Pompeii

In 79 AD the metamorphic might of looming Mount Vesuvius engulfed this well-to-do-roman resort town of villas, shops, temples and even brothels, trapping it beneath layers of searing pumice, ash and lava for over 1,500 years. Today, the on-going efforts of archaeologists from right across the globe have managed to uncover one of the most startling ancient sites on the planet, revealing a compelling image of Roman life frozen in time and rock. Under the gaze of the volcanic caldera that once destroyed the city, visitors here are invited to wander between the various sights, weaving between the colonnades of the ancient Forum space, spying out the opulent mosaics of the House of the Ancient Hunt, the exquisite carvings of the House of Faun, the gaudy frescos of the Lupanar brothel, or the oddities of the Villa of the Mysteries outside the city walls. Along the way, be sure to keep your Pompeii tour guide at hand, to point out the chilling plaster casts of the bodies that were found here ensconced in plumes of pumice, or to reveal the hidden secrets of ancient Roman life throughout.