If you’ve ever wanted to visit a place that feels like stepping into a time capsule—where you can see life exactly as it was nearly 2,000 years ago—then Pompeii is where you’d go. But, let’s rewind a bit and dig into the juicy details of what actually happened, because trust me, this story has more layers than a Roman toga.
Life in Pompeii: A Bustling Roman Hub
Before we get to the fiery bits (literally), it’s important to know that Pompeii wasn’t always the ghost town it’s remembered as today. Back in its heyday, this city was thriving. Pompeii was a bustling port town located near modern-day Naples, sitting at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, a supposedly innocent-looking mountain. The city's population was around 11,000 to 15,000 people—pretty substantial for the time. And let me tell you, they were living their best Roman lives.
Pompeii was the place to which wealthy Romans would go to escape the hustle of Rome. Think of beautiful villas with frescoed walls, private gardens, and stunning mosaics. The rich of Pompeii didn't just had taste; they had flair. It was a place with theaters, markets, bathhouses, and temples-all constituent features of Roman urban life.
But it wasn't only the upper class that enjoyed the city: Pompeii was a hotbed of traders, craftsmen, slaves, and freedmen, each helping to give the streets their vibrancy.
The Warning Signs: Mother Nature Gave a Few Hints
Now, let’s talk about Vesuvius. That great volcano, the dramatic villain in this case, had actually presented a few warning signs that things were about to go terribly wrong. But nobody noticed them, or anyhow, nobody gave them much thought.
In 62 AD, a powerful earthquake hit Pompeii, seriously damaging the city. But life went on, and repairs were done, though this earthquake was only the first rumble of what was to come.
Then came smaller tremors in the following years. But people in ancient times didn’t really understand the link between earthquakes and volcanoes. They thought the gods were angry or that the earth was simply shifting under their feet, which, to be fair, isn't an entirely bad guess if you don't have seismologists around.
The Day It All Went Up in Smoke: August 24, 79 AD
Fast forward to one of the worst days in Pompeii’s history: August 24, 79 AD. It started off just like any other summer day—maybe a little warmer, maybe the air a bit heavier than usual—but no one thought it was their last day on Earth. That is, until around noon, when Vesuvius decided to wake up from its long nap in the most dramatic fashion possible.
The sky darkens. Day turns to night. And soon, ash starts to fall, like a snowstorm from hell. If you’re one of the luckier Pompeiians, you drop your grapes and start running. If not… well, you're probably staying put, thinking, “This will blow over, right?”
Vesuvius erupted in what is called a plinian eruption; it was named after Pliny the Younger, who recorded this event in several letters that would eventually become the historical record of this disaster. This eruption was no joke. A huge mushroom cloud of pumice, ash, and gas shot into the air, towering about 20 miles high.
For almost 18 hours, Vesuvius buried Pompeii and its neighbor Herculaneum under layers of pumice and ash. But the real killer came in the form of pyroclastic surges—hot, fast-moving waves of gas and ash that swept over the city, instantly suffocating and burning anyone in their path.
People ran, some managed to get out of the city, but most were caught in the eruption—approximately 2,000. As the volcanic material continued to increase, buildings collapsed, streets were buried, and Pompeii got frozen in time.
Rediscovery: An Archaeologist's Dream (or Nightmare?)
For centuries, Pompeii lay forgotten beneath nearly 20 feet of ash. Think about that for a second—an entire city just erased from the map. It wasn’t until the 18th century that explorers began to rediscover it, and let me tell you, when they did, it was the archaeologist’s equivalent of hitting the lottery.
Excavations revealed an extraordinary snapshot of Roman life. You could walk down the streets of Pompeii and see everything as it was on that fateful day. Shops still had goods on their shelves, houses still had meals set out on the tables, and hauntingly, there were the bodies of the people—preserved in ash, frozen in their final moments.
Archaeologists created plaster casts of these victims by filling the voids left in the ash where their bodies had decomposed. What emerged were eerie yet incredibly detailed forms of people cowering, praying, or even clutching their loved ones as disaster struck.
It’s like Pompeii pressed pause on life, and 2,000 years later, we hit play again.
Lessons from Pompeii: Humanity's Fragility
There is also something macabre and infinitely fascinating about Pompeii. It is not only the greatness of the tragedy, but the fact that the city was preserved so perfectly. Almost as if time had stood still, allowing us to peek into the daily existence of the Romans in a way that's impossible with other ancient ruins: every wall painting, every graffiti message, every bread loaf preserved in the oven tells something.
But Pompeii is also a reminder of how vulnerable humanity is in the face of nature. Despite all their engineering marvels, the Romans couldn’t outsmart Vesuvius. It’s a humbling reminder that as much as we’d like to think we have control over our world, there are forces out there that make us look very, very small.
Nowadays, Pompeii is one of the major attractions for tourists visiting Italy. That is an opportunity to walk along ancient streets, take in all the wondrous ruins, and, of course, get a feeling of Vesuvius still towering over everything in the distance. It is calm now, but if history has taught us anything, nothing is ever truly asleep forever.
So, the next time you think about skipping that history lesson or brushing off ancient civilizations as "boring," remember Pompeii. It’s a city where life was captured in its most dramatic, terrifying, and human form—a place that still speaks to us across millennia, whispering tales of both splendor and disaster.
Things to Do in Pompeii
So, you have finally reached Pompeii, and you are ready to plunge into the ash-covered, frozen-in-time streets. And you feel that you can just walk around the ruins and figure it out all by yourself. Well, you are wrong my friend.
