Naples Specialty Attractions

The Romans called this place the Forum Vulcani, or Home to the God of Fire. Located just outside of Naples in the suburb of Pozzuoli, the 4,000-year-old crater is held up by tons of steam, heated by the earth's molten core. The mud was once used as a health cure, and it bubbles constantly, occasionally erupting, shooting streams into the air. Naples' metro system drops travellers off very close to the site.

With a population that could have neared 20,000 people, life in Pompeii was healthy and happy until Aug. 24, 79 AD, when Mt. Vesuvius erupted with enough power to completely bury Pompeii and its neighbour, Herculaneum in volcanic ash. The cities were lost, then forgotten, until 16 centuries later when they and their contents were rediscovered. Frozen in time, the bodies of victims remain encased in ash exactly as they fell, and preserved private homes offer a never-before-seen glimpse into Roman daily life.

The unassuming entrance to an ornate 1590 chapel belies the treasures of marble, frescoes and sculpture inside. The chapel holds the tombs of the wealthy Sangro di San Severo family, and the crypt has displays of horrifying anatomical experiments by Prince Raimondo, a distant relative and a respected 18th-century alchemist.

The only active volcano on the European mainland, Vesuvius has terrorized Neapolitans for centuries. In 79 AD, its eruption was powerful enough to completely destroy the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and blanket Naples and the whole of southern Europe in ash. It has erupted several times since then, the last incident occuring in 1944, and is still considered one of the most dangerous volcanos in the world.

Herculaneum is the lesser-known victim of Italy's Mt. Vesuvius' eruption of 79 AD, which encased it and its neighbour Pompeii in tons of volcanic ash. The town's residents were thought to have escaped until only very recently, when, in the 1990s, excavations turned up the skeletons of more than 200 people. Artwork and scrolls have also been uncovered, and are being studied to further understand the culture and practises of these ancient Italian people.

Proud fans of Naples' soccer team erected this permanent homage to the best player to ever wear the sky blue kit of SSC Napoli. Diego Maradona even consented to a lock of his hair being taken to form part of the tribute.