Naples National Archaeological Museum and Solfatara

Naples National Archaeological Museum and Solfatara

Our last day exploring Italy was spent learning the history of the country through artifacts displayed in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. The museum features a range of displays including preserved statues and recovered mosaics, as well as coins and other objects like utensils and vanity objects found during excavations. Models of Pompeii at its prime offered an insight to the building styles back then. Helpful information pillars provided context about various paintings exhibited which was interesting as it gave you a little idea about what life was like. Be warned however, behind the metal bar gate is the museums brothel display section!

On to Solfatara, a shallow, dormant volcanic crater that still releases sulfurous fumes and steam. From the opening area of the site, the volcano is a little bit of a trek away. Don't be put off though as it is surrounded by gorgeous natural scenery approaching, and around, the volcanic area. Another warning however, this site is not for those with a weak stomach. Due to the sulphur, the air is filled with a strong rotten egg smell. Most find it bearable, but if you're like me, I recommend bringing a scarf to cover your nose and mouth. Coming back from the volcano, the site offers a sweet, little gift shop that also sells ice cream which you can enjoy outside admiring the view from a bench.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Italy. It is one of those countries I could revisit many times and still have so much to see. If any of you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to go, I guarantee you'll fall in love. I'll return one day to see more sites definitely!

Vesuvius and Pompeii

Vesuvius and Pompeii

Our second day in Sorrento began with an early start. We were straight on the bus as soon as breakfast was finished, making our way to trek up Mt Vesuvius. The volcano is most well for its eruption in AD79 which destroyed the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It is currently dormant and the site was declared a national park in 1995, allowing visitors to climb to the summit. The tiring walk is certainly worth it for the view below and the opportunity to see the crater. sensible walking boots are highly recommended.

After eating lunch at a friendly pizzeria on the road down from Vesuvius, we headed for the site of Pompeii. The city was covered with volcanic ash from Vesuvius which solidified around the city to become rock. Many perished trying to escape and were trapped under the ash with their home. Walking onto the site sent a strange, almost eerie shiver down my spine. A large amount of the buildings are well preserved, but still show the devastation it all suffered. Casts of human bodies are displayed in glass containers, positioned in the way they died, some sleeping, some running. The thought of a whole city ruined in the blink of an eye is chilling when you walk among the remains and makes you value where you live.

If you're particularly interested in History, experiencing the city first hand is definitely worth it.

En Route to Sorrento

Sorrento

After a couple of amazing days in Rome, we woke up early for a long bus trip to Sorrento. Sorrento is a gorgeous town just south of Naples and Pompeii so naturally we were excited to arrive. The journey was a five hour long bus ride so obviously not much happened. Before we arrived at our hostel, we made a stop to visit the site of Herculaneum, an ancient costal town that, like Pompeii, was devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

The site of Herculaneum is actually a good few metres lower than the majority ground level, but it's easily accessible via stairs and a ramp. A lot more of Herculaneum is preserved compared to Pompeii as it was hit last by the lava and mainly covered by the ash clouds. We didn't have a tour of the site so we were mainly exploring and discovering things like mosaics and rooms for ourselves. One thing that was made very clear by the buildings was that the people in 79 AD were much smaller than present day, as the doorways were only about 1.6 metres tall. Definitely a place to visit for anyone interested in historical sites.

Once we left Herculaneum, we made our way to our hostel in Sorrento. The hostel had a stunning view from its roof top garden of the Bay of Naples and the mountainous areas surrounding it. After snapping a few pictures of the sunset we settled in for the night in the comfy accommodation.

Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon

Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon

Our second day exploring Rome was spent walking to a few of Rome's most notable sights. We started off with the Colosseum, the most famous structure of the day. Entering at the bottom, we all climbed the stairs to the uppermost level you could access. The view was thrilling, panning the whole circumference and being able to see the network of tunnels and cages that were underneath the ground where the lions were kept for shows during the Roman times. Definitely a location to go mad with panorama shots!

After we ate lunch, which you can get at many local shops for a good price, sandwiches and pizzas ranging from €3-€5, we made our way to the Spanish Steps. The fastest way to get around Rome as a traveller has definitely got to be the metro, with a 75 minute ticket being just €1.50, so as long as you know your stop it's definitely worth it. We arrived at the Spanish Steps to find them unfortunately very crowded, but that didn't affect us seeing the beautiful design of them. Going at a quieter time of year could mean your experience is better.

As the steps, fountain and Pantheon are fairly close to each other, we decided to experience Rome's streets and walk from the steps to the Trevi Fountain. There are many souvenir stands so if you forgot to buy someone a gift, don't worry as you can easily pick one up when walking from place to place. Many artists have been catching on to the new trend of spray paint street art where they use various stencils and lids to create gorgeous, detailed pictures, a lot of the artist being scattered along the streets showcasing their work and creating new pieces on the go as passers by watch and buy. I had heard of the beauty of the Trevi Fountain and was eager to throw in a coin for luck, to find that it is currently under restoration till Autumn 2015, so if you want to see it when you travel, don't book your holiday for before then, otherwise you'll be moved on by guards and won't see the fountain in it's glory.

Ice cream was desperately needed after the disappointment, and Italy is famous for it's amazing ice cream. Making our way to the Pantheon, we sought out an ice cream shop and bought some, enjoying it in front of the Pantheon. Even though the Pantheon isn't as popular to see as the others, it still has interesting history and is worth it to see the stunning architectural design of it.



Vatican City

Vatican City

I recently returned from a cultural visit to Italy with a group from my sixth form. It was my fourth time visiting the country, but I still got to experience places I hadn't before. The next few blog posts will be sharing my trip with you, each sight at a time, from both Rome and Sorrento.

Our first proper day in Rome was spent enjoying a guided tour of the Vatican City. Our tour guide took us almost everywhere, some places unfortunately being shut to the public currently. One of my favourite spots we walked around was the Cortile Della Pigma, a beautiful courtyard type area. It has a sculpture in it called Sphere Within Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro.

The whole city is absolutely stunning, with intricate art work and breath taking architecture. I would strongly recommend visiting if you find yourself in Rome, whether for religious reasons or soaking up some culture, it's certainly an experience.

Just A Small Update

I'm sorry that i've been really inactive at posting. Since January, i've had a couple of big things to prepare for which required my time and concentration more. The first being my schools production of Sunshine On Leith at the beginning of February. It was a fun show but a lot of rehearsing had to be put into it to achieve the amazing result we did. I've also been organising everything I need for my upcoming trip to Italy in a week. This trip has required a lot of preparation too and alongside the musical, I haven't had much time to blog. I hope you understand. I plan on getting back into the swing of things now and I look forward to posting my holiday pictures here and my latest book review, which you'll be able to check out on my book blog www.sailoralanahbooks.blogspot.co.uk/, so watch that page.

-Alanah

Introduction

Introduction

Hello there everyone,

I'm a 17 year old from North East England who loves to write and many other things. One of those things is traveling. I love to soak up the culture of the world which is something best experienced first hand. This blog is going to be dedicated to my travels, including pictures of where i'm going, pictures from past holidays that were amazing, and posts talking about where I traveled to, whether this is abroad of within the UK.

Travelling is one of the things in life I enjoy and I can't wait to write about my adventures for you all to read.