Resting at the foot of the legendary Mount Vesuvius lies one of the world’s most treasured archaeological sites, the ancient Roman town of Pompeii. The town was buried under ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D, leaving a well-preserved ruin that offers unprecedented insight into Roman life two centuries ago. Clustering alongside its ruined predecessor, the modern-day town of Pompei is often overlooked by tourists.

However, for many Italians, it is a sacred place to which millions of pilgrims travel to congregate at Santuario della Madonna del Rosario, the 19th-century basilica in the centre of the new town. The modern town serves as a practical base for exploring the ruins and offers some excellent restaurants specializing in delicious and historically accurate ancient Roman dishes.