Mount Vesuvius is pretty bare and dusty; nothing polished about it. You feel where you are the…read moreentire time. It's not long, but it's enough to slow you down. At the top, you're right at the crater. Just you, the edge, and a very real reminder of what it is. A beautiful view of the Bay of Naples behind you but at the same time knowing it's that same volcano.... The one that buried Pompeii changes the tone a bit. It's not dramatic; just heavy. Worth doing the hike but just don't expect it to feel super touristy.

100% worth the headache it was to get there from Naples via transit! It was #1 on my bucket list…read morefor a reason.

Since this is essentially a secondary listing for "Pompeii Ruins" on Yelp, just adding a few more…read morenotes here that I didn't include in my main review. Highlights for me were: 1) the Forum: on the south western side of the park, past the Temple of Venus which is fairly close to the entrance by Porta Marina. This was the main public square and socio-economic center for the city with many different government, religious and commercial buildings set around it. Some of the important ruins include the Basilica, the court of law and business center, and the Macellum, a covered food market and marketplace. Temples of Jupiter and Apollo served religious functions. 2) the bath houses: there are a few different locations Terme Stabiane, Terme del Foro, Terme Suburbane--though I went to the Forum location, was really impressed by how well laid out and preserved this building was. 3) thermopoliums: plural because around 80 different locations were found within Pompeii. These are the equivalent of street food vendors where the working class would procure hot food to go, since the majority of Pompeii's 10-35K residents at the time of its destruction in 79 AD didn't live in villas, rather in multistory buildings without kitchens, hence depended on these for sustenance. These L-shaped marble counters held terracotta jars of hot and cold food, such as stews, meats, and spiced wine. 4) "suburban" Villa di Diomede and Villa dei Misteri which require a separate fee of €8 payable in cash or card at the gate to that section of the park, if it's not already included in your particular combo ticket. These two villas underwent multiple restorations and haven't always been open to the public. Both are examples of larger, grand residences with more complex layouts, the latter housing famous colorful frescos depicting rituals related to an esoteric cult of Dionysus. 5) necropolises: a few different locations around the outskirts of the town, it was fascinating to see how ancient traditions of mausoleums carry into current conventions. 6) interesting signage: while I don't read Latin, from the translations I read about pertaining to some of the sites, they certainly got their point across. I chuckled at the mosaic with Latin phrase "Cave Canem" literally "beware of the dog" showing a snarling black dog, placed at the entrance of one of the domiciles. Side note there is restoration and excavation work ongoing at different sites within the park, so not every building is open to the public. Even some structures that were open within the past several months like the House of Menander and Lupanare di Pompei (Pompeii's brothel) were not open.

Pompeii is one of those "must see!" places,. Every year, the team excavating digs up new treasures…read moreone after another. Our tour took us to several, old and new, but I could have stayed twice as long and still not seen half. We arrived early, but by the time we left, people were pouring in. Walking down the commercial streets that in 79 AD were bustling with life. And then, in just a few hours, sterilized with the pyroclastic heat, and buried under ash and volcanic residue for 1600 years, a Roman city frozen in time.

