Did you ever think about what the ancients did on summer vacations? I don't mean your grandparents. I'm talking about wealthy Romans who were fleeing the city heat for health resorts in Greece, taking mental photos of the Egyptian pyramids and partying on the Gulf of Naples.
The Gulf of Naples was the place to be. The ancient 1% built villas by the sea and up in the hills. As the poet Horace put it: "No bay in the world can rival the beautiful Baiae." There were excursion boats, and evenings might end with lavish oyster dinners.
More economical spots were Tibur (Tivoli today) Antium (now Anzio), and Baiae itself. You can't visit that last one now because it sank to the bottom of the sea. They weren't tanning, but the thing to do was to soak in the thermal baths. Ancient hot tubs.
One of the more modest Roman couples enjoys a thermal beside the bay
The philosopher Seneca thought that all this was the absolute peak of Roman decadence. "Why must I look at drunks staggering along the coast and endure the noise of parties blaring from sailboats?"
Some wore Roman "spa flip-flops" made of glass and filled with perfume for pampered feet.
If you really wanted to get away, Egypt was a big destination. The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Lighthouse of Alexandria would all be on your guidebook list.
Not into hedonism or sightseeing but interested in some history?
Other travelers did the history-nerd tour: walking in Homer’s footsteps through Troy, or visiting famous battlefields like Marathon, where the Greeks beat the Persians in 490 BC. Try Naples or to Athens. Greece’s more ancient temples were popular. Look, here is where the Oracle of Delphi was, and over there is Mount Olympus, home of the gods.
Did they actually have guidebooks? Greek author Pausanias (110-180 AD) essentially wrote one of the first-ever travel guidebooks, covering the sights of his homeland.
How about souvenirs? No t-shirts, but miniature pyramids, silver statues, little clay jars painted with the Lighthouse of Alexandria are at the gift shop.
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