After a full week in Rome, we wrapped up the last three days in Italy touring around the Gulf of Naples, hitting up Naples, Pompeii, and Sorrento. I was forced to skip Day 7 following the last post of Day 6 due to sickness. One of the most annoying things to happen on a trip is getting sick. On Day 7, our last day in Rome, I woke up with my voice completely gone. Fortunately, my sickness kicked in on a scheduled free day. Unfortunately, it lasted through Day 8, when we visited Naples and transitioned to our next base of exploration, Sorrento.
Naples
There were two reasons we spent half a day in Naples – museum and pizza. If you didn’t know, a lot of the artifacts discovered from Pompeii are actually preserved and displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples. I managed to survive the top floors before collapsing and skipped the Egyptian displays in the basement. There was a 1:100 scaled model of the entire Pompeii ruins, a ton of sculptures, and wall paintings that survived the millennia. It’s a good place to get a few glimpses into the past. The sickness made me so groggy and tired that I only managed to take two photos. So most of these are stolen from Ross’s camera.
There are a few top recommended pizzerias in Naples, the birthplace of pizza. What we didn’t realize was many of them were closed on Sundays. So if tasting the best pizza Napoli has to offer is a must have, be sure to double check their opening hours! But we managed to find a well-rated restaurant, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, for lunch. After the world’s longest hour waiting for our pizzas, we finally bit into these beauties. It was indeed delicious but then we were starving.
Pompeii
On Day 9 in Italy, I woke up 85% recovered, just in time for the long-anticipated visit to Pompeii and another visit with an old friend! I was in such a good mood that I wasn’t even too upset that a certain travel buddy broke my camera by dropping it in the hotel lobby… He ended up buying me a new camera to use for the rest of the trip while he took mine back to the US to be repaired.
Would Pompeii be as famous if it wasn’t buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius? The last moments of Roman life forever captured in lava ashes… so romantically tragic. From the elite to the commoners, the temple to the brothel, no matter how rich and luxurious life was back then, the ominous Mount Vesuvius always loomed just a short distance away. The term carpe diem was never more fitting than in Pompeii.
One of the most crowded attractions in the ruins was the brothel. Apparently, the women who worked in the brothels would howl like wolves to attract customers, therefore brothels were called Lupanarae in Latin. The wall paintings inside the brothel are definitely R-rated and the rooms are tiny with very uncomfortable looking beds.
Tips for Visiting Pompeii
I read a lot about visiting Pompeii, but I wished I knew these before getting there.
- The roads in Pompeii are very uneven. Even with my trusty walking shoes, I had to be very careful not to twist my ankles.
- Some of the most popular villas close by 13:30! Sadly we didn’t get there early enough.
- Between Ostia Antica and Pompeii, I would just pick one to visit. If you want to avoid the crowds, go to Ostia, but if you have always dreamed of the romance of the volcanic ash buried buildings and lives then pick Pompeii (but just be prepared for the crowded).
- The ruins are very poorly signed. Either follow a guided tour or go prepared with a map and an info book.
- If doing a self-guided tour, pre-research the key sites and mark them on the map with the route laid out because Pompeii is huge!
After the ruins, we met up with another old friend from my grad school days, Jamil! Not only did we do coursework in Barcelona together, we also moved to Guimaraes together for our theses. It just so happened that the day we met up was the 7th anniversary of our “Facebook Friendship”. It was meant to be! He showed us a little of the modern day city of Pompeii and introduced us to the traditional Napoletana sweet – Sfogliatella. Jamil was still the same old sweet Jamil. I only wished I could have tasted his cooking again!
Sorrento
I think of Sorrento as a lighter version of the Amalfi Coast. It’s serene and beautiful without the ritz and glam. It was a joy to stroll through the town during the day and at night, breathing in the refreshing sea breeze, and slowing our paces and minds down. Situated on the cliff, there were long flights of stairs to get down to the port and come back up into town. Some points of those stairs were not for people with a fear of heights. The lemon grove was as easy on the eyes as the scent was to our noses. We sampled local limoncello, which is a specialty of Sorrento, and bought some as souvenirs.
I stumbled upon a photography exhibition by a local photographer named Rafaele Celentano. He wanted to show the world his hometown and its people through his camera lenses. Photography wasn’t allowed inside the gallery but was allowed on the terrace/rooftop of the exhibition building. Here was a swing with the best views and the display of everyday Italian life through their laundry.
In the same building was another strange but wonderful exhibit of old music boxes. Unlike the tiny toys that we played with as children, these were truly works of art. The kind lady manning the gallery operated many of them for me since I was the only visitor.
More Pasta
Our final meal of pasta in Italy was had at Zi’Ntonio Ristorante & Pizzeria in Sorrento. I was hesitant at first because this place looked super touristy. There was actually a Korean tour group that walked in as we sat down, but we also saw some local Italians dining next to us, so we decided to give it a shot. The pasta was amazing! Don’t bother with the meats and fish, just go for the pasta and order the tiramisu.
So ends the Italian portion of my trip. Perfect weather, delicious gelato, and so much art! It was an unbelievable 10 days and I got to check off so many items from my art history bucket list. I already can’t wait for my next visit to this beautiful country!