Visiting Pompeii is just the same as exploring a city, with its main streets, its tiny lanes, its public buildings and its big houses… except that it’s a 2000-year old city. The level of conservation is extraordinary: some murals and paintings are really fabulous, like the frescos of the Villa dei Misteri a little bit outside of the main site for example. Going to Pompeii is like a journey through time.

🇫🇷 Visiter Pompéi, s’est se promener dans une ville avec ses rues principales, ses ruelles étroites, ses édifices publics et ses grandes maisons… excepté qu’il s’agit d’une ville vieille de 2000 ans. Le niveau de conservation est extraordinaire : certaines peintures sont réellement fabuleuses, comme les fresques de la Villa des Mystères un peu à l’écart du site principal par exemple. Aller à Pompéi c’est entamer un voyage dans le temps.

The main entrance of Pompeii: the Porta Marina, which used to lead to the harbour

Modern statue of a centaur on the Forum

The Forum of Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background

This statue of a centaur is contemporary art, not a vestige of the antic city (although it’s not specified anywhere, which creates an unfortunate confusion in my opinion)

Ruins of the Basilica, next to the Forum

The Temple of Apollo, close to the main entrance of Pompeii (West of the city)

A street of Pompeii

Erotic paintings in the lupanar

A street of Pompeii

The entrance of the Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane)

A sculpture at the entrance of the Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane)

Cast of a dead body in the Stabian Baths

A street of Pompeii

The atrium of a house of Pompeii

Inside a house in Pompeii

Fresco in a house

Mosaics on the floor of a house

House of Venus in the Shell (Casa della Venere in Conchiglia)

A little angel in the House of Venus in the Shell

The fabulous fresco of Venus that gave its name to the House of Venus in the Shell (Casa della Venere in Conchiglia). A beautiful painting apart maybe from the right leg of Venus!

Another beautiful fresco in the House of Venus in the shell

Villa of Julia Felix (Giulia Felice)

The Amphitheatre of Pompeii

Inside the Amphitheatre of Pompeii; 20,000 people could fit in

The large palestra in the east of the city, next to the Amphitheatre

The outside walls of Pompeii, south of the city

Porta Nocera, south-east of Pompeii

Garden of the Fugitives (Orto dei Fuggiaschi) with Mount Vesuvius in the background

Very touching casts of dead bodies found in Pompeii

The cast of a child’s body

Frescoes on the walls of a house

Detail of a fresco

Painting of a snake in a house of Pompeii

Entirely preserved atrium of a house in Pompeii

Beautiful and well-preserved mosaic on the floor

The Large Theatre of Pompeii. Around 5,000 people could sit there.

The Quadriporticum next to the Large Theatre

Gymnasium of the Luvenes

A painting of Priapus weighing its (huge) phallus at the entrance of the House of the Vettii (Casa dei Vettii)

The House of the Golden Cupids, north-west of Pompeii (Casa degli Amorini Dorati)

A street of Pompeii

Bronze statue of a dancing faun, which gave its name to the House of the Faun (Casa del Fauno), one of the biggest houses in Pompeii

House of the Faun

The Alexander Mosaic, on the floor of the House of the Faun (unfortunately with the contrasts it’s not a very good picture; the mosaic looks better when you’re standing in front of it)

The House of the Mysteries (Villa dei Misteri), a little bit outside of Pompeii, north-west of the main site

There are many paintings refering to ancient Egypt mythology in Pompeii, such as this one in the Villa of the Mysteries

Extraordinary paintings in the Villa of the Mysteries (Villa dei Misteri)

I find this portrait on a fresco in the Villa of the Mysteries (Villa dei Misteri) absolutely haunting. It’s amazing how beautiful and well preserved it is!

The Forum baths, one of the five thermal baths of Pompeii

The Arch of Nero

The temple of Venus in the South-West of Pompeii. The big sculpture is contemporary art.

The old and the new cities facing each other, at the exit of Pompeii