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Herculaneum

Sea42

By Sea42,
in Italy Ports

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  • 4 weeks later...
Arubamoose

Arubamoose

Posted
Posted (edited)

I cannot believe that this thread is still alive!!

 

Last time we were in Naples we did a DIY to Pompeii. So easy. Bought a tram ticket from the tobacco store across the street. Hopped on #1 to Napoli Centrale. Bought a train ticket to Pompeii. Spent a good 5 hours there with my DH and good buddy Rick Steves (via his podcast).

 

Came back to Napoli Centrale. The trains reminded me of my childhood in the 60's in Brooklyn! Grabbed the tram to go back to the ship.

 

However - we decided we were hungry! And what is a stop in Napoli without pizza. We spotted a restaurant and got off the tram and had a wonderful lunch - a spur of the moment fabulous decision.

 

This time we are going to DIY to Caserta - where my grandmother and mother were born. Looking forward to seeing where my family came from.

 

However - I am reading this Herculaneum thread because we are porting on a Sunday and there are only two early trains to Caserta and if for some reason we miss them - we need a back up plan.

 

Never DIY travel without a back up plan.

 

Love your threads CruiseMom!! You, Hank and EuroCruiser are my heros!

Edited by Arubamoose
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joshalow

joshalow

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Note to anyone visiting Herculaneum soon: Several of the nicer houses are closed for further restoration. These the following houses on the street called Cardo IV, at the end that would've been overlooking the water: House of the Relief of Telephus, House of the Gem, and House of the Deer.

 

Of course, the Villa dei Papiri has been closed for quite a long time already with restoration work. Also, the Palaestra had ongoing work when we were there and we could not get in.

 

Still lots to see though...!

 

Does anyone know if these restorations are still ongoing? We will be there in June.

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bagelme

bagelme

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I should be all caught up again with notes.

 

Thanks, Arubamoose, for the kind words. :)

 

Thank you so very much for sending me your notes! Very much appreciate your work and I'm looking forward to this trip!

Pat :)

 

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

Posted
Posted (edited)
Does anyone know if these restorations are still ongoing? We will be there in June.

 

I just took a look at the official site for Herculaneum (through the office of the Superintendent of all the archeological sites in the area: http://www.pompeiisites.org/).

 

Unfortunately, the list of closures hasn't been updated since 2012. However, given the glacial pace at which most of these projects move and the lack of funding available in Italy for such things, I would plan on most of them still being closed. But not to worry, there is still plenty to see.

 

The exception may be the Palaestra, which was closed the first time I went (in 2012) but then partially open when I went back again late in the year.

Edited by cruisemom42
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Dacoscosohana

Dacoscosohana

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Hi Cruisemom, Thank you for all of the detailed information you've posted! I would love to receive a copy of your Herculaneum notes. I've visited Pompei with a guide a few years back and also visited Positano, Amalfi and Sorrento. I'm planning to take the train to Herculaneum, but am open for other activities later in the day. Do you have any suggestions of how to fill the rest of an 7a-7p port visit, based upon your favorites during your previous visits? If you could email your notes to me at tfechner2693 at gmail, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Edited by Dacoscosohana
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Satara.Chai

Satara.Chai

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Hey Cruisemom, I would also love a copy of your notes to both Pompeii (I understand that they are long) and Herculaneum. We're still trying to decide between the two. We're a homeschooling family with 3 teenagers who love history, but right after our stop in Naples we will be spending 3 1/2 full days in Rome. I thought I'd decided on Herculaneum, but now I'm reconsidering. So I guess I'm off to do more research to make a final decision. We will be there next year in April the week after Easter, so I'm not sure how crowded Pompeii will be. My email is satara.chai @ gmail dot com

Thank you so much.

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BooBooTX

BooBooTX

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Hi Cruisemom. May I request a copy of your Herculaneum notes as well? Also, we will be in port in Sorrento. Any advice about traveling to Herculaneum from Sorrento? Many thanks in advance. v dot casey at outlook dot com

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  • 3 weeks later...
Literacy Lady

Literacy Lady

Posted
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I'm not sure who you are addressing this question to?

 

Most people on this thread are discussing Herculaneum and most have done it on their own.

 

Perhaps starting a separate post for Pompeii would yield better results.

 

Thanks for all your great information. I will be stopping in Naples in early Nov. on a cruise. I would love your Herculaneum tour. I know that won't take all day. Do you have a suggestion for another half day? I was thinking of getting back on the train and going on to Sorrento. Is that doable? My email is ccrdrt at netscape dot net Thanks again.

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  • 2 weeks later...
rhinomike

rhinomike

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We will be there in a month. Me, my wife and our 4 boys (14,17,18,19). We have reserved Rome in a Limo for a private tour along with a private tour guide for Pompeii. After reading this thread I am re-thinking it and maybe switching the tour to Herculaneum.

 

Now please excuse my ignorance and lack of knowledge on the subject...... But one of our interest is viewing the bodies encased in ash. Where are these located? Do they exist? I have not yet done much research and I have very little knowledge on the subject. But dont want to miss that.

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

Posted
Posted
We will be there in a month. Me, my wife and our 4 boys (14,17,18,19). We have reserved Rome in a Limo for a private tour along with a private tour guide for Pompeii. After reading this thread I am re-thinking it and maybe switching the tour to Herculaneum.

 

Now please excuse my ignorance and lack of knowledge on the subject...... But one of our interest is viewing the bodies encased in ash. Where are these located? Do they exist? I have not yet done much research and I have very little knowledge on the subject. But dont want to miss that.

 

 

What you actually see are plaster casts made by excavators from the hollows left by bodies that were encased in the falling ash. The bodies themselves decomposed over time, but the ash hardened into stone and the hollows remained. By pouring plaster into these hollows, they were able to make a cast that gives an eerie amount of detail.

 

You can only see these at Pompeii. Herculaneum was destroyed in a different way.

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rhinomike

rhinomike

Posted
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What you actually see are plaster casts made by excavators from the hollows left by bodies that were encased in the falling ash. The bodies themselves decomposed over time, but the ash hardened into stone and the hollows remained. By pouring plaster into these hollows, they were able to make a cast that gives an eerie amount of detail.

 

You can only see these at Pompeii. Herculaneum was destroyed in a different way.

 

Thank you for the response. It is greatly appreciated. I think we will stick with Pompeii.

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