Visiting Pompeii: A 2026 Guide for First-Time and Returning Visitors

Our most recent visit to Pompeii was a few summers ago, when we managed to fit Pompeii, Herculaneum and the summit of Mount Vesuvius into a single (very long) day from Naples. It was the kind of day that ends with you working out whether your legs or your camera battery will give up first.

I’d been to Pompeii before, the first time back in 1995, and the site has changed quite a bit over the decades I’ve been visiting. Each return trip there’s been more to see as excavations continue to uncover new parts of the city, and 2026 has brought another round of changes with timed entry slots, daily visitor caps, and personalised tickets that match the name on your ID.

This guide covers what you need to plan a visit: the new ticket rules, how to get to Pompeii from Rome, Naples or Sorrento, what to actually prioritise once you’re inside, and how to combine Pompeii with Vesuvius and Herculaneum if you want to make a proper day of it.

 

What is Pompeii?

In AD 79, Pompeii (Pompei in Italian) was a successful Roman town, home to somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 people. It had a forum, an amphitheatre, public baths, brothels, fast food joints, an aqueduct system, the works. A proper Roman city, in other words, just smaller than Rome itself.

That all came to an end in the autumn of 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Historians used to date the eruption to August 24th, following an account by Pliny the Younger, but a charcoal inscription discovered in 2018 dated mid-October now has most archaeologists believing the eruption actually happened on October 24th.

Within around 24 hours, the ash and pumice produced by the eruption had buried Pompeii and the surrounding towns to a depth of 13 to 20 ft (4 to 6 metres). Most residents had already fled, but those who stayed behind, somewhere around 2,000 people, were asphyxiated by toxic gases and entombed in the ash.

The city was effectively forgotten until the 18th century, when the first proper excavations began. Work continues today, with new discoveries still being made every year. Around two-thirds of the ancient city has now been excavated, with the remaining third still buried under ash and pumice. There’s an active debate among archaeologists about whether to keep digging at all; modern thinking is that the conservation of what’s already exposed is more important than uncovering more.

Pompeii gives us something almost no other archaeological site does: a snapshot of an ordinary Roman town at a specific moment in time. Most ancient cities evolved over centuries, with each generation building on top of the last. Pompeii didn’t get the chance.

The plaster casts of the victims, made by carefully injecting plaster into the cavities left behind in the hardened ash, are inseparable from the place. They’re hard to look at and harder to forget. The site is, in the most literal sense, a graveyard, and worth treating as one.

If you want to get a lot more out of your visit, I’d strongly suggest reading something about Pompeii before you go. Robert Harris’s novel Pompeii is fiction but well-researched, and brings the city to life in a way that makes walking the streets much more vivid. For non-fiction, Mary Beard’s Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town is the standard work and is also surprisingly easy reading.

 

Where is Pompeii?

Pompeii is in the Campania region of southern Italy, at the southern end of the Bay of Naples. It’s around 27km (16 miles) southeast of Naples, or roughly a 30-minute trip by car or train.

It’s around 250km (155 miles) south of Rome, or approximately a three-hour journey by car or fast train via Naples.

You can visit Pompeii as a day trip from both Rome and Naples, although Naples is the easier base. I’ll cover the options for both below.

 

How to Get to Pompeii

Pompeii has good transport connections from various locations in Italy. Here are the options for getting there from the most popular departure points.

 

How to Get to Pompeii from Rome

You can do Pompeii as a day trip from Rome if you don’t mind a long day with a fair bit of travel time. Plan on roughly 2.5 to 3 hours of travel each way, which makes it doable but not relaxing.

Your three main options are to drive, take public transport, or take a guided tour.

Drive from Rome to Pompeii

Unless you’re already on a road trip in Italy and continuing onward after Pompeii, I’d skip the driving option. You’ll have the hassle of renting a car, dealing with traffic on both ends, navigating, paying tolls, and finding paid parking once you’re there. Public transport or a tour is going to be much easier.

 

Public Transport from Rome to Pompeii

The fast option is the high-speed train from Rome Termini to Naples Centrale. The Frecciarossa or Italo trains do this in about 70 minutes for around €15-50 depending on how far in advance you book. From Naples you then take the Circumvesuviana local train to Pompeii (see the Naples section below for the details).

Total travel time end-to-end is about 2.5 hours each way. It’s a feasible day trip, but you’ll be on trains for a meaningful chunk of the day. If you’re planning to do Pompeii from Rome and you have any flexibility at all, my suggestion would be to base in Naples for one or two nights instead and use it as a way to also see Herculaneum, the Naples Archaeological Museum, and possibly Vesuvius.

 

Tours from Rome to Pompeii

If you’re set on doing Pompeii from Rome and don’t want to handle the logistics yourself, a guided tour is the easiest option. You won’t have to worry about train connections, and you’ll have a guide on site, which makes a real difference (more on that below). Some tour options to consider:

• This day trip from Rome with Take Walks includes round-trip transport from Rome, a guided tour of Pompeii, and time on the Amalfi coast (typically Positano). I haven’t personally taken this specific tour, but I’ve taken Take Walks tours in cities all over the world, including their on-site tour at Pompeii itself, and they have always been excellent.
• This tour with City Wonders from Rome visits Pompeii and includes hiking up Mount Vesuvius. Lunch is included.
• This tour from Rome combines Pompeii with Sorrento and a stretch of the Amalfi coast.
• This private tour from Rome covers both Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius with a private driver, with a 2-hour guided tour of Pompeii, lunch, and the Vesuvius crater hike.

