People who know me, know I love Italy. I’ve cruised throughout Italy four times. Each trip has been a revelation of art, history, food, and culture. This cruise on the Norwegian Escape was no different. I’ve sailed on Norwegian previously, so the ship may have been larger, but it was basically the same.

We were advised to purchase a map and an audio guide. Our first mistake was buying a set for each of us. Since we were all touring together it would have been cheaper and more practical to buy one to share. First lesson learned!

Buy your tickets in advance! We were fortunate because we arrived early and I am in wheelchair we were permitted to move ahead of the long line for tickets and entrance. We knew in advance we would not be able to see all of the site. There wasn’t sufficient time and not all of Pompeii is wheelchair accessible. We started out on a lovely tree-lined path. Unfortunately, that soon changed.

Our first stop was the Temple of Venus. It’s surrounded by tall columns. Her Temple was the city’s largest site of worship. There are small buildings on one side that are believed to have been workshops. Some buildings that were present before the Temple was built were kept as homes for Temple priests. Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. She was the city’s official guardian.

The ash covered city of Pompeii was a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Walking through the site it’s hard to imagine the structures covered in up to twenty feet of volcanic ash. Men, women, and children suddenly buried. It wasn’t until late in the 16th century that some discoveries were made. It was almost two hundred years later that more was unearthed. Unfortunately, many things were damaged, destroyed, or stolen.

Even in the bright sunlight of August there is something eerie about the site. It’s an incredible experience, but I felt disrespectful exploring the spaces where people had died horribly and unexpectedly. I do think it’s well worth a visit if you visit near by Naples.