While the boys and I packed up the apartment, A headed back to Il Tartufo for a variety of pastries for breakfast.
We left for Herculaneum at 10am and arrived in no time.
Herculaneum is about a quarter of the size of Pompeii and there at 10% of the people, making the feel a little more comfortable. The structures here are also in better shape. Lots of art, mosaics and buildings in complete form. It’s hot again today, but with fewer people, and the ease to find shade, it seems a lot easier to get around. Our tour starts at the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus. The Casa di Servi was our first stop, but it was the Casa del Bicentenario that first caught our eye. This 2-storey home was large and airy. Many frescos on the wall and a well maintained “doormat” mosaic. Next to it is Augusteum, the arch, which leads to Sede Degli Augustali, a one-time religious building. Augustali is in sublime condition. Whole walls covered in frescos, as well as the Plaque to Augustus. Casa di Nettuno e Anfitrite was out next stop. These were the women’s baths, and again these 200-year-old buildings are just in magnificent shape. The Termini Centrali had wonderful marine-themed apodyterium mosaic. Stops into a couple more houses bought an end to our 3 hours in Herculaneum. A better day heat and people wise from yesterday, but just as amazing an archeological site as yesterday. A great finale to 2 weeks of non-stop history.
Herculaneum, Italy
Casa del Bicentenario, Herculaneum, Italy
Casa di Nettuno e Anfitrite, Herculaneum, Italy
L, D & B, Sedi Degli Augustali, Herculaneum, Italy
D, L, B & M, Herculaneum, Italy
Just outside the park is La Terra d’Ercole, where we climb the thin spiral stairs to have lunch. In the heat it’s pizza, pasta and salad and a bucket of water trying to hydrate.
After lunch we’re back on the road for the drive to Hotel Isola Scora near the Rome Airport, where we’ll spend the last night. The boys are dying to get back in the pool, and it’s a great way to cool off after this morning and the 3-hour drive from Herculaneum. The hotel is nice and we have 2 rooms.
As the sun went down, we drove out to Fiumicino and had dinner at a restaurant on the canal (across from the Coast Guard – I don’t remember the name of it). The food was good, and a perfect non-touristy end to this awesome vacation. This is a local’s area, but as a street by the canal, it is lined with restaurants and bars, and by the time we left the whole area was jumping. Of course, we didn’t miss out on one last chance at gelato, as we picked up an order from Gelateria Polo Nord.
What a great couple of weeks – Sunday morning we returned the car and made an easy trip into the airport. Made our flight with plenty of time, and it was a smooth, uneventful ride home. I (and I’m sure the family) had a great time. It was great to be in Italy with some money and time. So different from 24 years ago, backpacking in a tent in Rome and Florence. The best part was sharing it all with A and the boys. I really hope they appreciate this in ears to come. And for the opportunity to spend this time with Pops and NanNan made it all the more special.
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