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The young city guide has been scolding himself for minutes - about the mafia, dubious tourist offices and the constantly changing corona rules.
“It's a disaster,” he says, pulling a 100 euro note out of his pocket.
“That's all I have until the end of the month.” He stands around here at the entrance to the ruins of Pompeii for seven hours every day.
"But almost nobody comes."
Mattia Buondonno agrees with his colleague.
The Italian has been guiding tourists through the Pompeii archaeological site since 1991.
In his Singsong-English he already told Bill Clinton, Meryl Streep and Leonardo di Caprio about life in antiquity.
In the past, in the good times before Corona, Buondonno made three tours a day.
Almost four million tourists came to the ancient city every year.
Pompeii, which was buried under ashes when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 and was thus unprecedentedly preserved, was severely affected by overtourism.
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The future new head of the archaeological park, archaeologist Gabriel Zuchtriegel from Baden-Württemberg, is faced with a challenge when he takes office in the summer: on the one hand, to advertise the cultural assets to international travelers and, on the other hand, to protect them from the destruction caused by the crowds.
The 39-year-old has shown in recent years that he can increase visitor numbers in the Paestum archaeological park in Campania.
The void opens up possibilities
Zuchtriegel has now announced a project for the climate protection of the cultural assets there for Pompeii.
For example, cracks that could arise from prolonged drought are to be prevented.
Too many tourists are at least not a problem here at the moment.
Only occasionally do they stroll along the cobbled streets with the ruts for wagon wheels.
Most of the visitors are Italians, says Buondonno.
They took the unique opportunity to see their country without the tourist crowds.
"Even young parents come with children, you never see them."
The Antiquarium Museum
Source: dpa
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Pompeii has been open again since January 18th, of course under strict conditions.
Visitors are only allowed to enter the site through the gate at Piazza Anfiteatro and must follow a route.
A maximum of 500 guests are admitted every quarter of an hour.
The new rules definitely have advantages for the experience.
In the past, you had to stand in line for a long time in front of Julia Felix's famous house.
Now the groups of bus tours and cruise ships have disappeared, only a few couples stroll through the colonnades around the garden.
You can dream your way into the luxurious life of the rich Romans in peace and quiet.
Reopening after 40 years
A waterfall splashed down stairs in the wall into a basin, on the marble steps all around the fine ladies and gentlemen lounged on cushions.
For aesthetic enjoyment, all the walls and even the ceilings and pillars were painted.
“The families competed to see who had the most beautiful frescoes,” says Buondonno.
Even the outer walls glowed in color.
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The villa was the status symbol of the family for wealthy patricians.
The "House of the Dancing Faun" was about 3000 square meters.
In contrast, the “House of Lovers” looks downright modest.
For those who know Pompeii, it is still a new highlight of the city tour - the ruins were closed for 40 years.
At the moment of death - Pompeii was wiped out by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Source: dpa-tmn
It was reopened in February 2020. The house owes its name to a poetic graffito.
The lovers - as it is scratched on a fresco - led a life like the bees: sweet as honey.
The two-story columned hall around an inner courtyard is particularly unusual; it has not been so well preserved in any other building.
“Like many houses that were restored after the great earthquake of 62, it is painted in the latest fashion,” explains Buondonno.
So according to the last of the four styles that archaeologists in Pompeii distinguish.
The walls are painted red, blue and yellow, between painted columns you can see faded frescoes.
The garlands on the frieze imitate those of Nero's imperial palace.
An antique gym
To save the partially ailing ruins, the EU Commission launched an action plan in 2014.
A total of 105 million euros flowed, around three quarters of which came from the EU.
The house with the orchard will remain closed for the time being because it is not Corona-compatible with only one entrance and exit.
The “House of the Ship Europe”, on the other hand, can be viewed again after a long renovation.
A wine merchant probably lived here, the archaeologists found amphorae, and an olive press was also built.
It seems unreal how well the frescoes have been preserved
Source: dpa-tmn
You won't find any splendid wall paintings here.
The most beautiful frescoes in Pompeii were already removed in the 18th century and carted to the royal palace of the Bourbons.
Today they can be seen in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
It is only when you visit there that you can see the full splendor of Pompeii.
If you don't have time for it - which would be a big oversight - you should at least see the exhibition in the Great Palästra, Pompeii's ancient gym.
In the spacious inner courtyard, athletes lifted weights or did gymnastics.
They then cooled off in the pool, through which water from the aqueduct flowed.
Incised disgrace
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The thousands of years old body cult are also illustrated by the finds in the surrounding colonnades.
In showcases there are silver mirrors, mini amphorae for creams and perfumes, pots with pink make-up, razor blades with ivory handles and tweezers for pulling out armpit hair.
The golden bracelets with hissing snake heads would still function as contemporary jewelry today.
How strong certain trends were already in antiquity is also shown by romantic images of the Nile in some houses, including crocodiles and hippos.
Buondonno explains that everything Egyptian was in vogue in the early imperial period.
Shortly before, Octavian - better known by his later honorary title Augustus - had defeated Cleopatra and conquered her empire.
A gold bracelet with a snake head found in Pompeii
Source: dpa-tmn
The many snack bars also appear strikingly modern.
They were called “Thermopolium”, and you can see their counters with round recesses for warming pots on every corner.
Archaeologists recently unearthed a particularly well-preserved street restaurant.
The brick counter is adorned with frescoes of ducks and chickens, presumably a menu for illiterate people.
The researchers found duck bones and remains of pigs, goats, fish and snails in the clay pots.
And above the picture of a dog an incised graffito: "Nicia cinaede cacator" - Nicias, shameless shit.
Apparently antiquity was not always sublime.
Source: Getty;
Infographic WORLD
Tips and information
Travel
non-stop from Frankfurt with Lufthansa (lufthansa.com) or from Cologne-Bonn with Eurowings (eurowings.com) to Naples.
Trains and S-Bahn trains run from the main train station there to Pompeii in around 50 minutes (trenitalia.com).
The excavation site is currently open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets must be purchased online in advance at “Scavi di Pompei” (ticketone.it).
Accommodation
In the “Hotel Piazza Bellini” in the middle of the historic center of Naples, double / breakfast from 74 euros (hotelpiazzabellini.com).
The "B&B La Peonia" is located directly at the train station and offers views of Mount Vesuvius, double / bed from 99 euros.
(lapeoniabbnapoli.it).
Corona situation
The Federal Foreign Office warns against tourist trips to Italy.
It is necessary to submit a declaration of entry and a negative PCR or antigen test that is not more than 48 hours old.
Further information
italia.it/de, pompeiisites.org