But I’m a pale Northern European and after a couple of days I uttered the words the Blonde has come to dread . . . "Sweetheart, darling, light of my life, how do you fancy seeing . . ."

Now sometimes I have to beg and still fail miserably (anything that isn’t south of Nottingham is an instant "no" for example), but with Pompeii, I was in luck. Clearly, the childhood ordeal that saw my wife dragged to nigh on every museum and sight of interest in mainland Europe had not broken her curiosity completely.

I would not recommend trying to get to Pompeii via the industrial estates that make up Torre Annunziata. Any useful road signs dissolve away the minute you leave the autoroute at the wrong junction.

Remain calm. It’s supposed to be a holiday (sound advice, which I’m sure you will all follow).

And so, eventually, to Pompeii. The biggie. The one every schoolchild has heard of with its dramatic accompanying images of violent Vesuvius and a moment in time being frozen in lava. Of all the places we visited in Italy, this is the one I had read most about and for which I had built up the greatest expectations. The sort of expectations that usually lead to disappointment. They say it’s all in the anticipation but in this case ‘they’ are wrong.

I can’t possibly recreate Pompeii for you in words – there is too much of it; its impact on each individual unique. It leaves a vivid impression.

There are guided tours in many languages available along with guidebooks of varying depths. We chose to wander the streets with their high, narrow pavements and curious steppingstones, occasionally catching a fragment of someone’s commentary or making up our own stories for the inhabitants. We snatched a few moments at the theatre (there was nothing on), popped into a tavern or two and took a turn around the forum. There was time for a quick trip to the baths and to pay our respects at the Temple of Apollo before visiting the residential district.

We admired the décor of the Tragic Poet and Caved his Canem. I just love what he’s done with his triclinium. One of us giggled and the other gasped at the vivid image of Priapus round at Vettii’s house. We entered the Amphitheatre to muted applause. Then, on the way home, I nipped into a brothel while the Blonde wasn’t looking (the most crowded building in town!). I think she went to the bakers across the road. We left town through the tranquil avenues of the Necropolis and looked back to see the volcano dominating the horizon behind the town. They ought to keep an eye on that.

Find an excuse. You simply must.

The thriving resort town of Pompeii was completly smothered by ash and lava in 79AD after the massive explosion of the volcano Vesuvius, which looms above the town. For centuries, nothing was known about the existence of these remains, until a renewed interest in antiquity led to the first artifacts being dug up in the eighteenth century. It was only in the nineteenth century, however, that digging began in earnest, and by the early twenties of the last century the site was already a major tourist attraction. Today the digs are at the center of a big operation involving hundreds of people, from custodians, to souvenir stands, hotel staff, and more. The revenue produced by all this could not come from anywhere else in this economically underdeveloped region.

Reaching the site is simple: it's just a few minutes walk from the train station, or just off the highway going to Naples and Salerno. The ticket office is located at the Porta Marina,on the other side of the main tourist area. An adult ticket costs 10 euros. Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted, but there is an ATM right by the gates.

As interesting as the ruins are,this can be a very tiring excursion. Temperatures can be extremly high as early as May, and there is hardly any shade once inside. Bottled mineral water, sold everywhere, is a must. You should allow at least two hours around the site; twice that if you care to see the entire area at a reasonable pace.

It is worth considering hiring out a guide for the visit. Travel agencies along the Sorrentine peninsula can arrange one, otherwise you can hire one right at the dig itself.

Surprisingly, there are very few places where you can eat, and, not so surprisingly, they tend to serve tourist-type food. It's probably better to wait until you get somewhere else, but if you want a full meal, the Hotel Vittoria, on the main square right in front of the site, is your best bet. They usually offer some kind of fixed price menu for 12-16 euros, and have a cafeteria type restaurant as well.

Remember to buy one of the books on Pompeii with the plastic overleafs showing you how things were and how they are now.

If you are really interested in antiquity,it's definitly worth considering a trip to the Museo Capodimonte in Naples, where many artifacts taken from the dig are on display.

Forums, temples, baths, theaters, private homes, markets, even bordellos.... an entire city is layed out before the visitor.

Allow at least 4 hours to visit this area. And do visit it. For a person like me who loves to imagine themself in another era and another life a visit to Pompeii will capture your imagination and not let go for days.

Keep in mind that Pompeii is primarily just the ruins. While the visitor will see some walls painted with graphics from early times, most of the artifacts that were uncovered are found in the Archeological Museum in Naples. A certified ancient Romafile will want to visit that very special place as well.