Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you're keen to explore the national park
Naples Trips & Tours
( 349 7155270;
www.naplestripsandtours.com
)
runs a daily horse-riding tour of the park (weather permitting) for
€50 and running between three to four hours. It includes transfers to/from Naples or
Ercolano-Scavi train station.
If travelling by car, exit the A3 at Ercolano Portico and follow signs for the Parco
Nazionale del Vesuvio. Note that when weather conditions are bad the summit path is shut
and bus departures are suspended.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Pompeii
POP 25,500
A stark reminder of the malign forces that lie deep inside Vesuvius, Pompeii (Pompei in
Italian) is Europe's most compelling archaeological site. Each year about 2.5 million
people pour in to wander the ghostly shell of what was once a thriving commercial centre.
Its appeal goes beyond tourism, though. From an archaeological point of view, it's
priceless. Much of the value lies in the fact that it wasn't simply blown away by Vesuvius:
rather it was buried under a layer of lapilli, as Pliny the Younger describes in his celeb-
rated account of the eruption. The result is a remarkably well-preserved slice of ancient
life, where visitors can walk down Roman streets and snoop around millennia-old abodes
and businesses (including a brothel).