POMPEII. Sprawling at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, this…read moreancient city's almost instantaneous downfall has for centuries become engrained in historical texts on western civilization. Archaeological excavations, groundbreaking discoveries, romantic idealizations, movie storylines have all lent to a heightened air of mystique surrounding this locale. Some logistical tips: I) Arriving from Naples: -- A) via public transit fastest is the local EAV commuter train Circumvesuviana from Porto Nolana, the 1st stop, or Napoli Centrale, the 2nd stop. Buy tickets the day of at the train station at ticket machines, for one way €3, round trip €6. A regular Trenitalia train is possible though these stop in the city center of modern Pompeii, east of the archaeological park, walkable in about 10 minutes to the eastern entrance though much less convenient. Check the schedule online; times don't always follow GMaps. I tried to get on the wrong train and the train platform staff directed me to the correct platform for a later departure. Trains get extremely crowded so don't expect seats for the 35 minute duration unless you get on at the first stop. --B) by bus, via a couple types of buses; both bus stops aren't the easiest to locate if taking it one-way. ----1) local EAV buses (#5000 and 5020) run from Napoli Centrale and other stops in Naples' vicinity to bus stop a block south of the Piazza Esedra/Piazza Porta Marina entrance on local route SS18 to the Pompeii Archeological Park. Tickets need to be purchased in advance on the app, at a bus/train station, or on the bus using exact change. They will not stop if full. ----2) by private bus: ie. Flixbus etc. I booked Flixbus online back to Naples since I heard about an EAV train workers strike the afternoon I visited, €15.95 one-way and departed directly on the side of the road (Via Villa dei Misteri) opposite the Scavi di Pompeii train station. What wasn't clear is that when you exit the park, it's via the Piazza Esedra exit so you have to walk back toward the other entrance. Also Flixbus uses affiliates so read your ticket carefully for alternative bus company names, bc you won't see a Flixbus logo. Trip took about 1.5 hours as they stopped multiple places but it was more comfortable than the train. --C) driving: probably the easiest though depends on where you're parking as the lot is very large and it can be up to a 10-12 minute walk to the Scavi di Pompeii entrance. 2) Tickets start at €20, booked in person or online by time slot. Definitely book in advance unless you have a museum pass of some sort (like a Naples Pass), then you can't book online and must queue at the ticket office which opens at 9am*. I arrived at 9:15-20am and waited for about 20min, with about 30ish people in front of me. There are bathrooms at the ticket office, one of a few locations on site. Headed straight into the park once procuring my ticket.** Tickets to the "suburban" Villa di Diomede and Villa dei Misteri are a separate fee of €8 payable in cash or card at the gate to that section of the park, if it's not already included in your combo ticket. It's not included in the regular Naples Pass access. Storage lockers are available for a fee. There's a bag size limit per their website but I did not see this being enforced. FINALLY...getting to the site itself. WOW. There is a lot to see. Barely doable in 4 hours at a brisk pace if you know where you're headed, though 5-6 hours be ideal and certainly you could spend a full day. An audio guide or tour guide is recommended though I bookmarked about two dozen individual sites on Gmaps in advance and used this the day of to guide my itinerary. Cell service can be spotty so download the map on your phone if you can. There are minimal bathroom and food/drink facilities on site, and you cannot leave and come back, so recommend bringing enough water and snacks. Reading various threads online, there's a lot of hyping up the size, I think a) bc there's a huge variety of visitors w/a range of travel experience and fitness, b) the streets are all large stone hewn blocks so it's harder than walking on a paved road. For sense of comparison, the site is about 1/5 the area of Central Park. With so many buildings to check out, I can see how exploring inside with crowds adds to the time it takes to get around. What's terrific is there are a lot of placards w/ info on individual dwellings or structures. Many have QR codes if you have decent reception. There are a couple formal museums, at the Palastre Grand and the Antiquarium. The two suburban villas north of the main site were a further walk though worth it imho, being restored relatively recently, the Villa dei Misteri with brilliantly colored frescos related to an esoteric cult of Dionysus. *Sneakily they don't mention this on the Naples Pass website or app...had to do some Reddit searches to figure this out. **20K visitor limit per day, 15K in 1st half, 5K 2nd half, but they never max out.

Great site to visit (been to many other ruins that were underwhelming)…read more Our tour guide was pretty good. He was funny but a bit hard to understand sometimes. This admission was part of a combo tour including a trip up the volcano plus lunch. The condition was rather impressive. Some buildings were in great shape. As your outside it is hard to imagine you would have been 20 some feet under ground (ash) a hundred years or more ago before they excavated. Plus they have unearthed only about 30% of the city. Many amazing relics & sad displays of humanity to see here. Worth the time to visit this ancient site.

If you have a short amount of time when visiting Napoli (Naples) and want to see ancient Romans,…read morethen Herculaneum is a great option. Highlights/Tips: + Can be reached by public transportation; however, there is a bit of a walk from the stop + Extremely well preserved + While smaller than Pompeii, there are less crowds and you can easily see all structures and key sites with a 2.5 hour visit depending upon how long you stand and look. + If you really want a more in depth understanding of the site, I'd go with a guide. While you can do a self guided tour, I feel that a guide can provide much more context and clue you in on additional things + Accessibility- some may find the experience a bit strenuous; however, the roads/ paths into the structures are much easier to navigate than Pompeii. They seem to be much flatter and not as steep. If you are a wheelchair user, I would highly recommend seeking recommendations from other individuals as I can't speak to this. +Shade- This is especially important during the summer months. There are more shady spots to be found in the Herculaneum. I would recommend going in the Gymnasium cave like area if you really need to cool down. ***Watch your step, especially if it has rained and/or just in general. Some of the areas for walking are uneven stones and I saw quite a few older individuals slip and cause themselves potentially ending vacation injuries on the day I went.

