Visiting Pompeii: take a trip far back in time and explore an ancient civilisation kept perfectly intact beneath volcanic ash.
Now a UNESCO world heritage site, Pompeii is one of the most fascinating archaeological destinations in the Naples area. This amazing area is quite close to Hotel Tiempo and in a mere 30 minutes you will find yourself wandering through the magnificent wide streets of an ancient-Roman city surrounded by remains perfectly preserved underneath volcanic dust after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D..
Getting to Pompeii
Getting to Pompeii from Hotel Tiempo is really easy:
– By the Circumvesuviana train (Naples-Sorrento line), a short 5-minute walk from the hotel (Gianturco station).
– By car, a 30 minute drive from the hotel along the A3 (exit Pompeii).
Pompeii and the excavation site
The archaeological excavation site in Pompeii is open every day from 8:30 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon (1st November until 31st March) with the last admission at 3.30 in the afternoon, and every day between 8.30 and 7.30 in the evening (1st April until 31st October) with the last admission at 6 in the evening. A few of the unmissable sights in Pompeii are:
The Amphitheatre of Pompeii
An amphitheatre dating back to 80 B.C.: here you will be able to explore the oldest-surviving buildings of its type where the lively Pompeian spectators cheered on the show put on by the ancient circuses and fights between gladiators. This is also the place where one of the most memorable events in modern music history took place in 1971 – the recorded performance of the concert documentary “Live at Pompeii” by the group Pink Floyd.
The Forum of Pompeii
The Forum was the heart of the ancient city of Pompeii. Here you will be able to walk in the footsteps of the inhabitants who once thronged the streets thousands of years ago, observing the remains of old shops, government buildings and the temple of Apollo, a sacred site situated in the centre of the square.
The House of the Faun at Pompeii
A grand palace that takes its name from the bronze statue of the dancing faun found inside. This was probably the most impressive residential estate in the whole of ancient Pompeii with an extensive layout made up of many different rooms and even storefront shops. When you stop to admire the remains on display at the “House of the Faun”, “the house of Pansa” and the “House of the Labyrinth”, you will soak up some of the opulent aristocratic atmosphere that reigned in the town of old Pompeii.
Outside the Pompeii excavation site
The Sanctuary of Pompeii
The basilica was built in 1876 and expanded at a later stage. History buffs will be impressed by this majestic church and if you happen to be there on the 8th of May or the first Sunday of October, you will be lucky enough to watch the Supplica alla Madonna when thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to Pompeii to offer solemn prayers of petition to the Virgin Mary.
The Villa of the Mysteries
Situated on the outskirts of the town of Pompeii away from the excavation site, this ancient Roman villa probably belonged to rich patricians. One of the most atmospheric private homes in Pompeii with a resonance beyond its historic import, it takes its name from the fine frescoes that depict secret rites. This splendid building contained the bodies of some of inhabitants of the house, frozen in time when the fury of the lava of Vesuvius struck.
