Torre Annunziata lies at a point on the Bay of Naples where history can be read in layers: beneath the modern town there is a frescoed Roman villa, Pompeii is ten minutes away, Vesuvius rises behind it and in front, across the sea, lies the Sorrento Peninsula. It is a convenient, quiet base for discovering the most famous places in Campania without sleeping in the middle of their bustle.
Why visit Torre Annunziata
Oplontis and the Villa of Poppaea
In the town centre you can visit one of the most beautiful and least crowded archaeological sites in the Vesuvius area: the Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis. It was a luxury leisure villa, attributed to the family of Poppaea Sabina, Nero’s second wife, and was buried by the eruption of AD 79. The frescoes in its rooms, with painted gardens, illusionary colonnades and birds, are among the best preserved in the Roman world. Since 1997 Oplontis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The sea and the view
The seafront of Torre Annunziata looks straight towards the Sorrento Peninsula and, on clear days, towards Capri. At sunset the light falls on the bay and lights up the outline of the Lattari Mountains: it is one of the finest views on the Vesuvian coast.
The pasta tradition
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Torre Annunziata was, together with nearby Gragnano, one of the capitals of dried pasta: mills and pasta factories processed the wheat and hung spaghetti out to dry in the sun and the sea breeze. Some artisan pasta makers are still working and sell their products.
The surroundings
Pompeii
About ten minutes by car or two stops on the Circumvesuviana railway, the Pompeii excavations deserve at least half a day: the Forum, the frescoed houses, the amphitheatre, the paved streets with their cart ruts. In the modern town stands the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, founded by Bartolo Longo and a pilgrimage destination for people from all over Italy.
Vesuvius
In about half an hour you can drive or take a shuttle up to a thousand metres; from there a path of about twenty minutes leads to the rim of the crater. From up there you can see the whole Bay of Naples.
Herculaneum
Smaller than Pompeii but extraordinarily well preserved, Herculaneum shows houses on several floors, carbonised wood and mosaics still in place.
Sorrento and the Peninsula
By Circumvesuviana or by car you reach Sorrento in about an hour; from there ferries leave for Capri and the road continues to the Amalfi Coast.
| From Torre Annunziata to… | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Pompeii excavations | 10 minutes by car |
| Herculaneum | 20 minutes by train |
| Vesuvius | 30 minutes by car |
| Naples | 30–40 minutes by train |
| Sorrento | 60 minutes by car |
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best months for the excavations: you walk a lot and outdoors, and the summer heat makes everything more tiring. October and May bring clear days, ideal for climbing Vesuvius too. In summer it is best to visit the archaeological sites early in the morning and keep the afternoon for resting.
Where to stay
Villa Tiberiade is a retreat and guest house run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, looking out over the Sorrento Peninsula and surrounded by large green grounds. It has a garden, balconies, sun loungers, a conference room and free parking: it suits families, groups and retreat days. In the evening, after a day between Pompeii and Vesuvius, you come back to the silence of a place designed for rest.
