5 things Joey needs to do in Italy

My bestie Joey is going to Italy for 10 days and here’s five things he just has to do!

 

1. Go to Herculaneum AND Pompeii

While Pompeii is a very popular site in Italy, Herculaneum is the lesser-known Pompeii. Herculaneum (Ercolano) was another town that was buried in ash in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted. It is closer to Mount Vesuvius and was finished in a few seconds after the explosion. It is better preserved than Pompeii and was found in the 18th century even before they discovered Pompeii. Although it is smaller than Pompeii, you do have the ability to go on the second floors of buildings which is a bonus!

2. Eat tomatoes!!

While anywhere in Italy has good tomatoes, the tomatoes near Mount Vesuvius are even better. They are grown in volcanic ash around the base of the volcano and taste even sweeter. You just can’t have a bad tomato in Italy. I fully believe that it’s impossible! I ate a whole bowl of tomatoes with breakfast, I kid you not, because they were just so good!

3. Go to archaeological museum in Naples

While visiting Pompeii AND Herculaneum is amazing and you’ll see amazing things there, a lot of artifacts from there have been preserved and are in this museum. A lot of the mosaics have been reconstructed and there is even a model of what Pompeii looked like before the eruption. It’s a great addition especially after seeing Pompeii, Herculaneum, and climbing Mount Vesuvius.

4. Drink Christ’s tears on top of Mount Vesuvius

At the very top of Mount Vesuvius is a wine called the “tears of Christ",” or Lacryma Christi. This wine is produced on the slopes of the volcano where grapes are grown in dirt with volcanic ash. Apparently, legend goes that upon seeing the bay of Naples, Christ wept, and the tears blessed the land where the grapes grow. This is a nice treat after walking up all the to the top! Enjoy a small glass of wine before heading back to the bottom.

Got to the top of Mount Vesuvius

Drinking the Tears of Christ.

5. Bring water and wear a hat when you’re walking Mount Vesuvius

It is unbelievably hot in Italy in July where temperatures can get over 100 degrees Fahrenheit! Make sure to bring a water bottle when traveling and when you’re hiking up the volcano, be sure to bring it! It is so hot walking up the mountain, but the views are worth it! There is a little rest area halfway up the mountain where you can get water as well as hot chocolate if you’re so inclined. Also, be sure to bring a hat. The UV rays are high and the top of your head can get sunburned so easily. I had to buy a hat before hiking up the top so be sure to bring one and keep cool.