Pompeii

This is the sign you're looking for at the Napoli Centrale train station. Follow the signs for "Circumvesuviana." The train you want is the one to Sorrento. Pompeii is on the way to Sorrento. Some trains make fewer stops than others. Look for the "Express" or "Espresso" train.

The Greek Ruins at Paestum, Italy

The Greek ruins at Paestum, south of Naples, think they're still alive, and their spirit comes alive in these photos. I shot picture after picture hoping to capture just the right pose from this 2,700-year-old Italian super-model. She didn't disappoint.

The pictures of the ruins are a study in light. It's almost difficult to see that the same structures are depicted in the first as in the last, their colors are so diverse as the clouds of the day pass over head and the sun goes down. I know there are a lot of pictures, but the light in the last few is really the best.

The first few are from the museum there. It's well worth a visit, but see the ruins first because they close much earlier.

The train stops right outside the gates. Due to the connections, it's probably an overnight trip from Naples, and a day trip from Sorrento or elsewhere on the Amalfi Coast. You can also drive it rather uneventfully in about an hour and a half.

For more information on Paestum, check out Wikipedia.

See also this educational series about Paestum.