On a summers day in August 79AD the people of Pompeii were going about their everyday tasks oblivious to the danger watching over them.
The previous day was Vulcanalia (the festival for the Roman God of Fire) and in honour of the day Mount Vesuvius was likely speaking to the people. Little did they know it was about to roar to life burying the town for the next 1500 years.
Scientists say it’s most likely people were killed by a pyroclastic flow which is a surge of heat produced when a volcano erupts so when the town was excavated people were found exactly where they were when disaster struck, with no ability to try and escape the eruption.
For the next 6 hours ash rained on the town, until it was under 15 metres of ash and buried for the next 1500 years.
In 1599 a wall of Pompeii was uncovered but quickly forgotten again until the 19th century when the site was discovered and excavated.
Ever since Pompeii has been an important tourist attraction and a must on The Grand Tour of gentlemen in the 19th century and tourists today.
Today Pompeii is UNESCO World Heritage listed and attracts well over 2 million visitors per year.
The best way to counter the crowds and the multitude of tour groups in their big buses is to take a Pompeii & Vesuvius private tours.
This will allow you to bypass the waiting for other people, be able to see gems that private travel guides know rather than see the same thing, walking the route that thousands of people on the tour buses have done before and are doing that day.
By taking Private tours in Italy it gives you the ability to customise your experience seeing the things that you are interested in, not the same old experience that everyone gets on group tours.
Try using travel guides and private tours you will find that you can get a more pleasant and customised experienced and a better holday all round.