When comparing tours, always check how much time is actually spent at each sight, the group size, and what’s included. A tour that includes Pompeii entrance, lunch, and Vesuvius tickets can work out cheaper than buying everything separately.

 

How to Get to Pompeii from Naples

Naples is the easiest base for visiting Pompeii. You have several options for getting there: train, shuttle bus, tour, or driving.

Train from Naples to Pompeii

For the train, you have two direct options. Both leave from Garibaldi station, which (a little confusingly) is the underground station directly beneath Naples Centrale. From the main station, follow the signs down to platform 3 for Sorrento-bound trains.

The first option is the Circumvesuviana, the regional commuter train that runs around the bay. You want any train heading towards Sorrento, and you get off at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, which is the station right by the ruins (about 5 minutes’ walk from the Porta Marina entrance). The journey takes about 35 minutes, costs around €3.30, and trains run several times an hour.

The Circumvesuviana has a reputation. It’s old, often crowded, sometimes hot, and pickpockets work the tourist routes. Keep your bag in front of you, your wallet somewhere not in your back pocket, and you’ll be fine. We’ve taken it without incident, but it’s not a relaxing journey.

The second option is the Campania Express, a more comfortable tourist-oriented train on the same route, with guaranteed seating, air conditioning, and luggage space. It runs from mid-March to mid-October, costs around €6, and runs less frequently than the Circumvesuviana. If you’ve got luggage or just want a calmer journey, it’s worth the extra few euros.

Note that Trenitalia also runs trains from Naples Centrale to a different station called Pompei. That one’s not the right station for the ruins. You’d then need to take a shuttle or walk 20-30 minutes to the site, which is a faff you don’t need.

 

Shuttle Bus from Naples to Pompeii

A simple alternative is the dedicated City Sightseeing bus, which departs from central Naples and takes you directly to the ruins. The journey is around 40 minutes and you get around 4 hours on site. The catch is that you book a specific departure and return time, so you can’t just decide to stay an extra hour.

For most visitors 4 hours is enough to see plenty, but if you think you’ll want longer (and Pompeii is the kind of place where you might), the train gives you more flexibility. Find out more and book the shuttle here.

 

Drive from Naples to Pompeii

The drive from Naples to Pompeii is around 30 minutes via the A3 toll road, and there’s paid parking on site. If you already have a hire car for an Italy road trip, this works. Renting a car specifically for this trip doesn’t make sense when the train does the job for €3.30.

 

Tours from Naples to Pompeii

You can also book a tour to Pompeii from Naples that includes round-trip transport. Most full-day tours include a second site such as Vesuvius or the Amalfi Coast. Some options:

• This full day tour visits Pompeii from Naples on a 2-hour guided tour, then includes lunch and time exploring Mount Vesuvius. This is a similar tour.
• This full day tour from Naples visits both Pompeii and Herculaneum, which lets you see two different sites destroyed by the same eruption.
• This full day tour from Naples combines a tour of the Amalfi coast with lunch and a tour of Pompeii.
• This half day tour from Naples is just a 2-hour guided tour of Pompeii without the extras, useful if you want to do the rest of the day independently.

 

How to Get to Pompeii from Sorrento

Sorrento is the other obvious base for Pompeii. The Circumvesuviana train line that runs Naples to Sorrento stops directly at the ruins, so getting to Pompeii from Sorrento is the same train system, just travelling in the opposite direction.

Train from Sorrento to Pompeii

Take any northbound Circumvesuviana train towards Naples and get off at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri. The journey takes around 30 minutes, costs around €3.30, and trains run several times an hour. Same caveats as the Naples direction: keep your bag in sight, watch your pockets.

Driving from Sorrento to Pompeii

The 28km (17 mile) drive takes around 40 minutes depending on traffic. If you already have a hire car this is fine, but the train is just as easy and you don’t have to deal with parking.

 

Tours from Sorrento to Pompeii

Sorrento-based tours generally include round-trip transfers and a 2-3 hour guided tour of Pompeii. The differences come from what else they include (lunch, Vesuvius, Herculaneum). A couple of solid options:

• This half day trip from Sorrento is a focused Pompeii visit with a guided tour and entrance included.
• This full day trip from Sorrento covers both Pompeii and Herculaneum with entrance, guided tours of both, and a light lunch.
• This full day tour from Sorrento includes Pompeii (guide provided, entrance fee separate) and Mount Vesuvius (park entry separate), with lunch included.

As ever, always check what’s included before booking. Some tours quote a low headline price but exclude the entrance ticket, which adds another €20 per person.

 

Pompeii Opening Times

Pompeii is open year-round with the exception of 25th December, 1st May, and 1st January.

The site opens at 9am, but closure times vary by season:

• From 1st April to 31st October, the site is open 9am to 7pm with last entrance at 5.30pm
• From 1st November to 31st March, the site is open 9am to 5pm with last entrance at 3.30pm

Individual buildings within the site (the Amphitheatre, Garden of the Fugitives, House of the Menander, etc.) often close earlier than the main site, so if there’s something specific you want to see, get there in good time. Most visitors do their visit in the morning anyway, partly because that’s when the major sights are guaranteed to be open and partly because the summer afternoon heat is brutal.

Pompeii also runs evening visits during the summer months, when you can explore parts of the site after regular hours in cooler, quieter conditions. These have limited capacity and need to be booked on the official site in advance.

There are also nearby sites linked to Pompeii (Villa Regina, Villa Arianna, Villa San Marco, Villa de Poppea) which have a last entrance time 30 minutes after the main site. These require a different ticket and a shuttle bus from the main site, so you need to plan ahead if you want to include them. They’re closed on Tuesdays with the exception of Villa Regina.

