Pompeii

© Edward Mack

Nothing much has changed in the Roman city of Pompeii over the past 2,000 years or so. Except, being covered in ash, dust and lava, preserved nearlyperfectly, and uncovered by archeologists decades later. Visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site today can get a glimpse unlike no other into what life was like in 79 AD.

Walking the stone streets of Pompeii, visiting its houses and temples, its forum and amphitheater, is like stepping back into the past — an eerily quiet past filled with ghosts. Around the site, visitors will find plaster casts of citizens who were buried in the volcanic eruption, mosaics, frescos and statues. They can walk through Roman houses preserved as though their occupants had just stepped out to borrow a cup of flour from the neighbors.

© Edward Mack

One of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, Pompeii receives more than 2.5 million visitors a year, making it a challenge to protect and preserve the site. Italy has undertaken a $145 million restoration project to restore the site and preserve it from future decay.

The ruins are easily accessible from Naples and Rome, being a 45-minute train ride from the former and a slightly longer trip from the latter. Trains between Naples and Pompeii are crowded, dirty and often off-schedule, but the discomfort is worthwhile to visit the ruined city with the ill-tempered Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background.

The active volcano also presents a worthwhile endeavor — a panoramic of Pompeii, Naples and its bay rewards hikers. Mt. Vesuvius remains active, begging the question of whether it is only a matter of time before it erupts again, threatening the 3 million nearby residents with a second Pompeii.

As an alternative to Pompeii, consider visiting Herculaneum, a nearby town likewise preserved by the eruption.