small section of the southeastern corner has been excavated.  Currently, about 15 to 20 buildings are open to the public. Of these, do not miss the baths with their warm and hot rooms along with a vaulted swimming pool.  The beautiful mosaics in the women's bath and frescoes on the walls are said to be superior to those of Pompeii.

There are numerous houses to visit while in the ruins.  The House of Deer, named for the statues of deer in the courtyard, displays the statue Satyr with a Wineskin and a statue of Hercules in a drunken stupor trying to urinate.  The House of the Mosaic of Neptune and Anfitrite is unique because of its namesake mosaic and well-preserved wine shop.  The House of the Wooden Partition still has a wooden door in its courtyard and a clothes press around the corner.  Other dwellings of interest are the House of the Mosaic Atrium, named after the checkerboard mosaic on the atrium floor, the House of the Great Portal, with an entrance portal surrounded by half columns, the House of Fabric, where actual pieces of 2,000 year-old fabrics were found.  The Villa of Papyri was found during the 1738 – 1766 excavations.  This site was extremely beneficial in that it contained priceless ancient works of art and a huge library containing almost 2,000 papyrus scrolls.

The Gymnasium, preceded by a large vestibule, was a huge unroofed rectangular area surrounded on three sides by a colonnade and a spectators’ gallery on the fourth side.  At the center is a cross-shaped swimming pool that was supplied water by a bronze fountain depicting the Five Headed Hydra.

Also located in the city of Ercolano is the bus departure point to travel to the top of Mount Vesuvius.  The bus leaves from outside the Ercolano train station and travels to a stop part way up the crater.  If you wish to reach the actual crater, a 20 – 30 minute walk is necessary.  A roundtrip bus ride costs about $3 and entrance to the crater costs about $5.  A schedule of the departure times can be seen at tourist offices and the Ercolano train.  Tickets can be purchased on the bus.

The National Archeological Museum in Naples houses many of the original works of art, statues, furniture, household items and finds from the excavated sites.  If you wish to see what was discovered at the sites, a visit to the museum is a must.  To reach the museum travel via the Metro and exit at ‘P. Cavour’ station.  When you exit the station, turn right and walk 2 blocks, the museum will be on your right.  I do not know the exact entrance fee but it is estimated at $6 - $8.  Before you make plans, double check to make sure the museum will be open.  When we were visiting the area, the museum was closed due to an Italian workers’ strike.  More information can be obtained by visiting here.

Entry fees into Pompeii and Herculaneum cost about $8.50 each, but a combination ticket for both sites is available for approximately $13.50.  Tickets are usually valid only one use at each site.  The hours for both site are: April – October, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with the last entrance at 6 p.m. and November – March, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entrance at 3:30 p.m.

Public transportation around the Naples area is adequate, though crowded at times.  Train and bus service is widely available throughout Naples, Pompeii and the surrounding region.  Tickets can be purchased at stations or when you board the bus.  The city of Naples also has a metro.  If you plan on utilizing the public transportation more than once in a day, an all-public transportation inclusive day ticket can be purchased for about $5.  Be sure to validate your ticket when you enter each form of transportation.  There were many police posted throughout the metro and trains stations checking tickets to ensure that they were current and validated.

To reach Pompeii via train, take the Circumvesuviana train and exit at the ‘Pompeii Scavi’ station, which is located directly across from the ruins.  Herculaneum can be reached by taking the Circumvesuviana train and departing at the ‘Ercolano’ station.  Once you exit the station, walk down the hill until you reach the entrance to the ruins, which will be directly in front of you.  If you lose your way, the word ‘Scavi’ is used to denote the ruins.

If you arrive via your personal automobile, which I do not recommend, expect to pay for parking.  There is parking available near Pompeii at about $5 a day.  As for the area around Herculaneum, it is a congested shopping district with narrow streets and aggressive, nerves of steel Italian drivers.  I did not see any areas for parking and would recommend taking a bus or train to this city.

Tour guides, books or audio guides/phones are necessary to completely understand and enjoy the ruins.  Signs on individual buildings and sites, along with the maps provided with your entrance fees, are written in Italian.  If you do not have the services of a guide, it is useful to purchase a guidebook before starting your tour.  Each ruins has a bookstore just inside their entrances.  The stores’ selections are great, most of the volumes are reasonably priced and there are many languages offered.  Audio guides/phones in English are also available for rent.  Also, it is common for people to stand outside or just inside the entrances and offer their services as tour guides.  Many of the people that approached us offered a tour in English, though we did not utilize their services.  If you choose to try them out, it would be advisable to agree upon a set price before embarking on a tour.

Pompeii should be visited by anyone who is remotely in the area.  Whether you stay in the local area or take a tour out of Rome, the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum are guaranteed to enlighten and fascinate you as you peer through time to 2,000 years ago.