Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Ruined and preserved beneath the destructive volcanic ash and pumice from Mount Vesuvius, the ruins of Pompeii offer a glimpse into the history of a Roman Town once on the Mediterranean Coast.
Spend the day wandering through the cobblestone streets and reimagining the thriving culture and industry of this town. Read below for everything you need to know and tips for how to visit Pompeii in this complete Pompeii tourist guide.
Hadley, Finley, Freja and I visited Pompeii for the day during the summer of 2022. Despite the heat in late June, this historic site is amazing and sprawling and worth the visit. Try to arrive early to avoid the crowds!
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Overview of Visiting Pompeii
Located just a short distance from Naples, Pompeii is easy to visit and offers a glimpse into life in an ancient Roman town. The actual historic site of Pompeii is quite large and you will likely tire out before you’ve had a chance to explore the entire site.
Different parts of the town have been destroyed or preserved to varying degrees, but the site has been remarkedly preserved. You can also see several casts of people who perished in the explosion, although some of the casts are located in Naples at Museo Pompeiano.
You can book a visit by booking a guided tour (either book in advance or on the day you visit) or by visiting on your own and buying tickets directly. While buying tickets in advance gives you peace of mind, we did not find the line long even when we visited in late June.
Another great way to visit Pompeii is as part of a visit to the Amalfi Coast – we arranged to visit this historic site during our week in this part of Italy.
History of Pompeii
Before you plan your visit to Pompeii, it’s helpful to get a quick overview of Pompeii’s history and how to visit Pompeii’s best sites. While devastating for the region, the explosion of Mount Vesuvius gives us one of the best-preserved towns and a glimpse into how people lived over 2,000 years ago.
Originally settled by the Greeks in the 8th century BC, Pompeii later came under Roman control in the 2nd century BC and even became a vacation destination for wealthy people from Rome. The thriving town of roughly 12,000 people was home to wealthy homeowners, slaves, shopkeepers, and more and boasted elegant homes, cafes, baths, brothels, an arena, and more right on the shores of the Bay of Naples.
In late 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius, located about 5 miles away, erupted, sending ashes, pumice, rocks, and volcanic gases into the sky. The blast was seen for hundreds of miles. At this point, many of the locals fled.
As time passed, the people who stayed behind began to experience falling debris, and eventually, a wall of superheated poison gas and rocks poured out of the volcano and covered everything in its path, including the town of Pompeii and several other nearby towns.
About 2,000 people from Pompeii and 16,000 people total from nearby were killed in the eruption, and the entire town was abandoned. In 1748 people rediscovered the ruins and began to excavate, finding preserved buildings, skeletons, and even loaves of bread preserved beneath the rock.
Today the excavation continues, and they are constantly working on new spots in this large historic site.
Top Sites to See in Pompeii
If you are visiting as part of a tour, you will likely hit all the popular spots. If you are doing a self-guided visit, you should make sure to add the top sites to your tour. Once you arrive and get a map, make a quick note of the top sites and plan a walking route. Many of the sites are far apart and it will take several hours to walk between the different buildings (there are actually over 160 acres). Here is a quick list of some of the top sites:
- The Forum: The center of the town (and the most crowded), the Forum was the meeting point and center of religion
- The Brothel: You will find a small building with stone beds and ancient artwork
- The Forum Baths: The baths are well preserved and you can see almost what the inside looked like 2,000 years ago.
- House of the Faun: A well-preserved and large house
- Theatres: The large theatre is an impressive theatre designed for entertainment
- Garden of the Fugitives: You can find 12 human cast of people who died in the eruption
- The Amphitheatre: A bit of a walk from the center of Pompeii, this large amphitheater was built in 70 BC
- Great Palestra: A playing field and swimming pool
Things to Know about Visiting Pompeii
Listed below are some common questions people search for when deciding how to visit Pompei.
How long to spend in Pompeii?
When planning a trip to Pompeii, one of the most common questions is ‘how long does it take to visit Pompeii?’ Pompeii is big – over 160 acres, and each site takes time to explore. In our opinion, you need between a 1/2 day and a full day to explore Pompeii. With a 1/2 day you can walk and see most of the main attractions, while with a full day you can take your time and see some of the less commonly visited sites.
We visited in late June on a moderately hot day (myself and my 3 kids ages 13, 13, and 10). We arrived by 9:15. By 12:30 we had seen the main sites, and were hot, hungry, and ready to move on.
Where to Get Tickets to Pompeii?
If you’re touring Pompeii on your own, you will need to buy a ticket directly. You can purchase them online, or over the phone, or purchase them when you arrive. We bought our tickets when we arrived at the ticket office and waited in line for about 5 minutes when we arrived around 9:15. From talking to other people, this is fairly common.
If you are planning to visit during the high season, you may want to purchase tickets in advance. Full-price tickets are €16 with a reduced fee for ages 18-24 of €3.50 and free for children.
On the 2nd Sunday of the month, tickets are free, but are limited, so make sure to arrive early.
Should you Book a Tour of Pompeii?
You should definitely book a tour of some type of Pompeii. Since there are very few signs and information inside the ruins, the best way to see Pompeii and understand what you’re seeing is to book a tour. You can book a full tour where they provide transportation to and from the site. Many of the tours from Naples offer additional activities like touring the Amalfi Coast, visiting Mount Vesuvius, Herculaneum, and more. You can see a number of suggested tours on Viator with many options to make it a full day of exploring.
If you’re wondering how to visit Pompeii from Rome, you can book a tour directly that includes all the transportation and entrance fee.
You can also book a tour that starts right at the entrance. This tour with an archaeologist consistently gets the best reviews.
