Digs & Discoveries - Pompeii & The Archaeological Museum

Extended Description

Take it from us: If you’re visiting Pompeii, then you can’t miss the Naples Archaeological Museum! Here is where most of the fascinating discoveries found in Pompeii, including frescoes, mosaics, and sculptures, wound up. So combining both stops is the best way to get a complete picture of ancient Roman life—and of Pompeii itself. 

At Pompeii's entrance gates, your guide will regale you with a detailed account of life in Pompeii, both before, during, and after the eruption. You’ll see all of the most popular sites, including the House of the Tragic Poet, with its famous “Cave Canum” (“Beware of the Dog”) mosaic; the brothel and the suburban baths; and the Roman Forum, with its beautiful Basilica and Temple of Apollo. And that’s not to forget the plaster casts of those killed in the eruption, the eerie and moving glimpses of what it must have been like to experience Armageddon. 

The real treat of our Pompeii tour, though, is the House of Mysteries. It’s Pompeii’s most lavish and beautiful villa—but, again, hardly anyone goes! Don’t miss out on this fascinating house from the 2nd century B.C., which still boasts incredibly well-preserved, colorful frescoes, including the highly controversial painting of what is thought to be a girl’s initiation into marital life.

At the archaeological museum, you’ll delve right into Pompeii’s juiciest details and stories. Using the museum’s world-renowned collection as a starting point, your guide will recreate for you what being an ancient Roman was really like. Some of these just might surprise you, like the “secret cabinet,” a room of ancient erotic art and objects that used to be kept under lock and key. (Depending on the age and comfort of the clients, visiting this room is at the discretion of you and your guide!).

And that’s not to mention the fantastic art! Ever seen a detailed Roman painting from 2,000 years ago? How about dozens and dozens of them, all incredibly preserved and as colorful as if they were painted yesterday? That’s not to mention the extraordinary mosaics—a collection that, after a long renovation, was only just reopened to the public!—including the famed “Alexander mosaic,” a much-imitated mosaic featuring Alexander the Great and Darius. Or the Farnese sculpture collection, including the “Farnese Bull,” the largest single sculpture ever recovered from antiquity. It’ll take your breath away! 

By the end of your tour? You’ll have truly discovered Pompeii… and truly enjoyed yourself, too!