Pompei Holidays

In Pompeii you’ll find history around every corner, so it is highly recommended that you’ll get a guide to notice every detail of what you are seeing. Pompeii's Amphitheatre, the oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world, will transport you back to that ancient past, and Villa of the Mysteries - a well-preserved Roman villa which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Pompeii - will delight your eyes with its famous frescoes depicting the initiation of a young woman into a Greco-Roman mystery cult. To get astounding insights into the everyday lives of 1st century Romans, visit the Suburban Baths, an ancient public bath house, and head off The Macellum of Pompeii, Pompeii’s ancient market, one of the focal points of the ancient city. And don’t forget to go and visit Pompeii’s most luxurious ancient residence - House of the Vettii - which still has incredibly preserved frescoes, and the House of the Faun, one of the largest and most impressive aristocratic residences in ancient Pompeii.

Pompeii summer holidays would not be complete without a trip to at least one the nearby towns of Positano, Marina del Cantone, Amalfi, or Maiori which, with their fantastic beaches and constant sunshine, offer an abundance of opportunities to relax and unwind. If you can fit it into your trip, it is highly recommended that you cruise down the Amalfi Coast to enjoy all the sun and sea South Italy has to offer. This area is one of the most picturesque in all of Italy, with its residences lining the cliffside looking like they’re defying gravity – seeing them from the blue waters will guarantee a sight like no other.

South Italy and food are almost synonymous, and Pompeii won’t let you down. Local food is so fresh that everything you’ll taste has the potential of being an experience for the senses. Don’t forget to try the classic tomato sauce and pasta, as you can be sure it won’t have the same taste in any other part of the world. While you’re here, why not head off to nearby Naples to try the truly original local pizza? Being the birthplace of this famous food, the entire area has a multitude of independent pizzerias to choose from, and you can be sure that the pizza you’ll eat here will taste as nothing you have tried before!

Should you be interested in learning the local culinary secrets, head off to Amalfi where local chef Rodolfo Lecce hosts weekly cooking lessons. You can learn how to make the traditional fritters of Saint Joseph with lemon cream (zeppole di San Giuseppe con crema al limone) from one of the masters!

Italians are proud of their food and you can be sure that they’ll be delighted to point you to the best items on the menu or to the best local restaurants, so when in doubt, ask for advice or keep an eye on the locals to see which eateries they go to.

Pompeii is always full of events, especially in the summertime. Since the release of the famous 1972 Live at Pompeii concert by Pink Floyd, musical shows and theatrical performances set on the backdrop of the beautiful local ruins have been some of the best entertainment any tourist could hope for in this area. Keep an eye on the calendar of events and see if there is something you’d like to see! You won’t be disappointed by the stunning atmosphere this place adds to any performance.

If you’re looking for something different, then head off to Naples for some truly astounding nightlife: the hustle and bustle of the city is as strong in the night as it is by day, with tons of restaurants, bars, clubs, disco-bars, all open until very late, so you can easily party into the early hours!

Pack sun-hats and sunscreen, and explore Pompeii with your family! Take a stroll around the ancient city and stop at the Teatro Grande for a picnic  and some well-deserved rest.

Just a note of caution if you’re travelling with kids: among the ruins, you’ll find an ancient brothel with explicit paintings on the walls. There are also several signs around the city pointing to it, so keep your eyes open if you’d prefer your children not to see it, and head off to the gorgeous Amalfi coast instead for some sea, sunshine, and lots of fun.

Walk around the ancient roman villas and explore the local culture with your partner, before heading on for some astounding landscapes along the Amalfi coast. Why not plan a trip to the gorgeous Positano? The entire town is built into a cliff, with one road winding its way from the top to the bottom. Alternatively you might like to take a trip to Capri where you can enjoy the wonderful sights and stroll down streets lined with upscale boutiques and designer brands. Then reach the Tragara Viewpoint to enjoy the incredible view of the famous Faraglioni rocks.

Pompeii holidays are in themselves an adventure, but if you’re looking for something with even more action why not visit the Mount Vesuvius National Park and trek your way to the top? Then maybe head off to Capri where you can follow the steep staircase to the Grotta di Matermania, a large, natural cavern near the astounding Arco Natural, and feel like you’ve just stepped inside an Indiana Jones movie! Don’t forget to also take a boat tour around the island, and to stop at the famous Blue Grotto and Emerald and White Grottos! If you can fit a day in your schedule just for swimming around and exploring the small islands that surround this area, you’ll return home with some unforgettable memories of your Italian holidays.

There is no better place in the world to explore life in ancient Imperial Roman Empire than Pompeii. Destroyed and completely buried by a catastrophic two-days eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD (eruption that killed 10% of Pompeii's population which, at the time, was composed of around 20.000 people), Pompeii is now a bona-fide large scale museum, a time capsule preserving the remains of those who died during the eruption—killed by the gases first, covered by the ashes later, and then solidified into their own statues, many of which are still intact today and for everybody to see.

The city, which is visited every year by around 2.5 million travellers, was founded around the 7^th century BC and at the time of destruction comprised a gymnasium, an amphitheatre, and a complex water system. Its ruins are invaluable and allow us to see how its citizens, both wealthy and poor, used to live 2000 years ago.

Look out for the grand old Amphitheatre, the Pompeii Basilica, and the Temple of Apollo, and don’t miss The House of the Tragic Poet (also called The Homeric House or The Iliadic House), a famous Roman villa with elaborate mosaic floors and frescoes depicting scenes from Greek myths.