14 Best Sights in The Bay of Naples, Italy

In antiquity, the Casa dei Cervi was one of the first houses that visitors to the town would have passed as they entered the city from the seaward side. As in most top-notch town residences, however, the entranceway is plain and leads into a vestibulum, a small vestibule, that opens onto an open courtyard called a peristylium. The showpiece in this particular house is the garden area, surrounded by a so-called cryptoporticus embellished with fine still life frescoes and terminating in a partially reconstructed gazebo. Of course, prior to the eruption, the house would have had a fine view over the Bay of Naples.

The ruin of this house takes its name from the mosaic in back that still sports its bright blue coloring and adorns the wall of the small, secluded nymphaeum-triclinium (a dining room with a fountain). The mosaic depicts the following scene: according to legend, in the time-honored fashion of the Olympians, Neptune (or Poseidon) saw Amphitrite dancing with the Nereids on the island of Naxos, carried her off, and married her. The adjacent wall, in similar mosaic style, has a hunting scene of a stag being pursued by a dog. Annexed to the same house is a remarkably preserved wine shop, where amphorae still rest on carbonized wooden shelves.

Lying more than 50 feet below the present-day town of Ercolano, the ruins of Herculaneum are set among the acres of greenhouses that make this area an important European flower-growing center. In AD 79, the gigantic eruption of Vesuvius, which also destroyed Pompeii, buried the town under a tide of volcanic mud. The semiliquid pyroclastic surge seeped into the crevices and niches of every building, covering household objects, enveloping textiles and wood, and sealing all in a compact, airtight tomb. Excavation began in 1738 under King Charles of Bourbon, using tunnels. Digging was interrupted but recommenced in 1828, continuing into the following century. Today less than half of Herculaneum has been excavated. With contemporary Ercolano and the unlovely Resina Quarter sitting on top of the site, progress is limited. From the ramp leading down to Herculaneum's well-preserved edifices, you get a good overall view of the site, as well as an idea of the amount of volcanic debris that had to be removed to bring it to light.

About 5,000 people lived in Herculaneum when it was destroyed, many of them fishermen and craftsmen. Among the recent poignant discoveries of human remains was that of the blood-stained skeleton of a 40-something man found on the old beach in 2020. Experts believe he may have been trying to escape the 750°F--950°F atomic-bomb-like blast. He is clutching a small leather bag with a wooden box, from which a ring is protruding.

Although Herculaneum had only one-third the population of Pompeii and has been only partially excavated, what has been found is generally better preserved. In some cases you can even see the original wooden beams, doors, and staircases. Unfortunately, the Villa dei Papiri (Villa of Papyri) is currently closed to the public—this excavation outside the main site was built by Julius Caesar's father-in-law (with a replica built by Paul Getty in Malibu almost 2,000 years later). The building is named for almost 2,000 carbonized papyrus scrolls dug up here in the 18th century, leading scholars to believe that this may have been a study center or library. Also worth special attention are the carbonized remains within the Casa del Tramezzo di Legno (House of the Wooden Partition).

Be sure to stock up on refreshments beforehand; there is no food at the archaeological site. At the entrance, pick up a free map showing the gridlike layout of the dig, which is divided into numbered blocks, or insulae. Splurge on an audio guide app via  www.ercolano.tours (€10; adult and children's versions): the standard audio guide (€8 for one, €13 for two) may be available for those without a smartphone. You can also join a group with a local guide (around €15 per person). Most of the houses are open, and a representative cross section of domestic, commercial, and civic buildings can be seen. Check the website for the latest openings and news of recent excavation discoveries.

The site of Pompeii, the petrified memorial to Vesuvius's eruption in AD 79, is the largest, most accessible, and probably most famous excavation anywhere. A busy commercial center with a population of 10,000–20,000, ancient Pompeii covered about 170 acres on the seaward end of the fertile Sarno Plain. Today it's choked with both the dust of 25 centuries and more than 3 million visitors every year; only by escaping the hordes and lingering along its silent streets can you truly fall under the site's spell. On a quiet backstreet, all you need is a little imagination to picture life in this ancient town.

Come in the late afternoon, when the site is nearly deserted, and you will understand the true pleasure of visiting Pompeii.

If entering via Porta Marina, the revamped (2021) Antiquarium traces the history of Pompeii from the Samnite era (4th century BC) until AD 79. Among the artifacts displayed are the House of the Golden Bracelet frescoes, the triclinium (dining room) of the House of Menander, and the recently created casts of the Civita Giuliana villa victims.

Get your bearings at the Foro (Forum), which served as Pompeii's cultural, political, commercial, and religious hub. You can still see some of the two stories of colonnades that used to line two sides of the square. Like the ancient Greek agora in Athens, the Forum was a busy shopping area, complete with public officials to apply proper standards of weights and measures. Fronted by an elegant portico on the eastern side of the forum is the Macellum, a covered meat and fish market dating to the 2nd century BC. The nearby Terme del Foro (Forum Baths) offered a relaxing respite. It had underground furnaces, the heat from which circulated beneath the floor, rose through flues in the walls, and escaped through chimneys: temperature could be set for cold, lukewarm, or hot. On the southwestern corner is the Basilica, the city's law court and the economic center. These oblong halls were the model for early Christian churches, which had a nave (central aisle) and two side aisles separated by rows of columns.