For exceptional closures and the latest schedule, check the official website here.

 

How Long to Spend at Pompeii

The short answer: the absolute minimum is 2 hours, the sweet spot is 3-4 hours, and a full day is doable if you’re keen.

Most guided tours are 2-3 hours, which is enough to hit the highlights. If you’re taking a tour, I’d suggest planning for at least an extra hour on site after the tour finishes so you can revisit anything that caught your interest, or wander somewhere the tour didn’t cover. Your guide can usually point you towards the things they didn’t have time to include.

If you’re visiting in the summer months, the heat is a real factor. There’s very little shade on site, and once you’re past the 3-hour mark in 35°C heat, you stop enjoying it. We saw Pompeii in July one year and were ready to leave by hour four. If you’re visiting in spring or autumn, you’ll cope with longer days much better.

For ancient-history enthusiasts, Pompeii is a full-day site, especially if you also visit the suburban villas. For everyone else, half a day is about right.

 

Pompeii Ticket Information

The Pompeii ticketing system changed quite a bit for 2026, so even if you’ve visited before, the rules are now different. Here’s what you need to know.

 

2026 Timed Entry, Visitor Caps and Personalised Tickets

From 2026, Pompeii has a daily visitor cap of 20,000 people. During peak season (16 March to 14 October), timed entry slots are mandatory:

• The morning slot runs 9am to 1pm with a maximum of 15,000 admissions
• The afternoon slot runs 1pm to 5.30pm with a maximum of 5,000 admissions

Morning slots can sell out 2-4 weeks in advance during peak season, so book early if you’re visiting between April and October. The afternoon slot has a smaller cap but is much easier to get, and the site is often quieter after the morning tour groups have left.

Tickets are also now personalised with the name of each visitor, and you may be asked to show a passport or ID at the gate to match the name on the ticket. Make sure the name on your booking matches your ID exactly, including any middle names if your passport uses them.

Outside peak season (November to mid-March), the daily 20,000 cap and personalised tickets still apply, but there are no timed entry slots, just buy a ticket for any day.

The official ticketing platform changed in March 2026: tickets are now sold via Vivaticket, which replaced the old TicketOne system. The official site at pompeiisites.org redirects you to Vivaticket for the actual purchase.

 

Do You Need a Ticket for Pompeii?

Yes, all visitors need a ticket for Pompeii, including those eligible for free or discounted entry. You can buy tickets online in advance or in person at the site, although in-person buying isn’t really an option in peak season because the morning slot may already have sold out.

 

How Much Does it Cost to Visit Pompeii?

Current 2026 ticket prices:

• Pompeii Express (ancient city only). The basic ticket which gives access to the ancient city of Pompeii. This is the right choice for most visitors. €20 + booking fee on the official ticket site. Also available on GetYourGuide here with free cancellation and an optional audioguide.
• Pompeii Express + suburban villas. Adds the Villa of the Mysteries, Villa of Diomedes, and Villa Regina in Boscoreale (with the Antiquarium), reached via a free shuttle bus. €25 + booking fee. Worth the extra €5 if you’re interested in frescoes (the Villa of the Mysteries has some of the best surviving Roman wall paintings anywhere) and you have time for the shuttle.
• Pompeii Plus+ (3-day multi-site ticket). Valid for 3 consecutive days with one entry per site, covering the ancient city plus Oplontis, Villa Arianna, Villa San Marco, the Archaeological Museum of Stabiae, Boscoreale and the shuttle bus. €36 + booking fee. Worth it if you’re a serious Roman-history enthusiast staying in the area for several days.
• MyPompeii annual pass. €45 (€10 for under-25s and EU citizens under 25). Unlimited entry to all sites in the Archaeological Park of Pompeii for a year. Niche but worth knowing about if you’re spending an extended period in the area.

For most first-time visitors, the standard Pompeii Express ticket is fine. You won’t run out of things to see on the main site.

 

Are there Discounted Pompeii Tickets?

Yes. EU citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 inclusive (with ID) can enter for €2. All children under 18 enter free, but they still need a ticket, which can only be collected in person at the ticket office on site. There are currently no discounts for seniors.

 

Where to Buy Pompeii Tickets

You have a few options for purchasing Pompeii tickets, with online via the official site being the cheapest in most cases.

Online (recommended)

You can buy Pompeii tickets online from a number of sources:

• The official website (sold via Vivaticket since March 2026). Lowest cost but no free cancellation.
• GetYourGuide. A small markup compared to official, but with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance and the option to add an audioguide.
• Viator, with various tour and ticket combinations.

The official site is cheapest. Third-party platforms cost slightly more but add flexibility (free cancellation) and often bundle in tour or audioguide options. Pick whichever suits you. Always read the redemption instructions when buying online: most tickets just need to be shown on your phone, but some require collecting a paper ticket from a specific point.

You can also buy a combined Vesuvius + Herculaneum + Pompeii ticket if you’re planning to visit all three. If you’re following our three-site day plan below, this is the easier option.

In Person

There are ticket offices at the three main entrances: Porta Marina, Piazza Anfiteatro and Piazza Esedra. I’d avoid this where possible, partly because of the queue and partly because with the timed entry system your preferred slot may already have sold out. Buying in person makes sense only if you’re under 18, an EU resident aged 18-24 claiming the discount (you’ll need to show ID), or arriving outside peak season.

 

When is Pompeii Free in 2026?

Pompeii is free to visit on the first Sunday of every month. You’ll still need a ticket, but there’s no charge for it.

