Situated on a volcanic plateau, sheer over the sea, Herculaneum like the other cities of Vesuvius was submerged by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, which buried it beneath a layer of debris measuring up to twenty-three metres in height. The excavations offer the visitor the possibility to observe the urban fabric, the distribution of houses, the magnificent baths complex, and the monumental basilica. The perfect state of preservation of wood elements, bronze artefacts and, especially, of the facades of houses, offers a complete picture of residential housing, which enables the reconstruction of everyday life, the style of living, and the various styles of Vesuvian painting.Facing north over the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is situated towards the end of the mountainous Sorrentine peninsula, over the hills from the famous resorts of the Amalfi Coast. In mythology, this area is often identified as the land of the sirens, beautiful maidens of the sea whose song lured mariners to their doom.