First of all, I apologize now for not having nearly as many photos of pieces of information on Pompeii as I would’ve liked. While we were there it rained almost the whole time so I didn’t want to risk getting my camera wet, and I did my best to listen to our tour guide. When we got there we jumped on a tour that lasted probably about an hour or an hour and a half. I would highly recommend getting a tour guide because although it costs money, the site of Pompeii itself is huge, the writings on some of the signs on the ruins are hard to read and you’re so much better off seeing Pompeii with an expert who can point out the little details you would have no clue you just walked right over.
The town itself was really fascinating to see, from the Roman Forum (Pompeii’s version of an amphitheater) and the Roman baths to the ancient shops and panoramic views. You can scroll through some of the photos I was able to take and it’s incredible to stand there and know that the town was constructed around the 9-8th century B.C., although evidence now doesn’t go back beyond the 6th century. While Pompeii flourished for quite some time, the life and splendor was destined to come to an end. The first sign of tragedy was in about 62 A.D., when an earthquake destroyed the city and countryside. They worked hard to recover and many of the less well-off living here just had their houses demolished. A lot of the public and private buildings were still being restored in August of 79 A.D. when Mount Vesuvius became active, and in the span of a few hours, a stream of ash and lava from the volcano buried everything in Pompeii and Herculaneum (a smaller, more-intact site neighboring Pompeii) underneath a blanket of volcanic material meters deep. Many people still living there either fled to the coast, were suffocated by the gas fumes or died in their homes. Reports say more than 2,000 people died and the place was abandoned until it was rediscovered in 1748. Pompeii is so unique because it’s one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization. Since the city was covered in ash and lava that solidified, it means that the city has remained perserved until today as far as its buildings and items inside the houses and shops are concerned which provide a real look at the daily life in the town 2,000 years ago. If you have the chance to visit I would highly suggest taking a tour because it really lets you take a step back in history and look at things from a new perspective.
Here you can see the restoration work going on to keep these ruins in good shape and as clean as possible
What beautiful weather!!Some parts of the town just felt like a maze that could turn into a dead end at any second. My friend walking with me took photo at a dead end before we tried to find our way back (wearing my Capri sweatshirt I bought the day before nonetheless incase I couldn’t look more like a tourist)
The inside of one of the cities “public baths”The ash was monumental in preserving these ancient relics, particularly pottery. There are three huge storerooms like the one pictured here filled with pottery and bodies nonchalantly sitting between the art. Photo by Allie PatrinaThe Odeon Theater, Pompeii’s smaller amphitheater mainly used for concerts and poetry recitals. Photo by Allie Patrina
The view from our hotel in Sorrento, you can see the buildings in the background on the cliff
We decided to save the best trip for last, and went to the Amalfi Coast our last weekend of Italy. A weekend in the sun away from our books seemed like the best way to deal with the impending finals the next week (sorry mom and dad). We left Thursday night, explored Capri all day on Friday, Positano all day Saturday and then Pompeii Sunday – it was a packed weekend to say the least! We stayed in Sorrento but mainly to just eat and sleep so I don’t have many photos of it. However, here is a photo from Friday morning, the view right before we got on our boat to Capri (you can see our boat as the big boat in the middle of the first pier below the end of the second pier). Once we got there we went on a private island tour boat with the 60 or so other study abroad kids on the same trip, stopped by the Blue Grotto, walked around the town then took a bus up to Anacapri, the highest point on the island. From there we had the afternoon to explore, we went on the chairlift to Monte Solaro, grabbed a bite to eat and left later that afternoon. Saturday morning we left for Positano (on a bus ride so close to the end on such a curvy road I really didn’t think we would make it), did another boat cruise (this time with just our friends and a bottle of champagne), then relaxed on the beach and walked around the town. We returned to Sorrento that night, grabbed dinner and went to bed. Sunday morning we woke up bright and early heading to Pompeii but it just poured the whole day. Luckily we got in for free since it was the first Sunday of the month and our tour guide was great. We grabbed some pizza after our tour and left for Florence shortly after. We really lucked out weather wise for the 2 days we were in the sun so one rainy day wasn’t too bad and it was the beginning of May so we couldn’t complain. Click the posts below for highlights and photos from the weekend!