Get the free ticket online via the official site rather than turning up on the day. The site gets very busy on free days and if it exceeds capacity the ticket offices close. Some third-party sites still charge for free days, so only book free-day tickets via the official site.

 

What is the Pompeii Official Website?

The official website is https://pompeiisites.org/en/. It’s actually really good (rare for a government tourism site) and has the most current information on prices, opening hours, exhibitions, and exceptional closures. It’s available in English and worth a quick check the day before your visit, as individual houses sometimes close at short notice for conservation work.

 

How to Plan Your Time at Pompeii

Pompeii is enormous, signage is limited, and most visitors waste at least some of their time wandering past significant buildings without realising what they’re looking at. The trick to a good visit is having a rough plan before you walk through the gate.

What you should prioritise depends on how much time you have. Here’s how I’d structure a visit at three different lengths.

 

If You Only Have 2 Hours at Pompeii

Two hours is enough for a focused visit covering the major civic and residential sights. Most guided tours run for around 2 hours and follow this kind of route, which should give you a sense of why it’s the standard.

Enter via Porta Marina, head up through the Forum (the heart of the city, with Vesuvius looming behind it for the photo every visitor takes), then walk east along Via dell’Abbondanza, the main street. Stop at the Stabian Baths to see how Roman bathing worked, the Lupanare (the brothel) for the social-history angle, and the House of the Faun for the scale of an aristocratic residence. Loop back via the Forum Granary, where many of the plaster casts are displayed.

You’ll have walked maybe a kilometre, seen the main civic buildings, two of the most important houses, a bath complex, and the city’s most famous (or infamous) commercial premises. You’ll also have missed the Amphitheatre and most of the eastern half of the city, but that’s the trade-off for a 2-hour visit.

 

If You Have a Half Day (3-4 Hours)

Three to four hours lets you cover the same core route plus the eastern half of the site.

After the 2-hour route above, continue east along Via dell’Abbondanza all the way to the Amphitheatre, which is the oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world. The walk is longer than it looks on the map (Pompeii really was a city), but it’s worth it both for the amphitheatre itself and for the Garden of the Fugitives, which is on the way back. The Garden contains 13 plaster casts of victims who died trying to flee the eruption, all left where they fell. It’s the moment when the abstract historical disaster becomes concrete, and it’s the part of Pompeii that stays with you afterwards.

If you have time on the return loop, add the Grand Theatre and the Temple of Isis, both in the southern part of the site near the Stabia gate.

This is the visit I’d recommend for most first-time visitors. Long enough to see the things that matter, short enough that you don’t get heat-exhausted in summer.

 

If You Have a Full Day at Pompeii

A full day means you can do all of the above plus the suburban villas, which require the Pompeii Express + suburban villas ticket and a free shuttle bus from the main site.

The Villa of the Mysteries is the headline name here. It’s just outside the main city walls (about 15 minutes’ walk from the western edge of the site), and contains a cycle of frescoes that are some of the best-preserved Roman wall paintings in existence. The colours are still extraordinary 2,000 years on, and the scenes are unusual enough that scholars are still arguing about what they actually depict.

A full day also lets you spend longer in the houses, get further off the main tourist routes (almost everyone follows the same loop, so you can find yourself on near-empty streets just by turning off it), and visit the Antiquarium museum at the Porta Marina entrance, which has a small but well-curated collection of artefacts from the site.

If you’re going to do a full day, build in a proper lunch break. Either bring food in (you can’t leave and re-enter on the same ticket) or eat at the Chora cafe inside the site, which is on Via dell’Abbondanza near the Forum and does sandwiches and pastries.

 

Sights to Seek Out

Beyond the major highlights covered in the time-bucketed plans above, here are other sights worth your time if you spot them on your route. None of these would top my list of priorities, but they’re all worth pausing for.

• Porta Marina: the most impressive of the seven original gateways, with a barrel-vaulted ceiling dating from 80 BC. Most visitors walk straight through it without looking up.
• Antiquarium di Pompei (Pompeii archaeological museum): by the Porta Marina entrance. The best artefacts from Pompeii are actually in the Naples Archaeological Museum, but the Antiquarium has a useful selection including more plaster casts.
• Basilica: in the south-western corner of the Forum, dating from around 80 BC. Despite the name, it was a civic hall used for business and legal matters; the Christian church layout came later, borrowing the name and structure.
• Forum Granary (Foro): by the Forum, originally the produce market. Today it holds thousands of artefacts and many of the plaster casts.
• Baths of the Forum (Terme del Foro): the bath complex closest to the Forum. Pompeii had at least five bath houses; if you visit just one, this or the Stabian Baths are the picks.
• Thermopolia: ancient Roman fast food counters, with circular holes (called dolia) cut into the marble counter tops where pots of hot food and drink would have been kept warm. There are about 80 of these scattered around the site, and they’re one of the most relatable features of the city. Roman urbanites grabbed a quick lunch from a takeaway counter much like we do, just with stews and lentils instead of sandwiches.
• House of the Tragic Poet: just north of the Forum, near the Arch of Caligula. Famous for its mosaic floors depicting Greek mythology, and for the “Cave Canem” (Beware of the Dog) mosaic at the entrance.
• House of the Vetti: northeast of the House of the Faun. Reopened in 2023 after 20 years of restoration. Famous for the elaborate Pompeian Fourth Style frescoes, including some that the Victorians thought were too racy and tried to bury again.
• Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane): at the intersection of Via dell’Abbondanza and Via Stabiana. The largest and oldest of Pompeii’s bath houses, with separate men’s and women’s bathing areas.
• Temple of Isis: a small, intact temple next to the Grand Theatre, dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis. Mozart is said to have visited it aged 13, and it inspired The Magic Flute.
• Grand Theatre (Teatro Grande): built in the Greek style into a natural hillside, with seating for 5,000. Much of the structure survives.
• Small Theatre (Teatro Piccolo / Odeion): next to the Grand Theatre, smaller and roofed, used for music and mime performances.
• Viewpoint at Casina dell’Aquila: just by the intersection of Via dell’Abbondanza and Vicolo di Tesmo. The viewpoint is at the original ground level before excavation, and gives you a sense of just how much earth had to be moved to uncover the city.
• House of Menander: a large (19,000 sq ft) and well-preserved house in the eastern part of the city, named for a fresco depicting the Greek playwright.
• Aqueduct system at Castellum Aquae: in the northern part of the city, near Porto Vesuvio. The Augustan Aqueduct brought water from 96km away using only gravity, then distributed it across the city to fountains and water towers. Many of the fountains still work today, providing free drinking water for visitors.

