Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii is arguably the most horrifyingly intriguing of all the archaeological sites in Italy. Pompeii, which lies 242 kilometers south of Rome, originally had 20,000 citizens and was a prosperous ancient city. It is now a well-preserved ghost town that provides visitors and archaeologists with a window into life tens of thousands of years ago. At the base of Mount Vesuvius, a still-erupting volcano, stands Pompeii. Pompeii was buried under nearly 12 meters of ash and lava when it erupted in 79 AD. While this was unfortunate for the locals at the time, the result was that Pompeii was stuck in the past until it was rediscovered in 1748.

Today, tourists may meander through its sinister cobblestone lanes and discover old residences and shops. Along with the oldest surviving Roman amphitheater in the world, there are two primary theaters that you may see. Even some of the well-known human plaster casts from Pompeii can be marveled at by visitors. From Rome's Termini Station, the most straightforward route to Pompeii is via rail. Take the fast train to Naples, then the Circumvesuviana train to the Pompeii Scavi station from Naples.