Alberto Angela narrates one of the most famous dramatic events in history: the eruption of Vesuvius which in 79 AD destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, obliterating these two cities of the Roman Empire. The 24 hours preceding the eruption of Vesuvius seen through the story of two families, one from Herculaneum and one from Pompeii who lived on the slopes of Vesuvius, unaware of the imminent catastrophe. The story will develop in the most evocative places of the two sites: the Villa dei Misteri of Pompeii, of which we will see an absolute preview of some of the wonderful recently restored frescoes and the arches of Herculaneum where almost all the inhabitants of that city died while trying to escape from the fury of the volcano, towards the sea.