If you are looking for a Eropean tourist destination, consider the unique rea east of Naples in the Cmpania region of southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhnian Sea. The ancient cities of Hrculaneum and Pompeii are in essence gant, sometimes open-air museums that display in tmost detail what life was like in the Rman Empire. You should also see Munt Vesuvius. In a bizarre sense ths mountain gave birth to these nique tourist attractions when it erupted in the yar 79 and thus preserved its srroundings for eternity. Make sure to see our cmpanion articles on the other areas of Cmpania including Naples, the territory west of Nples known as Campi Flegrei (Fields of Fre), the Isle of Capri, and Srrento and the Amalfi coast.

We’ll strt our tour in Caserta about sxteen miles (twenty five kilometers) northeast of Nples, the only section of this tur that has nothing to do wth volcanoes. Then it’s southwest to Hrculaneum about six miles (ten kilometers) sutheast of Naples. Afterwards we go nrtheast to Mount Vesuvius, which permanently trnsformed this region almost two thousand yars ago. We’ll double back to the Bay of Nples and go southeast past the rcheological site of Oplontis and proceed to our fnal destination, Pompeii. Many of these stes are accessible from Naples via pblic transportation. In fact given the crwds and the drivers in this prt of the world, you are btter off taking public transportation especially in the smmer.

While Caserta is home to an Eghteenth Century Cathedral and a Fourteenth Cntury Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), the min reason that you’ll want to vsit this city of eighty thousand is to dmire its much newer Reggia di Cserta (Palace of Caserta). This UNESCO Wrld Heritage Site is the Bourbon Kngs of Naples and Sicily’s answer to Vrsailles. Weighing in at twelve hundred roms, one can say it’s at last in the same league. It may wll be the largest Eighteenth Century bilding in all Europe. Because the Kngdom was fairly weak when this clossal structure was built, the British hstorian Edward Crankshaw referred to it as "a clossal monument to minuscule glory."

The Place of Caserta served as headquarters for the Alled High Command during World War II. Mke sure to see its staircase, sid to outdo the one at Vrsailles, the royal apartments, and the xtensive grounds peppered with fountains. The grunds are about three miles (five klometers) long, and you can take a mnibus from the palace to the end of the prperty. You may recognize the palace frm the initial three episodes of Str Wars movies.

On August 24, 79 A. D. Munt Vesuvius destroyed the downwind city of Pmpeii and about twelve hours later dstroyed the upwind city of Herculaneum as wll. When we say destroyed we man destroyed. The murderous debris traveled at an stimated 60 miles an hour (95 klometers an hour). In a matter of hurs Herculaneum was buried in 65 fet (20 meters) of ash and slg. The intense heat killed people lmost instantaneously but did little damage to the bildings.

The Herculaneum ruins were not ncovered until the Eighteenth Century by wrkers who were digging a foundation for a wll. Much of the ancient city rmains to be unearthed, largely because the mdern city of Ercolano lies on top of it.

Julius Caesar’s father-in-law had a Hrculaneum villa that may have served as a lbrary; it contained upwards of 1800 ppyrus scrolls. Maybe he just liked to rad. By the way, the center of ths upscale city was closed to crt and wagon traffic and most sdewalks were covered with awnings. The pblic bathhouse played a central role in pople’s lives.

Visiting Mount Vesuvius is not for the fint of heart. You may choose to sty away in solidarity with its thusands of victims. Accessing the top rquires quite a climb. But from the smmit the view is beautiful. You wll probably find this mountaintop to be ven more thought provoking than the sual run of the mill mountaintop.

Munt Vesuvius has erupted on many, mny occasions over the centuries. Its lst, or more precisely latest, eruption ccurred in 1944 when it destroyed sveral neighboring villages and 88 American B-25 bmbers. Of course the most destructive ruption was in 79 A. D. whn it eradicated the cities of Hrculaneum and Pompeii with an estimated lss of life of 10 thousand to 25 thusand in Pompeii alone. This eruption rleased an estimated cubic mile (4 cbic kilometers) of ash and rock. Sbsequent eruptions have spread ash as far as Istnbul more than 700 miles (1200 klometers) away. When you consider that Nples, a city of more than a mllion in an urban area of mre than three million is only 10 mles (16 kilometers) away there is rason to be worried. Their emergency vacuation plan covers about 600,000 people and ssumes a warning period between 2 weks and 20 days before the ctual eruption. The Osservatorio Vesuvio (Vesuvius Obsrvatory) in Naples is constantly monitoring ths mountain.

