Will travel for beer and art: A quaint Italian village and Pompeii

During the second leg of my trip to Italy, I stayed in a quaint little town called Castellammare di Stabia. Why there you ask? Honestly, I had never heard of it before and what sold me was an airbnb profile. It looked so beautiful and the host had such fantastic reviews, I couldn't resist; and, who doesn't want their own apartment in Italy?

It's also centrally located and easily accessible to the Ruins of Pompeii and Sorrento, two places I had planned to visit. I highly recommend staying here - https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/526607.

Staying in Castellammare di Stabia will give you a real flavor of what it's like to be a local, as it's a small community with people out and about everywhere. When I wasn't traveling around on the train, I was eating and drinking wine. The opportunities for delectable pizza and gelato are endless along Via Guiseppe Bonito.

A few of my favorite things

The best place for wine

There is also an Irish pub in the neighborhood called Maracana. The pub offers a great selection of brews, food and live music. My favorite hang out, though, was a wine bar called Enoteca Vineria Puopolo. The owners are so friendly and really know their wine.

It's a cool place to chill and perhaps meet a person, or two, from the U.S. I met several people from different states here one night. They were studying abroad and staying in Castellammare di Stabia. Such a small world we live in....

Wanted to take this pottery home

My day trip to the Ruins of Pompeii was unforgettable! What a fascinating place to explore and try to imagine what once was. I suggest wearing good, durable walking shoes or boots and plan on spending an entire day there. I don't think I grew weary even once from walking around, because it's so interesting and beautiful.