After checking into our hotel, located near the train station, we caught the Metro to the Museo Archeologico.
I left my camera in the hotel room, so I only have one picture for today, but I think it sums up my initial impression of the city.
We have been in Italy, and Europe for almost two years now and I don't think we have visited a city nearly as dirty as Napoli. There were trash piles everywhere. There was litter on almost every sidewalk, street, park and walkway.
We had lunch at a small little pizzeria near the Museo. It was great! Italian pizza at its finest. It lifted my spirits a bit after seeing all the trash.
After lunch we headed into the museum. This museum is considered a highlight of any visit in Naples. It offers the best peek into the artistic qualities of ancient Pompeii. When Pompeii was excavated in the early 1800's, the finest art and artifacts ended up in this museum.
The museums main floor is filled with Greek and Roman art. It's highlight is the Farnese collection, a large display of restored statues excavated from Rome's Baths of Caracalla.
Mosaics and the Secret Room are located on the Mezzanine level. The mosaics are fantastic in detail. The Secret Room contains an assortment of erotic frescoes, pottery and statues that once decorated bedrooms, meeting rooms and brothels in Herculaneum and Pompeii. From phallic statues to frescoes that functioned as brothel 'menus', this room is not for the prude at heart.
The top floor is another collection of statues and artifacts from Pompeii. There is also a model of what Pompeii would have looked like.
We stopped in the bookshop on the way out, then caught the Metro back to our hotel for the evening.
Tomorrow we will sightsee around Napoli before flying home in the evening. I will try to remember my camera this time.
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