Pompeii is huge-much bigger than you might expect-and unless you want to spend your entire trip trying to figure out whether that pile of rocks was once a bakery or a bathhouse, you'll want a guide. And not just any guide. This is where I come in.
1. Skip the Line and Head Straight Into History
First things first: Skip the line. Seriously, you don't want to spend one second of your valuable time standing around in the hot Italian sun. With this tour, you'll be able to waltz right past those crowds, like some sort of ancient VIP. Once inside, you're greeted by your archaeologist guide, who knows everything there is to know about Pompeii.
I’m talking obscure facts, hidden alleyways, and secret histories you won’t find in your average guidebook. If you're like me and love a good backstory, having an archaeologist on hand is like getting the director’s commentary on the world’s most intense documentary.
The tour kicks off at Porta Marina, one of the ancient city’s main entrances, and from there, it’s a whirlwind journey through Pompeii’s most iconic sites. You’ll hit all the greatest hits, but with context that makes them come alive.
2. Stand in Awe of the Casa del Fauno
One of the first stops on the tour is the House of the Faun, or as I like to call it, “Ancient Rome’s Version of a Celebrity Mansion.” This place was one of the largest and most luxurious homes in all of Pompeii. With its sprawling courtyards, intricate mosaics, and yes, the famous statue of the dancing faun that gives the house its name, it’s the kind of place that makes you wish you were a Roman millionaire (minus the looming threat of volcanic eruptions, of course).
Your guide will walk you through the details of how this house was at the center of Pompeii’s elite social scene, explaining the art and architecture with the kind of knowledge that makes you go, "Wait, am I in a museum or inside a real Roman soap opera?"
3. Visit the Infamous Lupanare (Yep, It's a Brothel)
Now, if you’re thinking Pompeii was all grand houses and temples, think again. One of the most... intriguing stops on this tour is the Lupanare—the local brothel. Yes, ancient Romans had brothels, and they weren’t exactly discreet about it.
Walking through the small rooms of the Lupanare, your guide will show you the frescoes that decorated the walls, which acted as a sort of “menu” of services. It’s a fascinating, slightly cheeky look into the everyday lives of Pompeii’s less-wealthy citizens, and, let’s be honest, it’s a stop everyone is curious about.
If you're traveling with kids or teens, this might be the part where you hurriedly distract them with “Oh look, an ancient bakery over there!” But if you're up for a candid peek at ancient Roman culture, the Lupanare is a must-see.
4. Marvel at the Forum and the Temple of Jupiter
After that eyebrow-raising visit to the Lupanare, the tour takes a more “civilized” turn as you head to Pompeii’s Forum. This was the beating heart of the city, a place where politicians, merchants, and everyday citizens gathered. At the center is the Temple of Jupiter, with its sweeping views of Vesuvius, standing ominously in the distance. It’s the perfect spot to pause and take in the scale of what was lost on that fateful day in 79 AD.
You really get to understand how important this city was to the Roman Empire. Not just a bunch of ruins, but a lively, busy centre that almost seemed to be haunted by the ghosts of debates, market deals, and religious ceremonies.
5. Explore the House of Menander (Pompeii’s Best Kept Secret)
It is followed by a transfer to the House of Menander, which I must say was one of my favorites. That house isn't as well known as the House of the Faun, but it's also beautiful in its way. It gets its name from the fresco of the playwright Menander found inside, and it was the house of one of the wealthiest families; you can still feel a part of that grandeur inside its well-preserved atrium and frescoes.
Your archaeologist will point out details that would go unnoticed to the average tourist, like the family’s private bath complex and the intricate wall paintings that tell stories of Roman life.
There’s something oddly intimate about walking through someone’s home, frozen in time. You start to picture the people who lived there, wondering what they were doing the day the sky went dark.
6. The Plaster Casts of Pompeii’s Tragic Victims
One of the most poignant stops in the tour is the Plaster Casts of Pompeii’s Victims. As I have said before, walking around Pompeii often feels like one of those times entering some kind of painting, but these casts are a reminder, of course, of the brutal realism behind the whole thing.
Your guide will explain to you how these casts were made by pouring plaster right into the voids left by the bodies in the ash. What you’re left with are hauntingly detailed figures of men, women, and children, caught in their final moments. It’s hard not to feel the weight of history here.
7. Final Stop: The Forum Baths
Before your tour ends, you’ll get a glimpse into ancient Roman hygiene at the Forum Baths. Now, don’t picture some dingy public shower situation—these baths were incredibly advanced for their time, with heated floors and sophisticated plumbing systems that would make even modern engineers take notes.
Your archaeologist will walk you through the different rooms, explaining how the Romans moved from the hot bath (the caldarium) to the cold plunge (the frigidarium), probably while gossiping about their neighbors the whole time.
It’s a perfect, oddly relaxing way to wrap up the tour—after all, what better way to say goodbye to ancient Pompeii than by learning how its people cleaned up after a long day of living history?
Why You Need This Tour in Your Life
Look, I’m the type of person who thought I could just wander through Pompeii and figure it all out, but after going on this archaeologist-led tour, I’m so glad I didn’t.
The expert guide really brings the city to life in a way that wandering on your own just can’t do.
You’ll walk away from this two-hour tour not only with a head full of amazing facts but also with a deep appreciation for how alive Pompeii still feels.
This tour is like getting the ancient Roman world served to you on a silver platter—minus the volcanic ash.
Thank you for reading and make sure to subscribe. We're constantly exploring new destinations and share our stories, tips, and the beauty we discover along the way.