Crumbling columns and skeletal structures in opus reticulatum; fading frescoes and musty mosaics – some of which have quite amazingly been left in tact; marble fragments and headless statues; an oculus said to predate that of the Pantheon; and an upside down fig tree; there are more than enough ruins and fascinations at Baia Archaeological Park to spark one’s imagination,...

This onetime cliffside pirate lookout comes to us from the Aragonese, but its prime location was certainly exploited by the Romans. It was Julius Caesar (although some argue it was Emperor Nero) who had his summer villa on this seaside hilltop. The stunning vistas from the castle’s rooftop terraces – Capri, Ischia, Procida and the Bay of Pozzuoli – are definitely worth the trip. History buffs will love...

The first thing to know about Cumae is that it’s an out-of-the way site that’s not easy to get to, nor well served by public transport. Most days, it’s a very quiet place to have a wander and it’s lacking in any real services for tourists. There’s a lot of walking involved with steep grades, but the views are compensatory....

The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in Italy. It also draws the largest crowds. So many in fact, it’s nearly impossible to get a sense of the place, to find the quiet and stillness your mind needs to imagine what it was like there some 2000 years ago. By contrast, the 3rd largest amphitheater in Italy, the Flavian Amphitheater, draws virtually...

Everyone should visit Pompeii once in their lifetime, but it’s Herculaneum that you’ll want to revisit again and again. A wealthy Roman town to Pompeii’s bustling port city, Herculaneum is much smaller than its more famous neighbor, but it packs just as much punch. Its compactness makes it easier to manage, especially for little ones and there are far fewer visitors, a...

There is an old grotto on the south side of this lake. It was from here that Aeneas left on his quest to find Hades, thanks to a bit of guidance from the Cumaen Sibyl. A stairwell inside this cave, we are told, leads to the river Styx. Up until recently you could arrange to see inside, but sadly, the...

Journey 40 meters below ground, down 136 steps, to the cavernous cisterns and narrow channels hollowed out by the Greeks for their aqueduct system. Expanded by the Romans, this subterranean space found purpose by all those who came after. Grim reminders of its use as an air raid shelter during WWII will send shivers down your spine. The tour includes...

You’ve climbed the volcano and visited the excavations, now you MUST see the impressive collection of Roman art and artifacts that came from these excavations at Naples National Archaeological Museum. The mosaics from the House of the Faun at Pompeii, especially the Alexander Mosaic are simply stunning as is the museum’s collection of frescoes from the Vesuvian sites, with all four Pompeian painting styles represented....

We can’t say for certain that this was the home of Nero’s second wife, Sabina Poppaea, but if it was, that fact would certainly add a bit of intrigue to this splendid and well preserved Roman era villa. What we can say about Villa Poppaea is that of all of the Pompeii Sites, this excavation feels the most intimate and the frescoes here are the...

Hidden behind a church, this quiet little park climbs up the side of Posillipo hill, a switchback walking path follows the contours of the park’s terraces. Enshrouded within an encroaching urban landscape – the nearby train station and a heavily trafficked car tunnel – it’s a (quasi) quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. The views of Vesuvius and the...

So stunning is the architecture in this cistern, you may think you’re in an underground cathedral. Rays of sunlight dance across the timeworn 15 meter high barrel-vaulted ceiling and illuminate the moss and vegetation that are slowly overtaking this ancient cavernous structure. Atmospheric, as the Italians say, may be the only way to describe Piscina Mirabilis. An enormous Roman cistern carved out of...

This mammoth Roman archaeological site has it all. One of the most famous in the world, archaeologists have been peeling back its layers for nearly three centuries. Thus far, they have uncovered 45 of the city’s 66 hectares along with some 1,500 private spaces and public places that tell how the Romans lived… and how they died.  From the city’s...

Few churches in Naples were spared the elaborate ornamentations of the Baroque and San Lorenzo Maggiore was among them. The church was so over embellished, in fact, that it nearly crumbled under the weight and was eventually stripped back (except for two Cosimo Fanzago chapels) to the quasi original French Gothic form commissioned by the Franciscans. Built on top of a 6th-century structure, a...

There are three good reasons to visit the Stabian Villas: the villas, the views, and on most days, they are virtually visitor free. Explore Pompeii with ten thousand of your best friends or venture to the Stabian villas for a calm, and dare we say, relaxed outing. Two villas are open to explore: Villa San Marco and Villa Arianna. They sit about...

Misnomered by 18th century archaeologists as a temple to the god Serapis, this was actually the site of Roman Pozzuoli’s ancient market place, the macellum. Today, it’s just one part of Pozzuoli’s landscape and the locals’ everyday backdrop. If you’re not impressed by this seemingly unexceptional Roman excavation site that seems to be swallowed up by the modern construction around it,...