DETAILS: Stabiae

GETTING THERE: The ancient Roman town of Stabiae is part of the modern city of Castellammare di Stabia, on the via Passeggiata Archeologia, Scavi di Stabia. It's three miles south of Pompeii, eight miles south of Herculaneum and 19 miles south of Naples.

By car: Take the A3 motorway from Naples to Salerno. Exit at Castellammare di Stabia and follow the signs to the archaeological sites.

By train: From Naples, take the Sorrento commuter train, the Circumvesuviana, to Via Nocera, then the No. 1 bus to Rosso.

From the Naples airport, take the Curreri bus to Sorrento. It stops at all the archaeological sites, including Stabiae, along the way.

WHERE TO STAY: I stayed at the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia, a charming art deco building on the Bay of Naples (Partenope 46, 011-39-081-764-06-66, http://www.naples-hotel-santalucia-turinhotels.com). It's within walking distance of the nicer parts of central Naples, outdoor cafes and restaurants along the fisherman's wharf -- you can watch the men untangle octopi from their nets -- and the train station. Rates are $230 for a single room, $277-$297 for a double.

WHAT TO DO: Stabiae is open to the public April through October from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; November through March, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is about $6.70 to visit all three sites in the complex. There are no guides, and very little literature is available; however, Audrey Fastuca, a 2005 graduate of George Washington University and the academic program coordinator of the Vesuvian International Institute for Archaeology and Humanities ( http://www.vesuvianinstitute.org, in Italian only; or info@vesuvianinstitute.org), can make arrangements for you. She can be reached at 011-39-081-871-7114 or by e-mail at afastuca@stabiae.org.

Advice: Wear sensible shoes and bring a bottle of water.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Though there is plenty to see in Stabiae, many of its frescoes and mosaics are in the National Museum of Archaeology in Naples. And some are on loan to the National Gallery of Art for the exhibit "Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples," from today through March 22. (See today's Style & Arts section.) The exhibit will be at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from May 3 to Oct. 4.

For more information, go to http://www.stabiae.org, Web site of the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation.

-- S.D.