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Pompeii
5 experiences and tours
Likely to sell out
Half day tour to Pompeii Excavations from Naples
4hPickup availableFree cancellation
Likely to sell out
Pompeii and Vesuvius full day tour with Italian lunch from Naples
7hFree cancellation
Likely to sell out
Capri and Pompeii full day tour from Naples
8hPickup availableFree cancellation
Likely to sell out
Full day tour to the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii Ruins from Naples
9hPickup availableFree cancellation
Likely to sell out
Sorrento & Pompeii With Skip The Line Tickets From Naples Port
7hSkip the lineFree cancellation
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Pompeii is a Roman town that stopped in a day. In AD 79 Vesuvius buried it under metres of ash and pumice, and the streets, bakeries, bath houses and painted rooms stayed sealed underneath for centuries. You now walk on the same paving stones, worn into grooves by cart wheels, with the volcano in view to the north.
This page gathers ways to visit with Artista from Naples, from half days with a guide inside the ruins to full days that add Vesuvius, Capri or the Amalfi Coast. Tours here usually include the Pompeii entry ticket. Look for the Entry included tag on each card, and check where you meet.
About Pompeii
When Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was a busy market town near the Bay of Naples, with temples, taverns, a large forum and comfortable houses for wealthy families. A strong earthquake in AD 62 had already damaged much of it, and repairs were still going on. Then a column of ash and pumice fell on the town for hours, followed by surges of hot gas that killed those who had stayed.
The ash kept almost everything in place: wall paintings, mosaics, shop counters, graffiti, and the shapes of people who died. In the 19th century, excavators began pouring plaster into the hollows left by the bodies. Those casts are some of the most moving things on the site.
Pompeii was listed by UNESCO in 1997, together with Herculaneum and the villas at Torre Annunziata. It is now run as the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, which also looks after the villas outside the walls. Excavation and restoration still go on, and new houses open from time to time.
What to expect on a Pompeii experience
A guided visit usually lasts around two hours and follows a loop through the main streets. Typical stops are the Forum, with Vesuvius behind it, the Stabian Baths, the brothel known as the Lupanar, the House of the Faun and a stretch of road with the raised stepping stones Romans used to cross. Some routes reach the amphitheatre at the far end of town, which is a long walk.
There are three gates: Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro. Your guide will tell you which one your group uses.
The ground is rough. Streets are paved with large, uneven stones, kerbs are high and there is very little shade. Wear shoes with grip and bring water and a hat in warm months. Bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm are not allowed inside and must go in the left-luggage room, so travel light. Eating is only allowed in marked areas.
Tickets carry the visitor's full name. Staff can ask for ID to check that the name matches, so bring a passport or ID card, children included. The park has a step-free route called Pompeii for All, though many side streets remain hard going with a wheelchair or pushchair.
Best time to visit
From 16 March to 14 October the park opens at 9:00 and closes at 19:00, with last entry at 17:30. From 15 October to 15 March it closes at 17:00, with last entry at 15:30.
The park caps visitors at 20,000 a day. In the high season, entry is split into a morning window from 9:00 to 13:00 and an afternoon window from 13:00 to 17:30, with far fewer places in the afternoon. Once the day is full, no more tickets are sold online or at the gate. Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month, and those days are very crowded.
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. In July and August the stone holds the heat and there is almost no shade, so an early start helps. Winter is quieter, but the shorter hours leave less time.
Getting around
Pompeii is about 25 km south-east of Naples. The Circumvesuviana train from Naples toward Sorrento stops at Pompei Scavi - Villa dei Misteri, a short walk from the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra gates. The line toward Poggiomarino stops at Pompei Santuario, closer to the Piazza Anfiteatro gate. The trip takes around 35 minutes.
On a tour, a coach usually collects you from a meeting point in central Naples or at the cruise port. Check each card for the meeting point and the return time.