 

 

 

Pompeii Layout and Maps

Pompeii covers around 65 hectares (170 acres). It’s about a kilometre across from east to west and around 800 metres from north to south, so it’s not hard to lose your bearings, especially with the limited signage and the maze of narrow side streets.

To help you find your way, it’s useful to understand how the site is divided. Pompeii is split into nine zones called Regio, each numbered with a Roman numeral from I to IX. The numbering is a counterclockwise spiral starting from the lower-middle square, which looks like this:

VI	V	IV
VII	IX	III
VIII	I	II

The Regio number is printed on signs throughout the site, so once you have a map and know roughly which Regio you’re in, you can find yourself again. Each Regio is further divided into Insulae (city blocks), which are also numbered, so a sign saying REG VII INS XIII means you’re in Regio 7, Insula 13.

You can download the official map and guide as a PDF here. I’d save it to your phone in advance, in case the printed copies have run out when you arrive (mobile signal on site is patchy).

 

 

Tours of Pompeii

Pompeii is a place I’d strongly recommend doing with a guide, at least for your first visit. The site has very limited signage, and without context you’ll wander past extraordinary things without realising what they are. A good guide brings the dead streets back to life, and turns a confusing 2-hour walk into a properly memorable visit.

Most of the tour options worth considering are already covered in the Rome, Naples and Sorrento sections above. The one I want to call out separately is the on-site Best of Pompeii tour with Take Walks, which we did on our most recent visit. Our guide was called Sonia, and she was excellent; really knew her stuff and brought what could otherwise feel like piles of rubble to life.

It’s hard to mentally reconstruct a working city from a ruin. Sonia was good at filling in the missing storeys, the painted plaster, the wooden balconies, the stalls and shops crammed onto the street fronts, the sounds and smells. The thermopolia (the Roman fast food counters with the round dolia set into the marble) were a particular highlight; you can read about them in any guidebook, but standing in front of one with someone explaining how the system actually worked is a different thing.

If you take a tour that meets on site, plan to stay at least an hour after it finishes so you can revisit anything that caught your eye, or visit something the route didn’t cover. Your guide should be willing to point you in the direction of whatever you’re interested in.

 

Booking Guides on Arrival

You can also book a tour guide on arrival at Pompeii. Official guides have an accreditation badge from the Tourist Board of the Campania Region, and you’ll find them just inside the site entrance at Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra, usually between 9am and 2pm. Prices are negotiated directly with the guide rather than fixed; with a larger group you’ll pay less per person but the experience is less personalised.

Two warnings. First, on busy days the on-site guides may all be already engaged, so if you’re set on having a guide it’s safer to book in advance. Second, ignore anyone offering tours outside the gate. They’re not accredited, the quality is unpredictable, and it’s a much bigger group. The gate touts also operate small “official-looking” booths near the train station selling tours and tickets; ignore those too. The actual ticket office is inside the gate.

 

 

 

Combining Pompeii with Herculaneum and Vesuvius from Naples

A common question is whether you can do Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius all in one day from Naples. The short answer is yes, and we’ve done it. The longer answer is that it’s a long and tiring day, and you’ll get less depth at each site than if you split them across two days.

If you have the time, splitting across two days is the better experience: a full day at Pompeii, and a second day combining Herculaneum (smaller, better preserved, much quieter) with Vesuvius. You’ll be less rushed and you’ll remember more.

But if one day is what you have, here’s how we did it. The order matters: Herculaneum first because it opens at 8.30am and is closest to Naples, Vesuvius in the middle because the bus runs from Ercolano station, and Pompeii last because it’s the biggest site and you want to use the afternoon time slot for it.

A rough timeline of our day:

• At 8.00am Leave Naples, take the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano Scavi station (the stop for Herculaneum)
• At 8.30am Enter Herculaneum (it opens at 8.30 and you want to be there at opening)
• At 10.00am Catch the Vesuvio Express bus from outside Ercolano station up to the Vesuvius car park. We had a bus break down on us and ended up on a replacement, so allow some buffer (we lost about an hour). Normal journey is around 30-40 minutes.
• At 11.00am Arrive at the Vesuvius drop-off point, walk up to the crater (about 30 minutes uphill on loose dusty gravel), take in the views of the Bay of Naples and the steaming crater, walk back down
• At 12.30pm Take the public bus directly from Vesuvius down to Pompeii (Pompei Scavi area)
• At 1.00pm Arrive at Pompeii. Have lunch nearby (we ate at one of the cafés near the entrance; nothing memorable). Use the afternoon timed-entry slot.
• At 2.45pm Start a 3-hour guided tour of Pompeii (we did the Take Walks Best of Pompeii)
• At 6.00pm Tour finishes, do a little exploration on our own
• At 6.45pm Train back to Naples from Pompei Scavi station