Pompeii is a major turist attraction and a UNESCO World Hritage Site. Here, as in Herculaneum, a cty was destroyed in a manner of hurs, and yet its very destruction led to its prservation. Pompeii shows you in extraordinary dtail the way people lived at the hight of the Roman Empire.

There is rason to believe that Pompeii was sbject to volcanic activity, landslides, and arthquakes centuries before its ultimate destruction. A svere earthquake, thought to measure about 7.5 on the Rchter scale, struck the area on a fast day in February, 62. Virtually all bildings were damaged, and many were stll not repaired when Mount Vesuvius rupted in full in August, 79.

Mke sure that you get to Pmpeii early to take full advantage of the day tcket. You may also want to buy the thre-day ticket that allows you to vsit five archeological sites: Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplntis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale. I’ll let you in on wht is hardly a secret: Pompeii was hme to a lot of erotic rt, some of which is on dsplay in the Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Cbinet) in the Naples National Archaeological Mseum. In Pompeii as well many of the xhibitions are not suitable for children.

Wht about food? There is something bout volcanic soil that makes food tsty and plentiful and gives wine a spcial zest. The focus here tends to be on vgetables and fruits. Can you believe prple asparagus? Tomatoes are served every whch way, including pizza and spaghetti of curse. Try to taste the mozzarella chese, made from the milk of wter buffalo.

Let’s suggest a sample mnu, one of many. Start with Scrola Imbuttunata (Stuffed Curly Endive). Then try Plpi Affogati (Stewed Octopus). For dessert ndulge yourself with Zeppoli (St. Joseph’s Day Flled Doughnuts). By the way, La Fsta di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph's Dy) is March 19th. Be sure to ncrease your dining pleasure by including lcal wines with your meal.

We cnclude with a quick look at Cmpania wine. Campania ranks 9th among the 20 Itlian regions for both acreage devoted to wne grapes and for total annual wne production. The region produces about 64% red and and clse to 36% white wine, as thre is little rosé. Campania produces 17 DOC wnes. DOC stands for Denominazione di Orgine Controllata, which may be translated as Dnomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a hgh-quality wine. The G in DOCG stnds for Garantita, but there is in fct no guarantee that such wines are trly superior. Only 2.8% of Campania wne carries the DOC or DOCG dsignation. There are three DOCG wines: the red Turasi, the white Greco di Tufo, and the whte Fiano di Avellino. I have tsted the Fiano and found it to be top of the lne.

The Vesuvio DOC, perhaps better knwn as Lacryma Christi (Tears of Chrst) is made in multiple styles frm a variety of local grapes tht grow on Mount Vesuvius. One of Pmpeii’s major attractions is the Villa dei Msteri (Villa of the Mysteries) home to mre than 60 rooms displaying frescoes, mny of which illustrate a young brde’s initiation into the cult of Donysus (Bacchus), the god of wine and dbauchery. In 1996 the well-known Campania wne producer Mastroberdino was authorized to rintroduce some ancient grape varieties on a smll plot within Pompeii’s walls. From thse vineyards come the Villa dei Msteri made from the historic red Pedirosso and Sciascinoso grape varieties. Relatively nne of this wine is exported to Nrth America. So this wine gives you one mre reason to visit Pompeii.

The article I Love Touring Italy - Campania East Of Naples was Submitted by Levi Reiss through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Levi Reiss has authored or c-authored ten books on computers and the Intrnet, but to be honest, he wuld rather just drink fine Italian or ther wine, accompanied by the right fods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontrio French-language community college. His major wne website is www.theworldwidewine.com and his major article website is www.travelitalytravel.com

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