We spent 6 hours traipsing around the ruins of Pompeii. A 'bucket list' item for me - I've seen two travelling displays at home about Pompeii and have always been intrigued by the tragic volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD that buried Pompeii in ash and lapilli. The city was rediscovered at the end of the 16th century but explorations only began in 1748 and have continued ever since. The archaeological site spreads over 66 hectares and 49 of those have been excavated. The folk of Pompeii had warning of the impending disaster and the majority of the 15,000 inhabitants escaped with 13% of the population taken.
Today the actual site is laid out as it was and the houses, restaurants, bathhouses, bakeries etc are clearly recognisable. The area was relatively wealthy so some of the frescos, statues, intricate mosaics (floor and wall) and other adornments were impressive. It is easy to imagine how the city 'worked' all those years ago. Some of the architecture and building methods were amazing, particularly the intricate plumbing and drainage systems.
A sensational day!! We didn't see it all - needed another day to see everything I think.