A few practical notes if you want to do this:

• Buy your Vesuvius ticket online in advance. Tickets are €10 and there’s no ticket office at the trail itself, plus mobile signal at the volcano is poor.
• The afternoon Pompeii slot starts at 1pm with a 5,000-person cap, which is much smaller than the morning. It’s almost always available if you book a few days ahead, and the site is noticeably less crowded after about 2pm.
• Take more water than you think you need. Vesuvius is exposed and dusty; Pompeii is exposed and hot. There’s no shade at either.
• Wear shoes you don’t mind getting destroyed. Vesuvius coats them in red volcanic dust; Pompeii has loose gravel and uneven cobbles. New trainers will be ruined.
• Plan B for transport. The Vesuvio Express bus broke down on us, and while we got a replacement bus reasonably quickly, this kind of thing eats into your timing. Don’t book a 2pm tour at Pompeii if your only buffer is half an hour.

Doing all three sites in a day is a real squeeze, and you finish it knackered. But it’s also a properly memorable day, and seeing the volcano that did the damage between visiting two of the cities it destroyed is a sequence that sticks with you.

 

Practicalities for Visiting Pompeii

What to Wear and Pack for Pompeii

The most important thing is shoes. Pompeii’s ancient streets are uneven, with a mix of loose gravel, dirt, and cobblestones, and the cobbles can be slippy. Wear something comfortable with a decent grip. Sandals are fine technically, but your feet will be filthy by the end. Heels are a bad idea (people do try; it doesn’t end well). For shoe suggestions, see our guides to the best travel shoes for men and the best travel shoes for women.

In summer, bring a good sun hat, suncream, and loose light clothing. There’s almost no shade on site, and once you’re three or four hours in on a hot day you’ll start to feel it. A small daypack is useful for water, snacks, suncream and any layers.

If rain is possible, take a light raincoat or poncho. Umbrellas aren’t allowed on site, so a coat is the only practical option. In winter (November to March), bring a layer or two; the bay can be cool and breezy.

Bring a water bottle. There are free drinking water fountains across the site (often built around the original Roman troughs, which is a touch I appreciate), so you can refill as you go. We use Klean Kanteen water bottles for travel, but anything refillable will do.

A guidebook is also worth bringing, especially if you’re not taking a tour. The Rick Steves Italy guide or his Naples & the Amalfi Coast snapshot guide both include a self-guided Pompeii tour, which is a workable alternative to hiring a guide if budget matters.

 

Dress Code at Pompeii

Pompeii has a couple of basic clothing rules. You can’t be bare chested, and disruptive clothing (costumes, masks, banners) isn’t allowed. The rule is mainly aimed at preventing protests and stunts; ordinary visitors won’t run into it.

 

Facilities at Pompeii

Pompeii has a reasonable spread of visitor facilities given its scale:

• Two on-site bookshops (Piazza Esedra and inside the Antiquarium)
• Audio guide hire at the Porta Marina and Porta Anfiteatro entrances
• First aid services near the Chora Cafe on Vicolo degli Augustali
• Multiple free drinking water fountains across the site
• Multiple free toilet facilities across the site
• Three baby changing facilities (on Via dell’Abbondanza, Via di Nola, and at the corner of Via Stabiana and Via della Fortuna)

 

Restaurants and Dining at Pompeii

There are tourist-oriented restaurants near the main entrances, particularly around the Porta Marina station area. None are noteworthy. On site itself there are two main options:

• The Chora cafe at Casina dell’Aquila on Via dell’Abbondanza, which sells drinks, sandwiches, pastries, ice cream
• The Vicolo del Foro restaurant, just north of the Forum by the Arco di Nerone entrance

You cannot exit and re-enter Pompeii on the same ticket, so if you want to eat on site you either need to bring food in or use one of the above. Both can have queues in peak season. Bringing your own snacks and a refilled water bottle is the simplest option for a 2-3 hour visit; if you’re staying a full day, the Chora cafe is the easier of the two on-site options.

 

Smoking at Pompeii

Smoking is forbidden except at designated smoking areas, which are near the Casina dell’Aquila and the toilet facilities.

 

Security at Pompeii

All visitors go through a security check at the entrance. Bulky objects, umbrellas, and bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm (12 x 12 x 6 inches) aren’t permitted on site and must be left at the cloakroom (free service). Otherwise the rules are obvious: no playing music, no climbing on the ruins, no defacing anything, no fires, no fruit-picking, no entering fenced areas.

Full list of rules and regulations is on the official site.

 

Accessibility at Pompeii

Pompeii is an ancient city built on uneven volcanic-rock streets, so accessibility is an inherent challenge. The site has made good efforts to address this within those limits.

The main accessible route is called Pompeii for All, an approximately 3.5km route from Piazza Anfiteatro to the Sanctuary of Venus, with ramps, smoother pavements, and wheelchair access at selected points. Free wheelchair rental is available at Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro (you’ll need to show ID). The route covers many of the main sights.

There are also accessible toilets on site. Guided tours in Italian Sign Language are available with advance booking, and Braille panels and tactile 3D models are at select locations. More on the Pompeii for All page.