BOAT TOUR: We lucked out because this was included in our trip package when we booked it through Bus2Alps, but I would highly recommend doing a boat tour. I don’t think they cost more than 25 euro a person and your tour guide will point out really cool things you might not know otherwise, such as the famous Faraglioni Rocks which are the backdrop for some high end campaigns such as the Dolce and Gabbana advertisements and commercials. They also pointed out where Leonardo DiCaprio stays, as well as where they have filmed a few movies. *It was a little rocky at points so if you get sea sick very easily this may not be the best option*
The Faraglioni rocksThe all white buildings in the center of town was very reminiscent of Greece
THE BLUE GROTTO: On our boat tour, we stopped at the Blue Grotto. I had heard of it a few times but didn’t really know what to expect. Our tour boat stops and these tiny row boats come up to us and we split up into small groups of three. We jump into our tiny wood rowboat and then go up to this boat that acted as the cashier because it turns out going in the Blue Grotto isn’t free. It cost us around 10 euro a person not including a 2 or 3 euro tip. Once we paid, our guide told us to lay completely flat in the boat and then next thing I know we’re going towards the mouth of the cave that was 2 meters. You can see the mouth in the photo below where the small rowboats are heading but the actual hole we went through was frighteningly small, about a meter tall (hence why we had to lay down). Once we got inside, it was unlike anything I had ever seen, nor will see again. It’s a natural sea cave that appears to be lit from underground fluorescent bright lights but without editing, this is how blue the water really was. It was absolutely spectacular and I can see why it’s one of the most treasured sights to see in Capri. If you’re lucky, your guide will serenade you with Italian songs as you’re inside the cave, and it’s pretty small so the sound echoes which makes it even louder.
Our tour guide with a few boats headed toward the Blue Grotto in the backgroundThe Blue Grotto, such an incredible sight to see firsthand. We were pretty much at the back of the cave so you can see just how small this cave is, making it that much more special
CHAIRLIFT TO MONTE SOLARO: Easily the best 10 euro I spent there. We walked up from Capri Town and took the bus up to Anacapri, the highest point on the island. From there, we walked around and found the signs for the chairlift. I was a little hesitant to get on it because I’m not much of a skier and have very little experience on a chairlift. The seat comes at you quickly and you just sit down in a seat by yourself that takes you on a 10 minute ride up the coast. The view was pretty cool going up but even better going down.
The view of Capri going up the chairliftMy friend Erin admiring the island from the top of Monte SolaroMe and my friends Brynne, Erin and Sandy at the top of Monte SolaroIt was hard to tell where the water ended and the sky began, really making you feel on top of the worldThe chair ride headed back down
Food and Drink
LIMONCELLO: Limoncello is an Italian lemon liquor mainly produced in Southern Italy in towns like Positano. Usually, it’s made from the zest and skins of Sorrento lemons along the coast that are steeped in pure alcohol until the oil comes out which is then mixed with a simple syrup. It’s the second most popular liquor in Italy and is starting to become popular all around the world now. It’s very sweet and usually served as an after-dinner drink to clear your palette but be very careful because a little goes a long way!
