Many places in Italy do certainly feel like the time has stopped, from open air ruins of the ancient times to medieval villages perched on the top of a hill in the Apennines, surely there are many occasions for us to dive in direct contact with the past.
However, no place in Italy (nor in the world) gives us this sensation more than Pompeii.
Many tourists, both local and international, flock to the sunny region of Campania every year just to have a guided tour in Pompeii to discover the city and know more about its peculiar and tragic story that is still impressive today.
In this article, we will explore Pompeii and explain to you why this place is set as one of the hottest and unmissable destinations in every platform dedicated to travel and tourism.
The tragic and unique history of Pompeii
There are many museums that contain ancient Roman manufacts and artifacts.
However, Pompeii is arguably unique in its kind, as well as the most visited in the country, and this is due to Pompeii’s peculiar history.
Until the year 69 CE, in fact, this town at the slopes of Mount Vesuvius was known by the ancient Romans as a destination for recreation, decadence and entertainment: due to its vicinity to Naples and its port, Pompeii was known to host taverns and brothels to entertain the passing merchants and sailors.
None of its inhabitants would have ever imagined that the nearby quiet Vesuvius would explode violently, submerging Pompeii and its inhabitants with ashes and debris causing their immediate death and consigning the city to centuries of oblivion.
Only in the late XVIII century, the site of the old city of Pompeii has started to be excavated, and the findings were massively astonishing: much of the city structure, its streets, buildings and alleys, the house rooms and even the remainders of some of its inhabitants have been kept preserved by the volcanic debris.
In essence, Pompeii is an intact old Roman city, admirable all year long and enjoyable in open air.
Pompeii today: an open-air museum
Surely, the context of the museum of Pompeii’s excavations can be enough of a reason to go there, and lose ourselves admiring a glimpse of life from the 1st century CE, but this may not be the best way to fully enjoy and understand what lies in front of your eyes.
There is much more to learn beyond the astonishing context: as mentioned earlier, from the ashes of the Vesuvium everything emerged: from the structures, to corpses, to mosaics, to incisions, a clear and rounded up picture of roman everyday life, an immense patrimony of information that is reachable to you, especially with the help of a skilled tour guide.
Pompeii talks to us
Walking around Pompeii like a wanderer and and just start immortalizing yourself in the old city with your smartphone may look enough of fun already, but our advice is to give Pompeii a try and immerse yourself with someone who will guide you in-depth in the mysteries of Pompeii, the extravagance of ancient Roman life but also their similarities with us.
For example, did you know that Pompeii is famous for its engravings on the walls in ancient Latin? Given its peculiar history for a place of decadence and enjoyment, a guide can definitely explain the meaning of those incisions: we assure you won’t be disappointed.
Conclusion
If there is a list of places in the world worthy to be explained in depth, Pompeii is probably at the top of the list. You will end up enriched and amazed, as if you had a trip within your trip!