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THINGS TO DO
Walk the Via dell’Abbondanza
The main street of Roman Pompeii, the “Street of Abundance” — a paved lane of shops, taverns, bakeries and the stepping stones that let pedestrians cross in the rain.
History & Heritage
Pompeii
A Roman city frozen by the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius — the world’s most complete ancient urban site.
QUICK INFORMATION
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Campania
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
- April to June and September to October
- DURATION
- Half a day – 1 day
ABOUT THE DESTINATION
Pompeii is the Roman town buried and preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, rediscovered in the 18th century and now one of the world’s most complete ancient urban sites. Its streets, villas, baths and the amphitheatre survive beneath a layer of volcanic ash, a UNESCO World Heritage Site a short train ride from Naples.
MAP & LOCATION
Pompeii
HISTORY & CULTURE
The Story Behind the Place
Pompeii was an Oscan settlement that became a Samnite town, then a Roman colony in 80 BC, and it grew into a prosperous mid-sized Roman city of some 11,000 people, with a forum, baths, theatres, an amphitheatre and the villas of the wealthy. On 24 October AD 79 (the traditional date; recent evidence suggests 24–25 October), Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically, burying the city under several metres of ash and pumice and killing perhaps 2,000 of its inhabitants. The city was forgotten until 1748, when the Bourbon king Charles VII began the excavations that have continued ever since, uncovering a Roman town frozen at the moment of its destruction — its streets, its shops, its frescoes and the casts of its dead. Pompeii, Herculaneum and the other Vesuvian sites were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
TOP THINGS TO DO
Experiences Not to Miss
TOP ATTRACTIONS
Sights & Highlights of Pompeii
FOOD & DRINK
WHERE TO EAT
01
Forum — a restaurant near the Pompeii entrance, for a quick pasta and a glass of Lacryma Christi wine
02
President — a long-standing restaurant near the ruins, for classic Campanian cooking, book ahead
03
Kytta — a pizzeria near the Pompeii Scavi station, for a pizza after the ruins
04
Villa dei Misteri — a restaurant and wine bar near the Villa dei Misteri entrance, for the local Vesuvius wines
05
Lupanar Burger — a casual burger and beer spot near the entrance, for a quick meal
HOTELS & STAYS
WHERE TO STAY
01
Hotel Forum — a hotel in modern Pompei town, near the ruins, with a rooftop and a restaurant
02
Hotel Vittoria — a hotel near the Pompeii entrance, with a garden and views of Vesuvius
03
Hotel Maiuri — a comfortable hotel near the ruins, named after the archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri
04
Resort & Winery Villa dei Misteri — a vineyard stay near the ruins, with Vesuvius wines and a restaurant
ITINERARIES
Keep Driving
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
NATURE & WILDLIFE
The Living Landscape
Pompeii sits on the plain south of Vesuvius, the volcano that built the plain and destroyed the city in AD 79. The volcano is now the Vesuvius National Park, its slopes covered in the pine, broom and lava of the protected cone, and the crater is reachable by a path from the car park at 1,000 metres. The plain around the site is the Vesuvian wine country, growing the Lacryma Christi and other wines on the volcanic soil, and the coast is a short walk from the site, with the beaches of Torre Annunziata and the archaeological site of Oplontis nearby.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Practical Information
Getting There
Pompeii is reached by the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri station (about 35 minutes), which stops at the main entrance. By car, the A3 motorway has a Pompei exit; there is paid parking near the entrance.
Park Entrances
Book online for a timed slot; the site is large and the queues for unbooked tickets are long. The combined ticket with Herculaneum is good value if you plan to see both.
How Long to Stay
Allow a half-day for the highlights, a full day for the whole site. A second half-day lets you reach Herculaneum, a third Vesuvius.
When to Go
April to June and September to October are ideal — mild, bright and less crowded than July and August, when the exposed site is hot and busy. Winter is quiet, mild and cheap.
What to Wear & Bring
Sturdy shoes for the uneven Roman paving, a hat and sunscreen for the exposed site, plenty of water, and a booked ticket for a timed slot.
Accessibility & Mobility
The site is largely uneven Roman paving with high kerbs and stepping stones, which makes wheelchair access very difficult; some accessible routes have been added, but most of the site is not accessible.
WEATHER
Pompeii — Current conditions & forecast
Forecast data from Open-Meteo. Updated regularly.
TRAVEL GUIDES · STORIES
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
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