Mount Vesuvius looms over the ancient ruins of Pompeii

One of the world's most significant archaeological sites, the ancient city of Pompeii has been wonderfully preserved thanks to the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius which buried the city beneath metres of pumice and volcanic ash.

Luckily for us, its preservation has illuminated much about the everyday life of the ancient Romans, including their living standards, hobbies, sexual habits, social mores and society structure.

Pompeii certainly was no shanty town. Many of its residents lived lives of sheer luxury, which the city's many mansions complete with courtyards, fountains and frescoes demonstrate.

The Romans were no prudes either, and the ruins reveal plenty of evidence of brothels, sexual graffiti and public bath houses.

For kicks, the locals also apparently frequented a magnificent 5,000-seat theatre and a 20,000-capacity amphitheatre where their bloodlust was satisfied.

On top of that, ancient Pompeii was home to 89 takeaway food joints, temples dedicated to Isis, Venus, Jupiter and Apollo, a forum complete with shops and a marketplace, an athletics field and a sports centre with a swimming pool.

And that's just what visitors can see (you'll need at least four hours to scratch the surface). Some of the best-preserved artifacts and murals are now on display at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples.

A significant chunk of Pompeii is still behind locked doors and being sifted through by archaeologists. If you're extremely lucky you might convince a bored Pompeii guard to take you on a private tour.

Pompeii's eeriest offerings are the plaster casts made of the Romans who failed to escape the eruption and were buried for posterity beneath layers of volcanic ash. And with the sleeping (but far from extinct) Mount Vesuvius looming on Pompeii's horizon, the plaster cast bodies appear even more portentous.

When visiting Pompeii, it is worth straying from the crowds and wandering alone through the city's deserted streets and ruined buildings, transporting your imagination back some 2,000 years.

However, it is also worth paying for a tour with an authorized guide who will explain the ruins and point out fascinating details you'd never spot yourself.

Pompeii lies roughly 20km south of Naples and is serviced by frequent buses and trains.