 

Luggage Storage at Pompeii

Bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm aren’t allowed on site, so essentially anything bigger than a small backpack. Leave luggage at your hotel where possible. If you have to travel with a larger bag, there’s a free cloakroom at Pompeii itself, and there are also paid luggage lockers on the lower floor of the Pompeii Scavi train station.

 

Tips for Visiting Pompeii

A few things we’ve picked up over the years that make a real difference.

Book Tickets Early for Peak Season

With the timed entry system, morning slots in peak season (April to October) can sell out 2-4 weeks in advance. If you’re visiting between April and October and you want a morning slot, book early. Afternoon slots are easier to get and the site is quieter from about 2pm onwards, after the morning tour groups have left.

 

Take a Guided Tour or Audio Guide

Pompeii has very limited signage. Without a guide or an audioguide, you’ll walk past extraordinary things without realising what they are. A guide brings the site to life in a way that no map or guidebook can. If a guided tour isn’t in budget, an audioguide from the Porta Marina entrance or a guidebook with a self-guided route (the Rick Steves Italy guide is a good option) is the next best thing.

 

Use a Quieter Entrance

Most visitors enter through Porta Marina because it’s next to the train station. The Anfiteatro gate is quieter and brings you in next to the Amphitheatre, from which you can work westwards through the city in the opposite direction to the crowds. If you’re doing a self-guided visit, this is worth considering.

 

Head to the Back First

Most tour groups follow similar routes around the central western half of the site. If you head straight to the Amphitheatre or Garden of the Fugitives first and work back, you’ll have those areas almost to yourself. The eastern half is also quieter generally.

 

Be Wary of Touts at the Gate

Outside the entrance you’ll be offered tours by people who aren’t the official accredited guides. Quality is variable and there’s no recourse if it’s bad. If you want a tour and haven’t pre-booked, head inside the gate to the official guides at Piazza Esedra or Porta Marina; they have the official accreditation badge from the Tourist Board of Campania. Be aware these guides usually need to be paid in cash and you’ll need to discuss price and route with them directly.

There’s also an “official-looking” booth near the train station selling tickets and tours; ignore it. The actual ticket office is inside the gate.

 

Watch Your Pockets on the Train

The Circumvesuviana has a long-standing pickpocket problem on the tourist routes. Keep your bag in front of you, don’t put your wallet in a back pocket, and be alert at the platforms and on busy carriages. We’ve never had an issue but it pays to be sensible.

 

Bring a Water Bottle

Worth saying twice. There are free drinking water fountains across the site, and on a hot day you will need to drink a lot. Bring something refillable.

 

Attractions Near Pompeii

Pompeii is one of the major attractions in the area, but far from the only one. If you have more than a day, here’s what else to add to your itinerary.

• Herculaneum: the other well-excavated town buried by the eruption. Smaller than Pompeii, much better preserved (the deeper, faster ash fall preserved upper storeys, wooden fittings, and even some skeletons in their final positions), and noticeably quieter. Easy to reach via the Circumvesuviana from Naples or Sorrento (get off at Ercolano Scavi). Some tours like this one visit both Pompeii and Herculaneum on the same day.
• Mount Vesuvius: the volcano that did the damage is still very much active and still poses a real threat to the millions of people now living around it. You can hike up to the summit and look into the steaming crater. The hike itself is short (about 30 minutes from the upper drop-off point) but steep and on loose dusty gravel; wear shoes you don’t mind ruining. The views over the Bay of Naples from the rim are spectacular and the perspective on the scale of what happened to Pompeii is something else. Vesuvius tickets are €10 and must be booked online in advance (no ticket office at the trail). Reach Vesuvius by public bus or the Vesuvio Express bus from Ercolano station, or take a guided tour like this that bundles it with Pompeii.
• Naples: the regional capital divides opinion. It’s chaotic, crowded, sometimes scruffy, and home to some of Italy’s best food and most important museums. Pompeii visitors should make time for the Naples National Archaeological Museum, which holds the best of the artefacts excavated from Pompeii (the originals; Pompeii itself has copies). The museum is one of the great archaeological collections in Europe.
• Amalfi Coast: the 50km of dramatic coastline immediately south, with seaside towns like Positano and Sorrento clinging to the cliffs. Worth several days if you have them. If you’re visiting Pompeii from Rome, several day-trip tours combine Pompeii with a stretch of the Amalfi coast.
• Capri: a popular day-trip destination from Naples or Sorrento (ferry access). Beautiful but very crowded in summer; if you can stay a night to see it after the day-trippers leave, it’s a different place.

 

Where to Stay Near Pompeii

You can stay near Pompeii itself, in nearby Sorrento or Naples, or further afield on the Amalfi coast. For most visitors I’d recommend Naples (more to see and do, and the easiest base for combining Pompeii with Herculaneum, Vesuvius and the museum) or Sorrento (lovely coastal town and good base for the Amalfi coast).

A few well-placed options:

• Pompeii Ruins De Charme B&B: literally across the road from the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance. Air-conditioned rooms with breakfast, kitchen and dishwasher in some rooms, paid parking available.
• Hotel Forum: also next to the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance. Well-reviewed 4-star with free private parking, en-suite air-conditioned rooms, and an on-site restaurant.
• Habita79 Pompeii: 4-star a few minutes’ walk from the Anfiteatro entrance. En-suite air-conditioned rooms, on-site spa and wellness studio. No on-site parking.
• Agora Hostel: five minutes from the Anfiteatro entrance. Good-value private and shared rooms with air conditioning. Bar and coffee house on site.
• La Ferrovia Guesthouse Sorrento: next to Sorrento train station, easy access to the Circumvesuviana. Private en-suite air-conditioned rooms with coffee makers.
• Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria Sorrento: a 5-star option with spectacular coastal views, beautiful gardens, and two restaurants. The luxury pick if budget allows.

