N. Back and P. Pack, are super happy! Finally, they’re going on an adventure that does not include buying bags or drinking cocktails! They were ready early in the morning to hit the road. First stop: Pompeii.
The car ride from Naples to Pompeii is less than 30 minutes. N. Back did not even manage to get the compulsory power nap in the car, but P. Pack did the regular quick facts check on the destination.
The more you know
Pompeii is an ancient city, located next to Mount Vesuvius and was destroyed in 79 AD after the eruption of the volcano. The ashes preserved the lifestyle of the roman inhabitants, which we can discover and admire today.
We had a tour guide that gave us quite some insides of the everyday life of the ancient inhabitants of Pompeii. As clever as they were they found a way to keep their feet dry from the water running down the streets. They placed steppingstones on the road; in a way like what we nowadays call “crosswalks”. One shall not forget all the water paths they have build with tall towers and aqueducts or fountains to keep the water flowing to where it is needed.
The houses in Pompeii reach from small cabins to giant villas, mostly rectangular shaped. Many of them have a sloping roof (complunium) to channel the rainwater into basins (implunium). Even today one can see the kitchen room with a flat, open area for a burning fire and cooking and imagine the vast dining area. It is believed that the family drank wine and enjoyed dishes placed in the middle of the room by slaves/servants. In a way this can be interpreted as the very first version of buffet dining. The family spent a lot of time in the dining area where they drank together and enjoyed the cool summer nights.
“Backyard” is a term already known by the romans, although the level of satisfaction might have been a different dimension back then. I cannot say that I enjoy how the modern world is developing their backyards 😉
We stopped in an ancient roman bath house, which was used by locals and travellers to keep good hygiene and to fill the pockets of clever businessmen who operated such facilities.
Symbolically, a completely preserved woman corps was found in the female section of the baths and according to scientists, the woman was pregnant at the time of her tragic death. The preserved body is presented and shows us how much smaller the ancient romans were back then.
If there is a public bath in town, there are places to get dirty as well. For example, Pompeii had brothels (way more than one it is assumed), which had stone beds for each worker to ensure stable working conditions. And yes, there were worker of both sexes employed; for his and her pleasure.
The large theatre, the basilica and the Forum, which was one of the most open spaces in the densely populated city, are evidence of the sophisticated and dynamic lifestyle of the ancient romans.
We may be only backpacks, but we are still jealous of those romans living in such a lovely city. If the tragical event of the Vesuvius eruption did not take place, we can really see ourselves moving in there. 😉
Black humour helps us to deal with sadness and this is the exact feeling which we had to deal with while walking around ancient Pompeii.
All bags and people should visit and feel the energy of this place. Keeping the memory alive, brings the awareness how lucky we are to have all the modern knowledge and safety at our homes, far away and safe from volcano eruptions.
To cheer us up from the sadness we felt, we needed adventure, and what could be a bigger adventure than climbing the crater of the Vesuvius volcano! This is exactly what we did. So boring that we always have to bring these two nerds with us: Nelly and Philipp. They just slow us down with all their photo and pipi breaks!
From Pompeii to the entry of the crater visiting part it took us 10 minutes and about 1 million turns. Our advice is to try not to get car sick to save some energy for the hike up. The hike (easy-medium difficulty) is just about 1 km up and 1 km down on the path that is prepared and suitable for kids and elderlies. We would not recommend coming with trolleys, though.
It takes 30 minutes up and 30 minutes down. The path does not go around the crater completely, so after half the circle one has to turn and head back. But do not be disappointed! The chance to see the crater of the volcano, which will FOR SURE erupt again, is unforgettable. According to scientists, the volcano could erupt soon again and theoretically kill thousands of people. So please go and visit as long as it is safe to do so!
Backpack secrets revealed
- To visit Mount Vesuvius, you should by the ticket online – 10 EURO
- Most of the times, tickets are not available, because local tour guides are buying them.
- Going with a touristic bus is a comfortable alternative. It helps to reduce stress to find a parking space, which could be too small to fit your car anyway!
- Eat the local tomatoes grown on volcano soil: Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio
Loving your journey around Pompeii and Versuvius 😍 please share more of your back pack stories!!
Thank you Thanh!🥰 We will keep traveling and sharing our experiences but what about you?!