My Trip to Pompeii and Positano Italy

Here are some highlights from my trip to Pompeii and Positano Italy last summer. I discovered a gem in the Amalfi Coast and was intrigued by Pompeii's ancient ruins.

Left: Positano in the Amalfi Coast, Right: Ruins of Pompeii

My trip to Italy last summer has to be one of the best trips I've ever experienced. Italy has so much to offer; the beautiful and relaxing scenery that one often hopes for on vacation, but also a lot of intriguing historical sights for those who dare to venture that way.

I've already spoken about the portion of my trip where we explored Rome, and today I bring you some experiences from further south.

Why the combination of Pompeii and Positano? Well, we took a guided tour with a company called Walks of Italy, and those two places were put together on the itinerary. It worked very well and Pompeii and Positano are only about 1.5 hours drive apart.

Our journey started in Rome. We left for Pompeii at around 8 am and returned to Rome from Positano at around 8 pm. It was about a 3 hour drive from Rome to Pompeii.

We did this trip on a Saturday, and the pace was fantastic. The day before the Pompeii and Positano tour, we had toured Rome. Though we thoroughly enjoyed that tour too, we were so exhausted at the end of the day.

So the next day, the Pompeii and Positano Tour was somewhat relaxing, because there wasn't as much walking involved and we got an opportunity to nap on the bus while travelling. Those napping opportunities allowed me to recharge my batteries for a few hours longer, helping me to be more attentive on the tour, of course.

We stopped about halfway between Rome and Pompeii to get refreshments and stretch our legs, on the way there and back.

We had two awesome tour guides - one for the whole day trip and then one for just Pompeii. The man who took us around the Pompeii Archaeological Site was very knowledgeable and engaging which made the tour great.

This post is about my day in Pompeii and Positano Italy. Be sure to watch the video of my Italy trip for a better perspective on the whole experience.

Here are some pictures from Pompeii:

Above: This is a home in Pompeii from over 2,000 years ago. You can see the preserved mosaic flooring.

The picture above shows the elevated sidewalks of Pompeii and the stepping stones that people used to cross the streets. These crossing stones were needed because apparently the ground was very dirty with sewage running through. Notice the grooves in between the crossing stones; these were designed to accommodate chariots moving through the streets.

Plaster casing of the body of a pregnant woman in Pompeii

We saw several bodies like the one pictured above. It's tragic to see the plaster-covered bodies of those who were trying to protect themselves from suffocation from the ash, their bodies frozen in time.

Plaster cast of man covering his face in Pompeii

Plaster cast of dog in Pompeii

Visitor Parking at Pompeii Archaeological Site

After visiting Pompeii, we went down to the Amalfi Coast. The scenic journey down the Amalfi Coast is known as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Everyone on the tour bus was sitting on the edge of their seat and gazing out the window, oohing and aahing at the spectacular topography and trying to get as many pictures as possible.

It can be quite difficult to get clear, focused pictures while on a moving bus though. When you arrive, park and get out of the bus, it's a bit better.

We spent the afternoon in Positano. We had a few hours to have a meal and wonder off by the beach before having to regroup. Eating authentic Neapolitan pizza in a restaurant just in front of the beach was a highlight for me. On the way to get food, we walked down winding streets past a range of clothing and art stores. A lot of the stores were lemon-themed. Lemons are a symbol of the Amalfi coast, where you'll find terraced vineyards and cliffside lemon groves.

Since we only had a few hours, most of our time in Positano was spent in the restaurant we went to and then maybe about twenty minutes at the beach. I would love to return to Positano and spend a longer time soaking up the sun and watching the waves by the beach.

On the way to Positano, Italy

Neapolitan Pizza in Positano, Italy

My Trip to Pompeii and Positano Italy

Thanks for reading! Have you been to Pompeii or Positano before?

New! Comments

Recent Articles

Your Entire Life is a Form of Self-Expression

How Adopting a Third Person Perspective Will Change Your Life

5 Best Interview Preparation Courses and Classes Online