We wanted to tour some Vesuvius ruins, and like most people assumed Pompeii was the place to go…read more But luckily while researching I found Herculaneum...the much smaller and closer option for our brief stay in Naples. The train station was a short walk away. They provide (and require) free lockers for large backpacks. The grounds are fairly small and therefore quite manageable to wander in a couple hours. Everything was neat and clean, signed well, and easy to tour on your own...although there are guided tours of course.

The city of Sorrento is perched on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples and views for miles,…read morequaint cobblestone streets and shop filled alleys, detailed historic architecture and lemon & orange trees everywhere, I instantly fell in love! With the casual vibe of a seaside town, friendly people, exquisitely delicious food and fabulous local wine, it's impossible not to love Sorrento! My eight days there, whether exploring Sorrento itself or the surrounding areas, were glorious and already I want to return! The sherbert colored buildings, centuries old wooden and iron doors and detailed architecture line the streets and are a feast for your eyes. Make sure to walk along Via Correale with the upscale hotels and the best views of the pools and hotels built into the cliffs going down to the beach. To access the beach you need to take a lift from a hotel or on the west end of town, a public lift for $1 euro each way. It's totally worth it! There is also a path of switchbacks that takes you down. The beach is rocky and there are floating docks with recliners and stairs to the deep aqua blue waters. Lots of cafes down at water level, too. Views from the top are like a postcard or in todays terms, Instagram worthy. Treat yourself to lunch or dinner at one of the hotel restaurants. The food is fabulous and the atmosphere transports you. I recommend the Lorelei and it's outdoor patio with tables under white umbrellas and unparalleled views of Mt. Vesuvius. Or at the opposite end, sit under the lemon tree covered pergola at a table overlooking the cliffs and bathing docks below, the blue sky and the blue water of The Bay of Naples merging into one. Both meals were memorable and I will definitely be going back to both! In the heart of the city is I Giardini de Cataldo, a lemon grove with an entrance on the sidewalk of Via Corso Italia. You can wander and explore for free and try their limoncello and gelato, both available for purchase. Past the Piazza Tasso, the central square, there are narrow streets filled with shops, cafes, churches, museums, restaurants, and bars. The gorgeous centuries old doorways framed by hanging plants, bougainvillea, iron window boxes spilling over with geraniums, with and flag pendants and laundry hanging above. It is as charming as you have imagined, even better! Go down to the port and catch a ferry to the island of Capri where the boats in the harbor and pastel buildings great you. Many high end shops, restaurants and a boat ride to the blue grotto will be a full day. Hire a tour guide to drive you down the Amalfi Coast with stops in Positano, Rovello and Amalfi Town, each with their own beauty and charm. And lots and lots of steps and steep roads! The drive is incredibly beautiful but do leave the driving up to the skilled and experienced drivers. We also did a day trip to Salerno to visit a buffallo Mozzerella farm and have a farm fresh lunch; to Mt. Vesuvius to hike up to the crater; an afternoon taking in the wonders of Pompeii and this preserved ancient city; and a day in Naples where they truly have the worlds best pizza. Really! Even with all that, I had four full days in Sorrento and never ran out of things to do. There are cooking classes, which I highly recommend. Various tours. Lots of shopping. And too many restaurants to name! The food is some of the best in the world and it was surprisingly affordable especially the wine. Delicious pasta dishes for $10 and a bottle of wine for $8. I could live here! If Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast are not in your bucket list, they should be! Best time to go is early April or October as the summer months are super hot and the streets overflowing with tourists. We were there the last two weeks of October and it was sunny, 75-80 degrees, and blue skies every day. Plenty of people so you didn't feel like the town was isolated but never too crowded. Sorrento is a beautiful place in every way. Can not wait to return!

It's time for some travel inspo!…read more While Sorrento isn't an island, its location sits at a viewpoint of the Gulf of Naples and the surrounding iconic beauties of Southern Italy, like Mount Vesuvio. Here you'll find lemon and orange giardini (gardens), zig zags staircases, cobblestone roadways lined with lemon and orange trees, and beautiful historic architecture - all in a seemingly busy, however relaxed seaside lifestyle. With outdoor bistros and lots of conversation, you can't miss out on delectable food! I'll take you on a picture tour of Sorrento's residential streets, bayside, cliffside, shopping alleys, and some fun food. For the best experiences, when the countries open up, GO VISIT! (All my travel photos were taken 2019 pre-covid)