Naples and Ercolano

This morning we woke up to the impressive sight of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.  We had decided to do Ercolano (Herculaneum) today as on our previous trip to Italy we had been to Naples and Pompeii.  Sometimes we like the convenience of the ship organized tours but for the most part we are the adventurous type and enjoy planning and executing our own.  Today we did just that.  Julia and Chuck came along.  We  left the ship early and found our way to the Circumvesuviana Stazione Centrale.  The Circumvesuviana is a local train that, as it name indicates, connects all of the towns surrounding Mount Vesuvius.  It is cheap, noisy, crowded and runs often; it allows you to get to places that you would normally not have enough time to get to by car or bus on a port day.

A day pass cost 3.40 euro each.  We got on in Naples and got off 15 minutes later at Ercolano Scavi station.  In contrast to the big, bustling, sprawling commercial city of Pompeii, Ercolano was a magnificent noble little town sitting on what once was oceanfront , with Mount Vesuvious looming in the background, close enough to touch.  It suffered a fate similar to that of Pompeii but, rather than being buried in ashes from the volcanic eruption, it was lying directly on the lava path of the volcano. Ercolano is much smaller than Pompeii and can be seen in less than two hours.  Aristocratic houses with vibrant frescoes and spacious courtyards are found among a multitud of tavernas and shops.  A splendid house of learning and a gymnasium where sporting and cultural events were held, beautifully proportioned to the scale of the town with telltale signs of its wealth represented by the extensive use of marble and the wonderfully preserved mosaic floors.

Ercolano from Above

Vesuvius looms

Ercolano

Ercolano

Ercolano

Ercolano mosaic

Ercolano

Ercolano frescoes

Naples

Sail away

Mount Etna

On a whim we left Ercolano for Sorrento.  We hopped back on the Circumvesuviana and, 45 minutes later were on a whirlwind walk of the historic centre, falling prey to the proverbial tourist trap: a beautiful trattoria in the quaintest of streets, with serenading musicians and utterly forgettable food.  Sorrento of the fragrant limoni and chic cafes, of panoramic views of the Bay of Naples and mount Vesuvius. Beautiful Sorrento.  So short a visit but so worth the return which brought back wonderful memories of our past stay.

Tonight's entertainment was George Sakellariou, a fabulous guitar player with a soul stirring repertoire.  Dinners in the main dining room have so far been particularly good; the service has been outstanding as has the food.  The food in other venues is good but not stellar.

Julia and I in Sorrento

Sorrento

Sorrento limoni