Stabiae was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. and the site was declared an archaeologically protected area in 1957. By 1962, many of the ruins had been uncovered.
In recent times, the excavations have revealed two famous Roman villas, Villa San Marco and Villa Arianna, with frescoes, statues, sculptures and mosaics similar to those already found in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Among the numerous villas of the Stabiae archaeological residential area, only the Villa San Marco and Villa Arianna can be visited. The distance between them is about 1 kilometre.
The tour will start at the Villa San Marco, perfectly preserved, where you will find still evident in the hall, the kitchens, the peristyle with a long natation, various frescoed rooms and thermal quarter in which the extraordinary caldarium is well-preserved with the structures used for heating. Then, transfer to the Villa Arianna, featuring a large peristyle, several decorated panoramic rooms and an interesting thermal area.