On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii under 6 meters of volcanic ash. The city — its streets, houses, shops, bakeries, brothels, theaters, temples, and 1,150 bodies — was preserved in terrifying detail. Rediscovered in 1748, Pompeii is today the world's most visited archaeological site outside of Rome, and the most vivid window into daily life in the ancient world. Walking through Pompeii isn't visiting ruins — it's walking through a city where people lived, worked, loved, ate, and died. The ruts in the stone streets from chariot wheels. The fast-food counters (thermopolia) with food still in the pots. The graffiti on the walls ("I don't want to sell my husband"). The plaster casts of people in their final moments. Nothing prepares you for Pompeii. This guide prepares you for everything else.
Plan my Pompeii visit →Entry: €18 adults. Under 18 EU: FREE. EU 18-25: €2. First Sunday free. BOOK ONLINE: ticketone.it or the official Pompeii site — skip-the-line entry saves 30-60min in peak season. Time-slot booking now required. Opening hours: April-October: 9:00-19:00 (last entry 17:30). November-March: 9:00-17:00 (last entry 15:30). Closed January 1, May 1, December 25. How long: MINIMUM 3 hours for highlights. 4-5 hours for a thorough visit. Full-day possible for enthusiasts. Audio guide: €8, worthwhile — or download the official app (free, with GPS map). Guided tour: €15-20/person for a 2h group tour at the entrance — the guides are licensed and bring the ruins to life. Worth every euro.
Enter via Porta Marina (main entrance). Turn right for: 1. The Forum: The civic heart — the Temple of Jupiter with Vesuvius framed behind it (THE Pompeii photo), the Basilica (law court), the Macellum (food market with fish-scale floor). 2. Terme del Foro: The Forum Baths — preserved changing rooms, hot rooms (caldarium) with a vaulted ceiling, cold plunge pool. The detail of daily Roman life. 3. Casa del Fauno: Pompeii's largest and most luxurious house — the bronze dancing faun in the entrance, originally containing the Alexander Mosaic (now in Naples MANN). 4. Casa dei Vettii: Recently reopened after 20 years of restoration — the finest frescoes in Pompeii (mythological scenes, the famous Priapus fresco at the entrance). 5. Via dell'Abbondanza: The main commercial street — thermopolia (fast-food counters with embedded clay pots), fulleries (laundries), bakeries with millstones still in place. 6. Anfiteatro: The oldest stone amphitheater in the Roman world (80 BC, older than the Colosseum) — Pink Floyd filmed "Live at Pompeii" here in 1971. 7. Garden of the Fugitives: The most emotionally devastating spot — plaster casts of 13 people who died together trying to flee through a garden. 8. Lupanar: The brothel — erotic frescoes above each small stone bed (a "menu" for non-Latin-speaking clients). Always has a queue.
From Naples (easiest): Circumvesuviana train from Napoli Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi lower level) to "Pompei Scavi - Villa dei Misteri" station. 36min, €2.80. Trains every 20-30min. The station is 50m from Porta Marina entrance. From Rome: Option A: High-speed train Rome→Naples (1h10, €20-45 with advance booking) then Circumvesuviana (36min). Total: ~2h. Option B: Direct regional train Rome→Pompei (2.5h, €13). Option C: Organized day tour from Rome (€60-90, includes transport + guide). Day trips from Rome → From Sorrento: Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi. 30min, €2.80. Combine with Vesuvius: Bus from Pompeii to Vesuvius crater (Busvia del Vesuvio, €8 return + €10 crater entry). Morning Pompeii + afternoon Vesuvius crater hike = the ultimate day.
Wear: Comfortable closed shoes (the ancient stone streets are UNEVEN — sandals and heels are impossible). Hat + sunscreen (minimal shade — the roofs collapsed 2,000 years ago). Bring: 1.5L water minimum (refillable at fountains inside). Snacks (there's a cafe inside but it's overpriced). Best time to visit: 9am opening (fewest crowds) or after 2pm (tour groups leave). Avoid 10am-1pm (peak). Season: Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal — comfortable temperatures, manageable crowds. Summer is brutally hot with no shade. What most people miss: The Villa dei Misteri (a 5-minute walk past the main entrance — extraordinary Dionysiac mystery cult frescoes, among the best-preserved in the ancient world. DO NOT skip this). Photography: Allowed everywhere, no flash. Accessibility: Partial — some main streets are accessible, but many houses have steps. Wheelchair users can see ~40% of the site via the main streets. Accessibility guide → · Naples itinerary → · Where to eat →