Campania archaeology and Campi Flegrei

Beyond Naples

The Bay of Naples is shaped by earthquakes and by Vesuvius, known locally as 'a Muntagna. The eruption of 79 CE buried Pompeii and Herculaneum for more than 1500 years, preserving estates, temples, baths and public spaces that later drew Grand Tour travellers. West of Naples, the seismically active Campi Flegrei also contains the oldest Greek settlement on the Italian mainland and the submerged Roman resort of Baiae.

The Circumvesuviana

The Circumvesuviana connects Naples with the Sorrentine Peninsula, Pompeii, Vesuvius and the towns around them. Trains can be crowded, hot and marked by graffiti, but the service is more reliable and safer than its old reputation suggests. Cars and buses face severe high-season traffic, so allow a generous margin on the roads.

Mt Vesuvius

The twin-peaked 1281 m volcano is still active. The villages around it were recovering from a major earthquake 17 years before the 79 CE eruption, and Vesuvius erupted again in 1944. Almost three million people now live within 32 km of the crater. Vesuvius National Park, established in 1995, covers 8482 hectares. The crater is about 450 m across and the climb to its edge is demanding, especially in direct sun, so bring plenty of water and a hat.

For an organised visit, look for a vulcanologist or ride horseback through the vineyards and finish with a tasting of Lacryma Christi. Vesuvius Active runs a shuttle from Herculaneum station to the park in about 40 minutes, leaving time for the crater path, Gulf views and a beer at the cafe above.

A Caldera road trip

Allow five hours for this 16 km drive through Campi Flegrei. Begin at Santuario di San Gennaro a Pozzuoli, the place associated with the saint's martyrdom. Pass the Solfatara volcano, closed to the public since 2019 but still visibly steaming beside the road, then reach the Anfiteatro Flavio in Pozzuoli and eat at Mar Limone nearby. Continue to Cuma, the first Magna Graecia colony from the eighth century BCE, and explore the tunnel of the Sibyl. At Lago di Fusaro, stop at Casina Vanvitelliana, a Bourbon hunting lodge on an islet whose octagonal form has attracted dignitaries and film crews.

Continue to the Terme di Baia archaeological site and the Museo Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei inside Castello Aragonese. If access is available, see Piscina Mirabilis, an extraordinary Roman cistern. End at Capo Miseno on the edge of the crater for the views across the bay.

Bradyseism and Baia Sommersa

Bradyseism is the slow rise and fall of the ground as magma moves through underground chambers. It explains why Campi Flegrei experiences frequent tremors and why ancient Baiae now lies about 5 m below the sea. Monte Nuovo is another result: it rose from the ground in 1538 in the space of a single week.

Baia Sommersa was the Roman Riviera, a coast of luxurious villas used by emperors and senators. The 1538 eruption split the coastline and opened a 200 m inland break before bradyseism lowered the ancient resort. The underwater city was rediscovered in the 1980s and is now protected. Guided snorkelling and scuba excursions must be reserved in advance; Centro Sub Campi Flegrei at centrosubcampiflegrei.it lists snorkelling from €25 per person and visits to one or two villa sites with mosaics, statues and submerged architecture.

Herculaneum

Herculaneum is about 20 minutes from Naples. The same 79 CE eruption that destroyed Pompeii covered it with volcanic mud, leaving a smaller and often more manageable archaeological site. Casa dei Cervi was a two-storey sea-view villa whose courtyard held marble deer being attacked by dogs and an irreverent Hercules. Casa Sannitica, built in the second century BCE by the Samnites after their conquest of the Greeks in 421 BCE, preserves an impluvium, second-storey wooden latticework and a fresco of the Europa myth.

The vaulted rooms of L'Antica Spiaggia opened onto the beach and probably served as warehouses before becoming a refuge during the eruption. Around 300 skeletons, necklaces and coins were found there in 1980, and the restored beach now resembles its ancient setting. A nine-metre wooden boat, Il Gozzo, was found nearby two years later. The Terme Suburbane and Terme Urbane retain tepidarium, caldarium and frigidarium rooms, pools, marble tubs and nearly intact mosaics of sea creatures and geometric patterns. Casa del Tramezzo di Legno preserves a charred folding wooden screen and bedframe from a business atrium.

Marechiaro

The small fishing village of Marechiaro lies 7 km southwest of Mappatella Beach. Its Fenestrella, a sea-facing window with a plaque and a fresh carnation, is linked with Salvatore Di Giacomo's Neapolitan song Marechiare. Fishing still shapes the village, and barcaioli take visitors to rock beaches from the port. From Mergellina, take bus 140 to Ricciardi, then descend the steep stairways. Discesa Coroglio is the best-maintained route.

Caserta

The Bourbon court commissioned Reggia di Caserta in 1752, choosing a site about 25 km from Naples that was close to the capital but safer from pirates. Luigi Vanvitelli designed a 6100 sq m baroque palace with four courtyards, 1200 rooms, 34 staircases, a theatre and a library. The entrance staircase has 117 steps and leads to apartments filled with art, frescoes, lacquered wood, gilt and crystal. Give the gardens time as well: their statues, fountains, waterfalls and pools form one of Europe's most impressive landscaped spaces.

Pompeii

Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 CE under lapilli, burning fragments of pumice. The excavated city preserves streets, houses, temples, shops, cafes, theatres and a brothel, offering a detailed view of Roman daily life. The 20,000-seat Anfiteatro occupies the eastern end of the site. The Foro was the political, commercial and religious centre and is best saved for later in the day, when the sun is less punishing. Villa dei Misteri, a 90-room residence from the second century BCE, contains a vast Dionysiac frieze.

Insula dei Casti Amanti was first uncovered in 1912 and includes a room of mythological figures, charcoal drawings by children in a service courtyard and an entrance where two eruption victims were found. Its restoration and photovoltaic work form part of the Pompei for All initiative, which includes access for visitors with disabilities.

• ✦Enter through the less crowded Amphitheatre gate whenever possible.
• ✦Morning is usually the busiest period; use the afternoon for the broadest spaces.
• ✦Buy tickets directly through the official Pompei website.
• ✦The multilingual audioguides are useful for a first visit.

In a nutshell: Use this chapter for archaeology and Campi Flegrei, then connect it with the Campania overview, Naples in depth, islands and coast, and Salerno and Cilento.