The Amalfi Coast And Vesuvius: In Places It's A Real Cliffhanger With Geological History

Travel Article

Now for some travel distraction to a place you may want to visit if you haven’t been there.

In 2012, when travelling in Italy, we headed to the Amalfi Coast and Positano. Crossing the width of Italy takes about 3 hours. As we approached Naples on the west coast, we saw Mount Vesuvius. This volcano has erupted many times throughout history with dire consequences. It was all shrouded in a haze as it was humid and smoggy. We thought how dangerous it was for people to live so close to an active volcano in such large numbers.

On the Amalfi Coast, we expected a hair-raising drive along the coastal cliffs with sharp curves and dangerous drop-offs. As it turned out, the drive was relatively tame except for dodging motorcycles and cars that crossed over onto the wrong side of the road, a common occurrence in Italy. The Italian drivers are pretty bad. However, at least here, they had guardrails instead of travelling through New Zealand mountains, where they mainly don't exist.

The Amalfi Coast is very picturesque, and the buildings and houses are stacked along the cliffs in seemingly impossible locations overlooking the Meditteranean. It reminded us of the Greek Island of Santorini, with buildings overlooking the Caldera.

Beaching Positano Style

Getting to the "beach" was all downhill with stairs and weaving narrow streets full of shops and restaurants. The beach was not Australia; it was completely covered in black volcanic stones that felt like hot coals. You could still feel the heat beneath your feet, even with sandals. 

The beach was crowded with people, though the water wasn't, so most were there to sun themselves or just to people watch. We just got in the water and decided to have a snorkel. The sea was calm, and the water temperature was enjoyable, with a few small fish scurrying around. Looking up from the water, the surrounding town on the cliffs made for a beautiful backdrop.

The B & Bs in Positano were basic for what one pays, and you'll spend a lot for what you get. It's the typical tourist trap gouging, so it goes with the territory. At least the location did have very nice views.

Pompeii - A City Frozen In Time

The area just north of the Amalfi Coast is rich in geological history.

Just about everyone has heard of the story of Pompeii, which was obliterated by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 A.D. This ancient city, first Greek, then Roman, flourished from around the 3rd century B.C. until its demise. It was rediscovered in the 1700s and since then has been unearthed and, in some cases, restored, but most of it exists as it did initially.

When we visited the site, again on a hot day, around 34 degrees Celsius, with very high humidity. Pompeii's site, which lies less than an hour from Positano, is within the modern city of Pompei (spelt with one i). What was astounding to us was the size of this archaeological site. It is 44 hectares in area, so there was no way to see it all in one day, let alone in a few hours.

The original streets are there with ruts in the basalt roadway blocks from the constant passage of chariots. There were numerous shops with grooves where sliding wooden doors had been. We saw an original theatre, a training ring where gladiators honed their skills, a bakery, residences and a thermal bath complete with a gymnasium. The building roofs are no longer there as they were destroyed by the weight of ash collapsing.

One of the most striking features is casts of people literally frozen in time in whatever position they were in at the time that the city was hit. While skin and tissues decomposed over time, the bones did not, and the bodies retained their shape through the hardened ash and pumice, which created a mould. Archaeologists injected liquid plaster into these moulded shapes, some displayed at Pompeii. In contrast, others have been taken to the Museum of Naples.

This was definitely worth the visit, but consider going during the winter months if you don't like the heat, as some people found it quite oppressive. Also, in winter, there would be smaller crowds.

Afterwards, we climbed Mt Vesuvius just south of Naples, where we could go near the edge of the new crater. 

Vesuvius is still an active volcano but is currently asleep. Its last eruption was in 1944. Looking down from above, we had great views of Naples and the Bay of Naples through the haze, with the suburbs of Naples right up against the base of the volcano. It seems crazy, in light of the many eruptions of Vesuvius, that so many people live so close to it. One million people are under direct threat if another eruption occurs.

Herculaneum - Another Tragedy of Vesuvius

About 15 minutes from Pompei, close to the sea, is Herculaneum, another archaeological site that resulted from the eruption of Vesuvius. The ruins are more impressive than Pompeii. 

The site is much smaller than Pompeii, and the structures, including frescoes and mosaics, seemed in better shape. It probably had to do with Herculaneum buried in a thicker layer of ash and pumice stone, some 60 feet deep.

The town was developed as a seaside resort for the wealthy of Rome, including the cousin of Julius Caesar. The bodies of those killed were discovered only 30 years ago along the seashore. Only the bones were intact, with the rest having disintegrated.

The town sits adjacent to the modern city of Ercolano. There is still a significant area that has yet to be excavated because much of the city sits under the new buildings of the modern town.

Herculaneum had a sewage system, clean running water in its wells, baths with exercise areas, shops with storage facilities, and eateries. There were the houses of the wealthy on the seashore with spacious rooms, while the poor of the town lived in a single room. We also saw a shrine to Emperor Augustus, which has a plaque on the wall that is still intact. In various buildings, we could see carbonized wood, which resulted from the intense heat of the ash from the volcano.

The eruption of Vesuvius changed the landscape so much that today, the original shoreline is some distance from Herculaneum.