Several homes were captured in various states by the eruption of Vesuvius, each representing a different slice of Pompeiian life. The Casa del Poeta Tragico (House of the Tragic Poet) is a typical middle-class residence. On the floor is a mosaic of a chained dog and the inscription cave canem ("Beware of the dog"). The Casa dei Vettii (House of the Vettii) is the best example of a wealthy merchant's home.

There's no more magnificently memorable evidence of Pompeii's devotion to the pleasures of the flesh than the frescoes on view at the Villa dei Misteri (Villa of the Mysteries), a palatial abode built at the far northwestern fringe of Pompeii. Unearthed in 1909 this villa had many rooms, all adorned with frescoes—the finest of which are in the triclinium. Painted in the most glowing Pompeiian red, the panels relate the saga of a young bride and her initiation into the mysteries of the cult of Dionysus, who was a god imported to Italy from Greece and then given the Latin name of Bacchus.

Pompeii's other major edifice is the Anfiteatro (Amphitheater), once the ultimate entertainment venue for locals. It provided a range of experiences, though these essentially involved gladiators rather than wild animals. Built in about 70 BC, the oval structure was divided into three seating areas. There were two main entrances—at the north and south ends—and a narrow passage on the west called the Porta Libitinensis, through which the dead were most probably dragged out.

To get the most out of Pompeii, rent an audio guide (€8 for one, €13 for two; you'll need to leave an ID card) at Porta Marina, and opt for one of the three itineraries (two hours, four hours, or six hours). If hiring a guide, make sure the guide is registered for an English tour and standing inside the gate; agree beforehand on the length of the tour and the price. You can find a knowledgeable and qualified guide at  www.vesuviusvspompeii.com or  www.contexttravel.com.

A few words about closures: which excavations are open or closed when you arrive might seem a caprice of the gods adorning many of the buildings' walls, but the actual determining factors include availability of staff, geological uncertainty, and restoration. Many excavations are closed long-term for restoration. The Casa del Fauno and Casa del Menandro are usually always open, however, as is the central core of the city, a visit requiring two or more hours itself. In 2019, La Schola Armaturarum—the so-called Casa dei Gladiatori (House of the Gladiators)—was restored after water damage had caused its roof to collapse in 2010, an event that made world headlines and highlighted the need to better protect Pompeii's treasures. It's now open on certain days April through October, an emblem of revitalized preservation efforts and improved management. Check the website for the latest news and exhibitions, and the updated list of visitable buildings at  pompeiisites.org/en/houses. If you're lodging in the town of Pompei, note that there's a convenient entrance to the ruins near the amphitheater off Piazza Santa Immacolata.

Despite the wear and tear of the millennia and the loss of masonry during the Middle Ages, this site is one of the Campi Flegrei area's Roman architectural marvels. The amphitheater (seating capacity, 40,000) was probably built under Vespasian (AD 70–AD 79), although some historians maintain that work started under Nero (AD 54–AD 69) and was merely completed later. As you approach, note the exterior's combination of volcanic stone masonry, arranged in a net-shape pattern, and horizontal bands of brick. This technique, typical of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries, was designed to reduce stress and minimize damage during seismic events. Despite this precaution, much of the superstructure has been lost: the outside part consisted of three stories surmounted by a decorative attic, while the sitting area would have had a portico above the top row of seats, decorated with statues and supported by columns. A surviving passageway near the ticket office leads into a complex underground network of carceres (cells), which is well worth a visit.

In classical times, the entertainment here consisted mainly of animal hunts, public executions, and gladiator fights. The hunts often involved lions, tigers, and other exotic animals imported from far-flung corners of the Roman Empire. The fossa, or large ditch in the arena's middle, may have contained the permanent stage setting, which could be raised when necessary to provide a scenic backdrop. According to tradition, several early Christians—including the Naples protector St. Januarius, or San Gennaro—were condemned to be savaged by wild beasts here under the Fourth Edict, passed in AD 304 by Diocletian, but the sentence was later commuted to a less spectacular decapitation, carried out farther up the hill in the Solfatara. The amphitheater is near the Pozzuoli Metropolitana railway station and a 15-minute walk from the Solfatara: the bubbling volcanic crater has been closed to the public since the tragic death of a family there in 2017. The Pozzuoli tourist office has event and other information.

Explore the ruins by the terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus, where the town's great benefactor is buried, and the Suburban Baths (undergoing restoration). Directly below, on the onetime seafront, in the barrel arches, which were once storage for boats, 300 skeletons of escaping residents were found in 1980.

An outstanding example of carbonized remains is found in the Casa del Tramezzo di Legno, as it has been prosaically labeled by archaeologists. Following renovation work in the mid-1st century AD, the house was designed to have a frontage on three sides of Insula III and included a number of storerooms, shops, and second-floor habitations. This suggests that the owner was a wealthy mercator, a member of the up-and-coming merchant class who was starting to edge the patricians out of their privileged positions. The airy atrium has a lovely garden. Look closely at the impluvium (a basin to collect rainwater) and above the open compluvium roof with dog's-head spouts). You'll see the original flooring below, which was later replaced with marble, perhaps after a change of owners. Next to the impluvium is an elegant marble table, or cartibulum, while behind is the tablinum (reception room), partially screened off by a wooden partition that would also have had hooks for hanging lucernae (lamps).

