Italy Tour – Pompeii

This post is a continuation of our 11-day Italy tour and now we are down to our last 3-day stop in Sorrento in the south of the country. But before arriving in Sorrento, we stopped at the historic archaeological site of Pompeii. The city buried by a volcano in 79AD.

But First a Winery Stop On The Way

It was one of those days that rained all day long. We were prepared with layers and wearing rain gear so our spirits were not damped as we made a rest stop for lunch and another winery tasting. How many wineries so far? Another enjoyable reason to come to Italy.

At this winery, we had a few glasses to try their offerings and some small plates of appetizers or antipasi as the locals call them.

Just as a reminder, that we are taking this tour with Pat’s brother Mike and his wife Lorna. It was both of our 50th anniversaries recently and this trip was a belated celebration. We thoroughly enjoyed the time together.

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Pompeii History

Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area was buried under 13 to 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice in the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Largely preserved under the ash, the excavated city offers a unique snapshot of Roman life, frozen at the moment it was buried, although much of the detailed evidence of the everyday life of its inhabitants was lost in the excavations.

It was a wealthy town, with a population of 11,000 in AD 79 enjoying many fine public buildings and luxurious private houses with lavish decorations, furnishings and works of art which were the main attractions for the early excavators. Organic remains, including wooden objects and human bodies, were interred in the ash. Over time, they decayed, leaving voids that archaeologists found could be used as molds to make plaster casts of unique, and often gruesome, figures in their final moments of life.

Photos

As in all the other tours, we had an expert guide from the local area. Fitting with hearing headsets, we were able to hear the tour comments while viewing the old city.

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The next photos are of the bakery. Part of the bakery would have been a grain grinding process probably worked by animals. Large millstones would grind and the flour fell through to prepare for making bread. There were 36 bakeries.

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The Roman baths were an important part of life in Pompeii. Not only for hygiene but they were relaxation and socializing. They were divided into men’s and women’s. There were several rooms: changing room, cold bath, warm bath, and hot bath.

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And there were brothels of which one was intact for our tour. Many small rooms with a bed. Interesting fresco paintings on the walls that were quite explicit and provided the offerings of the establishment. Another insight into this culture was that this type of painting was found in many of the affluent homes.

Then we were onto the forum.

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Most of the people of Pompeii escaped before the heavy ash fell and buried the town. Those who either stayed or else returned for valuables were instantly buried under 20 feet of ash. Frozen in time.

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Then we got back on the bus, a little soggy, and proceeded to Sorrento.

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Wrap Up

Next up it is Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast on the southern coast of Italy. Some absolutely amazing views. Thanks for following along! Take care and God Bless.