Pompeii

Pompeii needs no introduction.  A spectacular town south of Mount Vesuvius of approximately 20,000 inhabitants, the town had a sprawling market centre, 2 amphitheatres, a gladiator training centre and many properties even had their own olive groves and vineyards.

As Vesuvuis had never erupted in generations, the inhabitants had assumed it to be a large mountain.  As explained in my previous post, it was also much larger than it is today.  The earthquakes and tremors people felt did not have any significance to them as they didn't understand what was lurking on their doorstep.

If you can, make the effort to book an independent guide.  Many package tours allow for 2 hours and, when the place is busy, this simply isn't enough time to truly appreciate the splendour of this place.  A tour guide will set you back a few pounds, but they will give you an extra hour which I believe is well worth it, taking you to some places off the beaten track.  You're also free to wander at leisure afterwards, instead of being herded onto a bus to your next tourist enclave.

There are lots of little gems that you learn, from what all the rude drawings and statues represent, to the grooves in the shop doorways, to the meaning of some of the mosaic tile works and how the shops were laid out.

However, one of the eeriest things is seeing the plastercasts of the bodies; there is a whole section that explains it further, but in effect the teams could make out hollows where bodies had been, but only skeletons were found.  They filled these hollows with plaster and this gave them an idea of the positions of the people when they died.  You can see bits of skulls and teeth showing through as well, so while it is macabre it is also rather fascinating.  All I could think about was, what was going through their minds when they realised they couldn't escape from the rocks, poisonous gases and lava flows?

I really hope you get the chance to visit one day, if you've not been already.  I have far too many photos of the place, but here's a few of my personal favourites.

The next blog will start to visit the Amalfi Coast.  Until then, enjoy your travels.

More About Capri

One of the highlights of visiting Capri is going up in the chair lift.  You get stunning views across the island, across the Bay of Naples and back out to sea.  To get there, you must catch one of the regular buses up to AnaCapri, along the 'mama-mia' road which is named as such because of the sheer drops beneath you as the bus ascends.

The chair lifts are single person and look a touch scary if this is your first time, but there are people around to help you onto and off the lift at either end.  The views are spectacular, as you can see. 

If you like your walking, there are a couple of tracked routes available for you to descend back to AnaCapri.

There is a wonderful hidden garden with a stunning stone built gazebo.  I am sure the gardens looked far more spectacular at one time, but they have been neglected over time which is a real shame.  However it is still worth the diversion and views of the faraglioni fingers.

This was a very fitting end to our stay on the island, as we then headed off to the Amalfi Coast.

Next - a special feature on Pompeii.

Another useful link is Italy Heaven which has a page on Capri and getting around.