If you don’t want to be part of a guided tour, I strongly recommend downloading an audiotour on your phone. We enjoyed the Rick Steves Pompeii Podcast.
What are the Pompeii Hours of Operation?
Pompeii is open everyday except Dec 25, May 1 and January 1 starting at 9 am. In the summer, the site closes at 1900, and in the winter, it closes at 1700. Some of the sites within Pompeii have limited opening hours and many are closed on Tuesdays. You can see a complete updated list of Pompeii hours of operation on the website Pompeii Sites.
How to get to Pompeii?
Depending on where you are coming from, there are many ways to get to Pompeii. Many tours offer transportation from Naples, Rome or Sorrento, or you can book a driver to take you to Pompeii for the day. You can also take the trail or drive your own car to Pompeii.
How to get to Pompeii from Naples
If you’re visiting Pompeii from Naples on your own without a tour, the best way to get here is to take the Circumvesuviana train, drive yourself, or take a taxi or driver.
To take the Circumvesuviana train, get on in the train station in Naples and take the train to Pompei Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri. The train runs every 30 minutes and takes about 45 minutes to get to the station and it’s just a 5-minute walk from the train station. Tickets cost just under 3 EUR per person.
There is another train called the Campania Express – the ride is shorter, but tickets cost about 15 EUR per person.
If you are driving to Pompeii, the ride takes about 30 minutes. If you are going to visit Pompeii by car, note that there is no parking at Pompeii and you will need to look for parking on the street or in a local lot.
How to visit Pompeii from Sorrento
If you are staying on the Amalfi Coast and want to visit Pompeii, the easiest way is to come from Sorrento. From Sorrento, take the Circumvesuviana train to to Pompei Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri.
How to Visit Pompeii from Rome
While booking a tour is the easiest way to see Pompeii from Rome it’s also possible to take the train from Rome to Naples and then take the Circumvesuviana train to to Pompei Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri. The high speed train from Rome to Naples takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Where to Stay in Pompeii?
Another option is to stay close to Pompeii – this will help ensure that you can get to the site early in the morning before the crowds. These 3 options are all located less than a 5-minute walk from the ruins and all have very reasonable prices:
How to Visit Mount Vesuvius?
Mount Vesuvius is visible from almost everywhere in Pompeii and many people choose to visit both Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius in one day. The distance from Pompeii to Mount Vesuvius is only 9 km, but the road is about 24 km. The best way to get from Mount Vesuvius to Pompeii is by taxi or on the Circumvesuviana train.
You can visit Mount Vesuvius and hike the 4 km trail to the edge of the crater. We didn’t have time on our trip to visit Vesuvius but you can learn more at Visit Pompeii.
Can you Visit Pompeii in 2022?
Yes, you can visit Pompeii in 2022, the site is open. Facemasks are recommended but not required.
11 Tips for How to Visit Pompeii
Bring Snacks – You will find several places inside and directly outside of the ruins of Pompeii to grab a meal or a gelato. You can easily stop and get food when needed, however, the ruins are so large that having a small snack with you (especially if you are on a tour) will ensure you don’t go hungry.
Bring a Water Bottle – If you are visiting any time during the summer months, Pompeii can get very hot with limited shade. Make sure you carry a water bottle with you. You will also find plenty of fountains around town where you can refill your water bottle, so you don’t need to bring more than one.
Book a Tour or an Audio Tour – There are very few signs along the way, making Pompeii difficult to visit on your own. You can wander, follow the map to different sites and see Pompeii, but without a tour, you won’t necessarily know what you’re seeing. My favorite place to book tours in advance is through Viator. This Rick Steves Pompeii Podcast.
Don’t Bring a Big Bag – in order to get into Pompeii, you will go through a metal detector and will need to check any large bags. We brought a small sling bag for a camera, snacks, and we each carried a water bottle.
Visit Pompeii Early in the Day (Especially in the Summer) – the best way to visit Pompeii is to go early in the day. Try to arrive at or just before 9 am. The ensures you get fewer crowds and during the hot summer months, you can walk around while it’s cooler. We arrived close to 9 am and had no lines to get in and enjoyed having a few sites almost to ourselves first thing in the morning.
Expect to Walk a Lot and to not See Everything (wear good shoes) – we saw plenty of people walking around the cobblestone streets in flip-flops and even heels. Pompeii is a large site, with long walks between some of the popular sites. Wear good shoes. We wore light hiking shoes and sneakers (see some suggestions on hiking shoes under $100)
Make Sure you get a Map – We almost missed grabbing a map on the way into Pompeii, and you will definitely want a map. There is limited signage so having a map will help you identify what you want to see and minimize the walking and backtracking you have to do.
Consider Visiting Mount Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast, Herculaneum, or the Museum in Naples – If you are planning to make a day of exploring the ruins of Pompeii, it’s often easy to combine this with a visit to another nearby site. Many tour companies offer multi-destination tours, but you could also visit Mount Vesuvius or Herculaneum by making use of the train and the buses.
Bring Sunscreen and a Hat – did I mention it was hot without much shade? Make sure to bring a hat and sunscreen, or I suppose if you are visiting outside the warm months, so layers!
Learn a Little About Pompeii Before you Visit – It’s very helpful to know a little about Pompeii before you visit to help give you some background. This book Pompeii was a good resource, and if you are traveling with kids, check out the Magic Treehouse book about Pompeii.
Looking for other Roman sites? Check out our guide to the best Colosseum Tour or see more about visiting Rome.
Did I miss anything that would help with your visit to Pompeii? Let me know if the comments and I’ll answer questions and update the article as needed.
