Naples is the third-largest urban area in Italy, taking in over three million people, most of whom live between Vesuvius on one side and Campi Flegrei on the other :-) You'd think that it was one of the most dangerous places on earth to live, and it probably is, but the Vesuvius observatory is pretty high-tech and keeps a wary eye on anything moving around underground. There's a huge contingency evacuation plan in place should there be adverse rumblings. But three million...?

The wonderful thing if you're a tourist is that Sorrento (a busy, lovely town: contact me for info on the best gelateria...) at one end and Naples at the other are connected by the Circumvesuviana railway. The whole journey from one end to the other is less than an hour and a half, and it costs next to nothing, and the trains are frequent. But en route you can stop off at stations for Stabiae, Pompei and Herculaneum, and you will! Beat that!! In Naples you have the archaeological museum, which is hot, steamy, un-air-conditioned and utterly stunning. To get to Pozzuoli and the Solfatara volcano you take a Metropolitana train from Naples, half an hour. Watch your pockets! And you simply must have a pizza in Napoli!

We stayed for a week just outside Sorrento, in a scruffy but brilliant place called Marina Grande. From there we could see right across the Bay of Naples to Naples and Vesuvius, and wonder why all those millions choose to live so dangerously. Maybe, like me, they just think it's the best place on Earth...