Pompeii, once a thriving, wealthy and sophisticated Roman city of 10,000 to 20,000 residents at the time, was almost immediately destroyed and buried under meters of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Today, the vast archaeological site in southern Italy’s Campania region, near the coast of the Bay of Naples, preserved by the killing ash, offers visitors a unique snapshot of Roman life, frozen at the moment it was buried. It's a unique experience to walk the same streets with its public commerical buildings, luxurious private homes, many with its lavish decorations, furnishings and artwork still intact. A great history lesson showcasing the urban planning that made the city thrive.

Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, owing to its status as "the only archaeological site in the world that provides a complete picture of an ancient Roman city, and visited by millions of tourists each year.