Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.

Few travel experiences offer a physical link between history and geology as dramatic as the pairing of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. The catastrophic eruption of 79 CE froze the Roman city of Pompeii in time, burying its streets, villas, bathhouses, and even plaster casts of its citizens under feet of ash and pumice. Today, the vast 44-hectare archaeological site functions as a remarkably intact snapshot of ancient daily life. Just a short trip away, mainland Europe’s only active volcano looms over the landscape. A moderately steep 30-minute hike leads travelers directly to the rim of Vesuvius's smoking crater, offering sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and a sobering look at the sleeping giant that preserved an empire's city by destroying it.