Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
hind the stage, the porticoed Quadriportico dei Teatri was initially used for the audience to
stroll between acts, and later as a barracks for gladiators. Next door, the
Teatro Piccolo
(also known as the Odeion) was once an indoor theatre renowned for its acoustics, while
the pre-RomanTempio di Iside (Temple of Isis) was a popular place of cult worship.
Terme Stabiane & Casa della Venere in Conchiglia
As it shoots eastward, Via Marina becomes Via dell'Abbondanza (Street of Abundance).
Lined with ancient shops, this was the city's main thoroughfare and where you'll find the
Terme Stabiane, a typical 2nd century BC bath complex. Entering from the vestibule,
bathers would stop off in the vaulted
apodyterium
before passing through to the
tepidari-
um
and
caldarium
. Particularly impressive is the stuccoed vault in the men's changing
room, complete with whimsical images of
putti
(winged babies) and nymphs.
VINTAGE VILLAS
Buried beneath the unappealing streets of Torre Annunziata,
Oplontis
was once a blue-ribbon
seafront suburb under the administrative control of Pompeii. First discovered in the 18th century,
only two of its houses have been unearthed, and only one, Villa Poppaea, is open to the public. This
villa is a magnificent example of an
otium
villa (a residential building used for rest and recreation),
thought to have belonged to Sabina Poppaea, Nero's second wife. Particularly outstanding are the
richly coloured 1st-century wall paintings in the
triclinium
(dining room) and
calidarium
(hot bath-
room) in the west wing. Marking the villa's eastern border is a garden with an envy-inducing swim-
ming pool (17m by 61m). The villa is a straightforward 300m walk from Torre Annunziate Circum-
vesuviana train station.
South of Oplontis,
Stabiae
stood on the slopes of the Varano hill overlooking what was then the
sea and is now modern Castellammare di Stabia. Here at Stabiae you can visit two villas: the 1st cen-
tury BC Villa Arianna and the larger Villa San Marco, said to measure more than 11,000 sq metres.
Neither is in mint condition, but the frescoes in Villa Arianna suggest that it must once have been
quite something. Both are accessible by bus from Via Nocera Circumvesuviana station.
Some 3km north of Pompeii, the archeaological site of
Boscoreale
consists of a rustic country
villa dating back to the 1st century BC, and a fascinating antiquarium showcasing artefacts from