Pompei

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Romans took control of Pompeii around 200 BC. On August 24, 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted, burying the nearby town of Pompeii in ash and soot, killing 20, 000 people, and preserving the city in its state from that fateful day. Pompeii is an excavation (It: scavi) site and outdoor museum of the ancient Roman settlement. This site is considered to be one of the few sites where an ancient city has been preserved in detail - everything from jars and tables to paintings and people was frozen in time, yielding, together with neighbouring Herculaneum which suffered the same fate, an unprecedented opportunity to see how the people lived two thousand years ago. Tickets are €11 per adult (no reductions, unless you are under 26 or over 65 and an EU citizen and can prove it). A five-site pass costs €20. This includes Herculaneum and is valid for 3 days. As entrance to Herculaneum is also €11 buying this ticket saves you €2 even if you do not visit any of the other sites. The "Campania ArteCard", which costs €30 offers free admission to numerous sites in the region if you are planning to be in Campania for several days. The site is open daily from 8:30 to 19:30 (November to March from 8:30 to 17:00) and the last ticket is sold 90 minutes before closing. It is closed on 1st January, 1st May, and 25th December.

Sights included:

• Porta Marina (Sea gate) . This was one of the eight gates founded in Pompeii.
• The Ground surface You will see in the ground there are small tiles called cateyes. The moon’s light or candle light reflects off these tiles and gave light, so people could see where they were walking at night.
• Temple of Apollo. This is to the north of the Basilica on the western side of the Forum. It has the oldest remains discovered, with some, including Etruscan items, dating back to 575BC, although the layout we see now was later than that.
• The Basilica This is to the west of the Forum. It was the most important public building of the city where both justice was administered and trade was carried on.
• Forum. This was the center of public life. It was surrounded by many of the important governmment, religious and business buildings. It was originally at the center of the city, although it is to the southwest of the excavated area.
• Forum Granary Artifacts like amphorae (pots) and plaster casts of people who did not escape the eruption are stored in this building, which was designed to be the public market but may not have been finished before the eruption.
• Baths. There are several baths to be inspected. The Forum Baths are just north of the forum and close to the restaurant. They are well-preserved and roofed. Be careful not to miss them as the entranceway is a long passage with no indication of the delights inside. The Central Baths occupy a much larger area but are less well-preserved. Close to these are the Stabian baths which have some interesting decorations and give a good idea of how baths used to function in Roman times.
• House of the Tragic Poet. This small atrium house is best known for the mosaic at the entrance depicting a chained dog, with the words Cave Canem or Beware of the Dog.
• Bars and Bakeries You will walk past where their bars and bakeries once existed. The bars had counters with three to four holes in them. They have water or other beverages available in the holes. The bakeries’ ovens look similar to the old brick stone oven. The House of the Baker has a garden area with millstones of lava used for grinding the wheat.
• House of the Faun. This is named after a statue of a dancing faun found on the site. It is considered to be an excellent example of the fusion of Italian and Greek architectural styles, and occupies an entire block.
• Street There are tracks for the carriages in the street for a smoother ride. There are also stone blocks in the street for pedestrians to step onto to cross the street. The sidewalks are higher than the modern sidewalk because the streets had water and waste flowing through them. The stone blocks in the street were also as high as the sidewalk, so people did not walk in the waste and water. The stone blocks were also used for what we now call speed bumps. When the carriages were going through the city, they were going fast. To avoid people from getting splashed by the water and waste they had stone blocks in the street. This would make the driver slow down when they were speeding, so they could get through the blocks.
• Lupanar An ancient brothel with pornographic frescoes over the entrance to each room, presumably indicating the particular speciality on offer. Even allowing for the smaller size of ancient Romans the beds seem rather small.
• Theater. Theater built in the hollow of a hill for acoustics, seated 5, 000

Outside of the city walls:

• Via dei Sepolcri A long street with worn ruts from carts.
• Villa dei Misteri (Villa of the Mysteries) A house with curious frescoes, perhaps of women being initiated into the Cult of Dionysus. Contains one of the finest fresco cycles in Italy, as well as humorous ancient graffiti.

1 - Tempio di Apollo
2 - Basilica
3 - Foro
4 - Granai del Foro
5 - Casa del Cinghiale
6 - Lupanare
7 - Panificio
8 - Vicolo Storto
9 - Casa del Fauno
10 - Terme Stabiane
11 - Tempio di Iside
12 - Teatro Grande
13 - Quadriportico dei Teatri
14 - Via Stabiana
15 - Via dell'Abbondanza
16 - Orto dei Fuggiaschi
17 - Palestra Grande
18 - Anfiteatro
19 - Necropoli di Porta Nocera
20 - Via dei Sepolcri
21 - Villa dei Misteri

Information
Available: All year round
Tour Duration: 4-5 hours
Pick-Up - Drop-Off Location: Hotels, villas, apartments and more...
Pick-up time : 9:00 am (is only a suggestion and we can modify)
Included: luxury Mercedes air conditioned vehicle, English speaking driver, all taxes, tolls, parking and gasoline.
Not included : lunch, gratuities, entrance fees.