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1. Getting to know the
PEOPLE OF POMPEII

2. A visit to POMPEII can be at both
fascinating and overwhelming.
But if you know how to look, you’ll
find traces of daily life there that
will lead to a surprising discovery:
the city’s ancient inhabitants
weren’t that different from the
tourists who roam its streets today.

3. Without some context and
explanations, you may find that
Pompeii’s ruins have little meaning.
Row after row of crumbling red-black
walls, street after street of
cobblestones become almost
overwhelming.
The occasional colonnade comes as a
surprise, but maybe not more than
that. It’s probably best to visit Pompeii
with some help.
You can hire a guide on-site, but while
most of these freelancers are very
knowledgeable, they’re also
pricey, often asking around 100 euros
or more per visit.

5. Even without a guide, there are ways to understand and identify with the ancient
Pompeiians, if you know what to look for. Don’t be afraid to walk down some of
the quieter side streets.

6. You’ll find many things that are strangely familiar. For example, no matter where
you wander, you’re bound to come across numerous ancient fast food places.
You can recognize them by their counters with holes that once held amphorae
full of food or change.

7. The famous “Cave Canum”
(“Beware of Dog”) mosaic is
another surprisingly modern
aspect of the ancient city –
you or your neighbor might
have one in another,
probably less ornate version,
today.

8. There are still dogs in Pompeii. Strays stroll around and sleep on the
ancient stones. Like their predecessor, you should probably beware of
them; although they seem benevolent and relaxed, signs around the
site tell visitors to be cautious.

9. There are still dogs in Pompeii. Strays stroll around and sleep on the
ancient stones. Like their predecessor, you should probably beware of
them; although they seem benevolent and relaxed, signs around the
site tell visitors to be cautious.

10. At the House of the Faun, you’ll find still another familiar sight, though
you might not realize it at first. A sidewalk mosaic in front of the
entrance spells out “HAVE”, a Latin greeting: you’re standing in front
of an ancient Roman welcome mat!

11. An easily missed
sign of life is the
regular ruts under
your feet: deep
grooves of carriage
wheels cut into the
paving stones, a
reminder of the
busy traffic that
these streets saw
long before the
eruption.

12. A section of the
Forum, with Mount
Vesuvius in the
background.

13. Pompeii seems like a pretty easy
and straightforward place to visit.
Plan a trip now!