For those overwhelmed by the throngs at Pompeii, a visit to the site of Oplontis offers a chance for contemplation and intellectual stimulation. What has been excavated so far of the Villa of the Empress Poppaea covers more than 75,000 square feet, and because the site is bound by a road to the west and a canal to the south, its full extent may never be known. Complete with porticoes, a large peristyle, a pool, baths, and extensive gardens, the villa is thought by some to have been a school for young philosophers and orators.

Unlike Herculaneum and Pompeii, no skeletons were found here, leading scholars to conclude that the villa had been abandoned after the earthquake of AD 62 and was undergoing restructuring pending sale to another owner. You have to visit to appreciate the full range of Roman wall paintings; one highlight is found in Room 5, a sitting room that overlooked the sea. Here a painted window depicts the sanctuary of Apollo, while off to the left a peacock perches next to a theatrical mask. Owing to the second Pompeian style, the walls and their frescoed arches and columns seem to open out onto a scene beyond, as seen in the paintings in the triclinium (Room 6) and the cubiculum (Room 7). At the back, through a cooling garden planted with bay trees as in antiquity, is what would be an Olympic-size swimming pool. The adjacent guest rooms, or hospitalia, display murals of the fourth Pompeian style, dating them from AD 50 onward. With painted fruits and flowers, vegetation was guaranteed to flourish all year, and in the open viridarium (pleasure garden; Room 16) guests could compare painted flora and the odd bird with the real things. Room 21 is a Roman latrine, its ancient fittings clearly on view.

No town would have been complete without its sports facilities, and Herculaneum was no exception. Just opposite the thermopolium, on Cardo V, is the entrance to the large Palaestra, where a variety of sports took place. Only a few of the peristyle columns here have been excavated, a reminder of how much of the ancient town remains buried under solidified volcanic mud.

Allow at least two hours to soak up the ambience of the ruins of Cumae, founded by Greek colonists late in the 8th century BC. Centuries later Virgil wrote his epic of the Aeneid, the story of the Trojan prince Aeneas's wanderings, partly to give Rome the historical legitimacy that Homer had given the Greeks. On his journey, Aeneas had to descend to the underworld to speak to his father, and to find his way in, he needed the guidance of the Cumaean Sibyl. Virgil did not dream up the Sibyl's Cave or the entrance to Hades—he must have actually stood both in her chamber and along the rim of Lake Avernus. When he described the Sibyl's Cave in Book VI of the Aeneid as having "centum ostia" (a hundred mouths), and depicted the entrance to the underworld on Lake Avernus so vividly, "spelunca alta...tuta lacu nigro nemorum tenebris" (a deep cave...protected by a lake of black water and the glooming forest), it was because he was familiar with this bewitching landscape. In Book VI of the Aeneid, Virgil describes how Aeneas, arriving at Cumae, sought Apollo's throne—remains of the Temple of Apollo can still be seen—and "the deep hidden abode of the dread Sibyl / An enormous cave..."

Although Cumae never achieved the status of Delphi, it was the most important oracular center in Magna Graecia (Great Greece), and the Sibyl would have been consulted on a whole range of matters. Governments consulted the Sibyl before mounting campaigns. It was the Sibyl's prophecies that ensured the crowds here, prophecies written on palm leaves and later collected into the corpus of the Sibylline books.

Explore the fascinating Sibyl Chamber, a long trapezoidal corridor where light filters through shafts cut into the tufa rock. Steep steps climb above the Cave and lead to the Sacred Road; before reaching the remains of Apollo’s temple that Virgil described as immanea templa (spacious temples), you can stop at the terrace overlooking the sea. From the temple of the God of the Sun, the via Sacra reaches the highest part of the acropolis, where the remains of the temple of Jupiter can be seen. This Greek temple was transformed by the Romans and than became a Christian basilica with a baptismal font still visible. Unlike in Greek and Roman times, when access to Cumae was through a network of underground passages, an aboveground EAV bus service leaves outside Fusaro station at regular intervals. (See  www.eavsrl.it for times.)

This thermopolium (a place where hot food and drinks were served, hence the Greek name) was connected to the home of the owner and had the counter decorated with a Priapus (the god of fertility) to keep the evil eye at bay.

These forum baths contained separate sections for men and women. Here you can see most of the architectural aspects of thermae (baths): the apodyterium, or changing room, with partitioned shelves for depositing togas and a low podium to use as seating space while in line to use the facilities; a round frigidarium, or a cool pool; a tepidarium, a semi-heated room; and a calidarium, or heated room with pool. For more attractive mosaics, go around into the women's baths, which had no frigidarium. The heating system in the tepidarium was also different—no hot air piped through or under, only braziers. Note the small overhead cubbies in which bathers stored their belongings.