Castellmare di Stabia

Dawn view of Mount Vesuvius from the monastery roof in Castellmare di Stabia.  

In March 2000, we stayed at a monastery in Castellmare di Stabia that was convenient to the Circumvesuvio rail line.  We learned of it in the Beds and Blessings book by Walsh and Walsh, and handled all the arrangements by fax. 

This was an excellent location for day trips to historical sites in the Campagnia region, including Capri, Herculaneum (Ercolano), Naples, Paestum, Pompeii, Positano, and Sorrento.  

Mount Vesuvius

Dawn view of Mount Vesuvius from the Bay of Naples.

In October 2002, we took a day trip from Naples to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.  We took a taxi from the Ercolano (Herculaneum) train station to the visitor's station.  We hiked the rest of the way up.   

We looked down into the crater from the 79 A.D. eruption that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. 

Even though the day was somewhat cloudy, the view from the summit was incredible.  I was reminded of the many times Mount Vesuvius appeared in my viewfinder while I took photos from as far away as Capri. 

This animation and these photos were taken with a digital Sony Mavica CD-300.  They are reduced in resolution to speed up loading.   

The crater from the 79 A.D. eruption. 

Steam venting from cracks.

Train back to Naples.

Paestum

We visited Paestum in March 2000 while staying in Castlemare di Stabia.  The excavations are within walking distance of the train.  

Simply put, this was a Greek colony that was resettled by the Romans.  The Roman ruins eroded over time, leaving the magnificent Greek temples. 

These photos were taken with a Canon Rebel EOS.

Positano

We visited Positano in March 2000.  It is a short bus ride down the Amalfi coast from Sorrento.

These photos were taken with a Canon Rebel EOS.

Sorrento

Sorrento is a picturesque city in its own right, whose marina is a gateway to the beautiful Isle of Capri.  These photos are from our March 2000 visit.

These photos were taken with a Canon Rebel EOS.