For a wider search, I use Booking.com for everything from hotels to guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels and apartments. Their filters make it easy to find something that matches budget and requirements.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting Pompeii

Some of the most common questions readers ask us about visiting Pompeii.

How long do you need at Pompeii?

Most visitors spend 2 to 3 hours at Pompeii, which is enough to see the major highlights with a guided tour. If you want to explore more on your own after a tour, plan for 4 to 5 hours total.

You could easily spend a whole day if you’re interested in ancient history, especially if you also visit the suburban villas. In summer, the heat and lack of shade make longer visits more tiring.

How much does it cost to visit Pompeii?

The standard Pompeii Express ticket (main site only) is €20 plus a small booking fee in 2026. The Pompeii Express + suburban villas ticket is €25, and the 3-day multi-site Pompeii Plus+ ticket is €36.

EU citizens aged 18-24 pay €2 with ID. Children under 18 enter free but still need a ticket, collected in person at the on-site ticket office.

What are Pompeii’s opening hours?

Pompeii opens at 9am every day except 25 December, 1 January, and 1 May.

From 1 April to 31 October the site closes at 7pm (last entry 5.30pm). From 1 November to 31 March it closes at 5pm (last entry 3.30pm). Some individual buildings within the site close earlier than the main site.

Do you need to book Pompeii tickets in advance?

We’d strongly recommend it, especially for visits between April and October. Pompeii now has a daily visitor cap of 20,000 and a timed entry system during peak season, with morning slots limited to 15,000 people. Morning slots can sell out weeks ahead.

Booking in advance also lets you skip the ticket office queue.

Is Pompeii free to visit?

Pompeii is free to visit on the first Sunday of every month. You still need a ticket but there’s no charge for it.

Book the free ticket online via the official site rather than turning up. The site is very busy on free days and if it exceeds the 20,000 cap the ticket offices close. Some third-party sites incorrectly charge for free days, so only book free tickets via the official site.

What are the best things to see at Pompeii?

For a focused 2-hour visit, prioritise the Forum, the Stabian Baths, the Lupanare (brothel), the House of the Faun, and the Forum Granary where many of the plaster casts are displayed.

If you have longer, add the Amphitheatre and the Garden of the Fugitives in the eastern part of the city. With a full day, also visit the Villa of the Mysteries (requires the Pompeii Express + suburban villas ticket).

The plaster casts of the victims, especially those in the Garden of the Fugitives, are the part of Pompeii that most visitors find stays with them.

Can you visit Pompeii and Vesuvius in one day?

Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Many guided tours include both, which is the easiest option. If you’re doing it independently, visit Pompeii in the morning then take transport up to Vesuvius in the afternoon, or do Vesuvius in the morning and Pompeii in the afternoon (the Pompeii afternoon timed slot is much easier to get).

The Vesuvius crater hike takes about 30 minutes from the drop-off point. Vesuvius tickets are €10 and must be booked online in advance.

How do you get to Pompeii from Naples?

The easiest option is the Circumvesuviana train from Naples Garibaldi station (underneath Naples Centrale) to Pompeii Scavi-Villa dei Misteri. It takes about 35 minutes and costs around €3.30. Trains run several times an hour.

The Campania Express is a more comfortable alternative on the same route, with guaranteed seating and air conditioning, running mid-March to mid-October for around €6.

How do you get to Pompeii from Rome?

Take the high-speed train (Frecciarossa or Italo) from Rome Termini to Naples Centrale, which takes about 70 minutes and costs around €15-50 depending on how far in advance you book. From Naples, transfer to the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri (about 35 minutes, €3.30).

Total travel time end-to-end is around 2.5 hours each way, so it’s a long day trip. If you have flexibility, basing in Naples for a night or two is a much more relaxing option.

Is it better to visit Pompeii with a guide or on your own?

We’d recommend a guided tour, especially for a first visit. The site has very limited signage, and without a guide you can end up wandering past buildings without understanding what you’re looking at. A good guide brings the ruins to life with historical context and stories.

If you prefer going at your own pace, pick up an audio guide at the entrance or download a Pompeii audio guide app before you go.

What should I wear to Pompeii?

Comfortable, sturdy shoes are the most important thing as the ancient streets are uneven with loose gravel and cobblestones. In summer, bring a sun hat, suncream, and light clothing. A light raincoat is better than an umbrella as umbrellas are not allowed on site.

Bring a water bottle too as there are free drinking water fountains throughout the site.

 

Further Reading for Visiting Italy

That’s our updated guide to visiting Pompeii. It’s part of our wider content on Italy and Europe, which should help you plan more of your trip.

A few related guides:

• We have guides to spending 1 day in Rome, 2 days in Rome, and 3 days in Rome. We also have guides to the best food tours in Rome, the best gelato in Rome and the best cafes for coffee in Rome
• We have a guide to visiting the Colosseum and a guide to visiting the Vatican, with everything you need to plan visits to those attractions
• Beyond Rome, we have suggested things to do in Milan, a guide to spending 2 days in Milan, and tips on a day in Venice
• We have a detailed 10-day Italy itinerary to help plan a longer trip, and a 2-week Europe itinerary which includes Italy
• For a physical or Kindle guidebook, we recommend the Rick Steves Italy guide, with lots of practical information for your stay

And that’s it. As always, if you have any questions or comments about visiting Pompeii, pop them in the comments below and we’ll answer as soon as we can.