Day 4 (all pics here)
Between Rome and Pompeii we stopped in Herculaneum, a smaller site, but less over run with tourists and perhaps a bit better preserved. Frescoes, Mosaics, etc in very good shape.
From there we drove on to Pompeii and checked into the Hotel Forum. Definitely appears to be the nicest hotel in the tourist part of Pompeii… with fruit gardens full of grafted orange/melon/whoknowswhat trees to sit under and enjoy a drink.
A very nice dinner at La Bettola Del Gusto. Good wine:
Day 5 (all pics here)
Having a full day available in Pompeii was a wise choice. Getting started early before the heat came on and the crowds arrived was an even better one. We started from the back end of the site by their amphitheater and picked up a private guide, Antonio, who was very knowledgeable about history and kept us on pace.
Red light district building fresco:
The main judicial building:
After 3 hours in the sun and having covered all the major spots in Pompeii ruins, we jumped in the car and without lunch (just some Biscotti) we decided to hike Vesuvius. Yes, hike the volcano, that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum.
There is still steam seeping out of the rocks inside the crater in places, but it has not erupted since 1942.
Dinner at “Ristorante President” with very charismatic waiter “Paulo”. Food good, wine (Gemma) better:
The next day we would take the long drive up to Florence.