Pompeii
Pompeii, from Rome, is possible, and highly recommended!
The Roman Royal Holiday always sparks the imagination. The idea that Rome is one of the most ancient cities on Earth leads any visitor to want to learn more about those original Romans.
Obviously, there are lots of ancient Roman sites and excavations and museums and monuments, right in Rome. But to really experience the Ancient Roman lifestyle, to see the homes and – almost to smell the food – there’s no better place than Pompeii.
Pompeii by Train from Rome
As day trips go, Pompeii is just about at the limit of travel times – about 2.5 hours travel in both directions – but it’s certainly do-able in a day. Europeans will rent a car to tackle the Italian countryside, but most visitors from the Americas or other continents will find the trains a lot more charming and a lot less, well, hair-raising, than Italy’s directionally challenged highway system.
Purchasing train tickets at Rome’s Termini train station shouldn’t take much more than finding the right queue and buying the Eurostar train to Napoli. Most travelers will go the evening before to buy a ticket and confirm the departure time without the trouble of baggage or being in any hurry. Train departure times will vary, but confirm the departure time the night before so you can arrive the following morning. You can even pre-purchase tickets online on the Frecciarossa network [http://www.raileurope-world.com/train/italian-trains-frecciarossa], which sends regular trains to the Piazza Garibaldi in Naples.
Visitors to Ancient Pompeii get off at Pompei Scavi / Villa dei Misteri station. From there, you’ll be met by lots of eager guides and vendors. Most guests spend about 2 to 4 hours exploring ancient Pompeii, and perhaps heading back into Naples for a late lunch before returning to Rome.
Super comfortable walking shoes are essential! Remember, there are also alternatives a little closer to your home base in Rome itself.
Ostia Antica is just about 20 miles/32 kms from the center of Rome and can be reached from the metro (Line B to Porta s Paola ) within the city. From there, it’s a quick train ride to Ostia. While not quite as dramatic as Pompeii, it’s a lot closer and still gives you some of that feeling of being just a little closer – to Julius Caesar and Cicero and the lot.