Last summer while visiting Naples and the Amalfi Coast, we took a drive to Pompeii – the ancient city buried after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. We arrived at around 2pm, which we later discovered was a big mistake since the scorching sun was merciless and there was no chance of buying water or food for the next two and a half hours.

The minute I stepped foot in this fascinating city I immediately felt like I had been transported back in time – 79 AD to be precise. The villas still had colourful frescoes on the walls depicting their once normal lives, one sign even read “beware of dog”. The quaint little homes with their gardens all lined the labyrinthine cobbled streets (with their sophisticated drainage systems) that led to the forum, an important meeting point and marketplace for the townspeople. A short walk from the town close to the gardens is the Teatro Grande, an open-air theatre where thousands of spectators would watch gladiators battle animals for hours.

After a couple of hours of exploring the town we headed back. And as we walked away from the city, Mount Vesuvius’ eerie shadow seemed to follow closely, reminding us that it’s still there, asleep for the time being. I turned around and took one last look at the city that was once a lively place where people from all over Italy would come and visit. But after the eruption it was forgotten and became a lost city for nearly 2,000 years.