LEMON GRANITA: All over the Amalfi Coast was this incredible lemon granita. It’s a slushy drink (or a semi-frozen desert) made from sugar, crushed ice, and various flavors. It’s like a drinkable Italian ice in the best way, and we saw signs for them all over the place. I’d argue that the most popular was a combination of fresh lemon and orange juice, mixed with the sugary ice, that was just so refreshing after (or before) a long day of walking. The stand we went to also had the option of putting a shot of vodka in it if you’re looking for a little something extra
The ultimate refreshing lemon orange granita from Giorgio’s Granita StandThe kind man making them quicker than you can blinkAnother stand we found – the lemons and oranges in Italy were unlike anything I had ever seen. In this photo, the tiny lemons and oranges you see are the one’s we’re used to in the US and the ones they use are two or three times that and have a slightly sweeter flavor coming from the island
Shopping
l’ISOLA DI SAPORI: located down the street from the entrance to the chairlift is the place where Capri’s well-dressed locals and in-the-know tourists come to get sandals hand-made to the shape of their feet. Some of my friends bought sandals from here, had their feet measured and paid for the shoes and shipping which was a little pricey but they’re also custom-fit sandals from Italy…how many people can say they have a pair of these? I didn’t end up getting a pair because the line was too long that day and we had limited time but I would say it’s definitely something to consider investing in
CLOTHING: The center of Capri is filled with high end stores like Gucci, Fendi and Prada, making you feel glamorous but don’t forget the small-shop artisans too (like Carlos above). Also, being a college student studying abroad at the time, I personally wasn’t about to go spend money like monopoly money here but if you have the means to, these stores are there for you! Also, this isn’t all that specific to Capri but worth noting that as we were leaving at the bottom of Capri by our boat, there were tons of stores to explore before we left. Many of my friends and I bought the softest sweatshirts we’ve ever owned from here for 10 or 15 euros, as well as a few t-shirts. This was definitely a great place to stock up on shirts and a lot of them have a nautical feel which make them perfect for summer.
Part of the town of Capri we explored before we got to the chairlift. You can see where we got the lemon orange granita in the bottom right of the photo
BOAT TOUR: Only having a day in Positano, we knew high up on our list was doing a boat ride. The second we got off the bus we ran down to the water and booked a boat. There’s a booth down on the beach that will tell you what boats are available for your size crowd and being that there were only 5 of us, they could put us on pretty much anyone, it was just an option of whether we wanted a cheaper boat that came with a lot of strangers doing the same thing and normally we wouldn’t mind but we ended up paying a little more and getting a private boat so we could relax more. We put our name in and paid (25 euros a person for an hour but there were only 5 of us in total and the boat was really nice!) We did have to wait a little for the next boat so we grabbed a panini and bottle of champagne to hold us over, although we waited until we were on the boat to pop it. The sun was shining, and that hour was one of the highlights of my whole abroad experience
Our boat captain took this – he rocked. He would stop at a few places, explain the history and also give us a chance to jump in the water but we all just enjoyed the peace and quiet eating our panini and drinking champagneMy friends and I enjoying a moment in the sun on the black sand beach
Food & Drink
VINI E PANINI: Right in center of the town before you hit the beach, this place had one of the best panini’s I ate all abroad. They also had snacks and drinks we could stock up on before making our way down to the water and the service was great. We stopped in a few more times throughout the day to pick up souvenirs like little bottles of limoncello!
LIMONCELLO: Limoncello is an Italian lemon liquor mainly produced in Southern Italy in towns like Positano and you can find it in almost every little souvenir shop in the town. Traditionally, it’s made from the zest of Sorrento lemons that are steeped until the oil comes out which is then mixed with a simple syrup. It’s the second most popular liquor in Italy and is starting to become popular around the world now. It’s very sweet and usually served as an after-dinner shot
*Also you can find more lemon granita’s in Positano as well if that’s what you’re in the mood for!
Lunch with a view! Photo by Allie Patrina
Shopping
A few of the little shops lining the streets. Photo by Allie Patrina
We spent most of our day in Positano on the beach so I don’t have any specific stores to recommend, but I think the best thing to do would be to spend some time walking around the small streets and go into stores that catch your eye. They sell a lot of beautiful summer clothes, jewelry, hats, sunglasses and other beach attire (pretty much anything you might have forgotten at home) at fairly reasonable prices considering they make a majority of their money every year from tourism. They also have ice cream in a few stores which as great as gelato was, a real ice cream sandwich was just what we needed that day
