Pompeii
The Acropolis
Pompeii
Naples , Italy
Many cruise passengers disembarking at the seaside town of Naples will head straight to the Amalfi Coast for the day . And while the breathtaking , cliff-hugging cities are indeed a pure pleasure to peruse , history lovers would do better to set their sights on the ghostly ruins of Pompeii instead .
When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A . D ., it buried Pompeii under 20 feet of ash and pumice . The excavated remains are a perfectly preserved snapshot , a moment in time protected from the elements for nearly 2,000 years . During your visit , you can snoop around ancient mansions , houses , temples , shops and cafés , seeing the untouched remains of fallen art and bric-abrac , all still there under the watchful eye of the still-active Vesuvius .
The Acropolis
Athens , Greece
Many history lovers may be tempted to shy away from sites that tend to be overly touristy . But when visiting Athens during a port stop at nearby Piraeus , it ’ s best to just follow that line up the hill and gawk at the Acropolis with the rest of the crowd . Some sites are worth a little elbow bumping , and this is definitely one of them .
Perched high on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the city , the Acropolis is the most complete ancient Greek monumental complex in existence . A popular spot for local rulers , the area reached its peak in the mid-6th century B . C . when an extraordinary group of architects and sculptors transformed the rocky hill into its current form , heralding the rise of classical Greek thought and art . Its star structure , the Parthenon , has been leaving visitors awestruck ever since , which certainly must please the city ’ s patron goddess , Athena . When visiting , be sure to carve out time for the Acropolis Museum , where you can see the latest excavations in real time . �
Pompeii , Italy
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