Our ship docked in Sorrento, and then we bussed to Pompeii. Sorrento is situated on top of a hill. It is fascinating to look up at the buildings.
Pompeii is a vast archaeological site in southern Italy’s Campania region, near the coast of the Bay of Naples. Once a thriving and sophisticated Roman city, Pompeii was buried under meters of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The preserved site features excavated ruins of streets and houses that visitors can freely explore. In 1599, Pompeii was accidentally rediscovered during construction of a canal. Serious excavations began in 1748 and are still ongoing, making Pompeii the longest-continually-excavated site in the world. Ironically, the ash that had destroyed Pompeii also ensured its preservation, leaving it frozen in time. As a result, its ruins offer the best look anywhere at life in an ancient Roman town, with its gridded street plan, villas and homes, commercial buildings, public baths, and colorful frescoes left remarkably intact.
We spent the whole day examining the ruins and taking lots of pictures. I will select a few to give you an idea of what the site is like.
Returning to Sorrento, we had great views of the bay. And then we could look up at the town.
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