Circumvesuviana

Their Tragedy, Tourism's Triumph

01/07/09 14:51 Filed in: Europe

Jacob Stevenson hops across the stoned that prevented the residents from Pompeii from getting wet when it flooded.

Recently, The Ottawa Citizen asked me to contribute to a story on places that are overlooked and underrated. I immediately chose Pompeii. I’m utterly flabbergasted by how many get to Italy but never make it to Pompeii. Are you kidding me? It’s hands-down the best site I’ve EVER visited. I’ve been twice, most recently with my brother Jacob (seen in these pictures) in February ’08.

Here’s what I wrote:
Why people ignore it: Because it's a departure from the predictable Venice-Florence-Rome track and you have to go through big bad Naples to get there.
Why you shouldn't: Until you experience it for yourself, it's hard to grasp the sheer magnitude of Pompeii, which was frozen in time when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and dumped a lethal storm of hot ash upon the unlucky community. Yearn for time travel? It doesn't get better than this real Roman city, complete with streets, restaurants, baths, an amphitheatre and its own impressive colosseum. The site is so large that you might find yourself alone inside an ancient home, admiring 2,000-year-old

frescoes. And the most magical yet chilling part of all: the residents themselves are on display, their terrifying final moments captured in plaster casts.
Info: Pompeii is open year-round and entry is $17 for adults. Get there by taking the Circumvesuviana train south from Naples (which isn't that bad. Try their margherita pizza, you'll see). Budget an entire day to see it properly and don't bypass the excellent audioguide or the circular walk around the perimeter. www.pompeiisites.org

Tags: Italy, Pompeii, Vesuvius, Mount , Archaeology, ash, Bodies , Plaster, Casts, Circumvesuviana, Site, Tourism, Reb, Jacob Stevenson, Stevenson