Pompeii Archaeological Park
Pompeii Archaeological Park
4.5
About
Walk down the roads of history at Pompeii Archaeological Park, the actual site where Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, claiming thousands of lives and burying Pompeii in several feet of ash. Wander among the ruins with an audio guide or, for greater historical insight, join a guided tour. Come prepared with a hat and sunblock as there isn’t much shade throughout the ruins. There is, however, a café and bar if you need a rest. The ruins are connected by ancient roads, which can be rocky and uneven. travelers are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes. – Tripadvisor
Duration: More than 3 hours
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- JohnRegoParkRego Park, New York1,278 contributionsOne of the great archaeological sites in the worldYou don't need me to tell you that this is one of the great archaeological sites in the world. Several tips: buy your tickets online ahead of time. Exiting the train station, do not listen to the hawkers trying to sell you guides to the ruins. Walk to the right. At the entrance walk up to the security scanners and pass through and then have them check your ticket at the entrance. Pick up the free map of the site--it's excellent. It's your choice as to whether to get the audio guide or not. There are plenty of wall texts in English to explain things. One word of caution: be extra careful walking!! We saw a man lying on the ground with his ankle so broken that the bone pierced the skin. It is easy to see how this can happen. Look down! Watch where you step.Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 3, 2023
- RebekahBristol, United Kingdom32 contributionsGreat site caveat the guideThis site is vast and if you like Roman history it is fascinating. Wear comfortable shoes as you will do a lot of walking on hard stone. To be in a Roman forum is amazing. Seeing the houses of rich and poor very interesting. I loved the feeling of walking on Roman streets. We were very unlucky with our apparently English speaking guide. He spoke very quietly with a strong accent and used Italian words instead of English so was very hard to understand. He couldn’t or wouldn’t answer our questions- maybe he didn’t understand us! He wasn’t able to tell us very much about Pompeii but spent a lot of time repeating himself about the water system having a particular penchant for pointing out lead pipes. His name was Salvatore -avoid! All of the moveables found at Pompeii are in the Naples museum and lots of wall paintings and mosaic floors have been removed which I think is a tragedy. Still an absolute marvel.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 12, 2023
- cheaptravel_10Burlington, Kentucky307 contributionsSo much larger than I imagined and awesome!This place was huge and with old paving stones you need to wear good shoes. No shade so sun gear is good-I wore sunglasses, hat and umbrella and took a water bottle. Only 1 place to buy food here so we took a picnic in with us. If you are really interested in Pompeii I would book and early morning tour before it gets hot and crowded. We downloaded a tour on our phones. Beware the train stations that tell you they are selling tickets when it is really a tour instead. I was warned so didn't fall for this, but many did. We went on the train from Sorrento and it was a short walk to get in. There are bathrooms at the entrance and the restaurant.. If you do a tour I recommend a small group. It gets really crowded here so go early!Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 12, 2023
- Brianna M9 contributionsPretty coolVery cool to see but we spent ages looking for the preserved bodies. When you get to the end they are in a museum. We went and it was pretty hot and can get busy. You could literally walk all day in here it’s so big and like a maze.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 13, 2023
- Melaney68Chesapeake Beach, Maryland11,387 contributionsBring a reusable water bottle!Try to eat and use the restroom before you arrive. There are few food choices and even fewer restrooms. I returned after 5 years and many improvements had been made. The museum at the end of the route was especially nice. Be prepared for uneven surfaces and consider sun protection and a water bottle. There were many places to refill one.Visited August 2023Traveled on businessWritten October 15, 2023
- activenretiredNew Lenox, Illinois822 contributionsUnique and incredible sights!Wow! This was fascinating. It is a huge area, so it is best to have a few priorities in mind. I would also recommend going early in the day. The most popular areas get crowded and you have to wait in line to get in. The bordello was too crowded and the wait time too long for us, but loved the sights we got to see. We had a private guide for the two of us and that was great, too. Caution: extremely difficult to get around if disabled or unable to balance and walk on uneven surfaces.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 17, 2023
- Katie WDerby, United Kingdom219 contributionsGreat piece of historyPompei wasn't what I envisioned in my head. The site is huge!! We arrived around 10am and parked in Parking Zeus very easily. We grabbed drinks from one of the shops near the entrance and so glad we did as there was nowhere inside to get food or drinks. The map is very difficult to read - it has road names but this corresponds to no signs around the ruins. Take some time to look at the map and decode your route! I did find the large groups frustrating as often they completely blocked the walkway so you couldn't get past. We spent about 4 hours there and it was hard going on the feet with the uneven floors and hot sun!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 19, 2023
- Karim MaaroufCairo, Egypt897 contributionsGet transported back in timeThis place is simply amazing and definitely worth a visit. It is so well preserved, you feel transported back in time. The site is also huge so you can spend quite a lot of time there. I opted to go with a tour group, however, they typically let you spend only about 2 hours inside. If you are more interested in historical sites, I would recommend you go alone. My favorite parts where the amphitheater, the brothel, and some of the houses belonging to the elites of the time. You can grab a map and an audio guide or even go on a guided tour at the site. It can get pretty crowded, naturally but it's still well worth the visit.Visited September 2023Traveled with friendsWritten October 21, 2023
- divefanSt. Helena, California615 contributionsHuge, hot and crowdedMost of Pompeii burned up during the eruption, so with the exception of a few intact arenas and buildings, most of what remains are remnants of small shops in what was once a thriving market town. This means there is virtually no shade, and there is no water for sale inside the park. We hired a private guide, so at least we had some control over how long to stay, and it was easy to hear his commentary and ask questions, and dodge the crowded areas. I think being in a large group would have been miserable.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 23, 2023
- Nikki BWatford, United Kingdom675 contributionsHuge site, crowded, hotThe site is huge, it’s very crowded and very hot. We went on an organised tour and spent around 2 hours there. That was enough for me to see the main bits and get an idea of how people used to live before it was destroyed by ashes and fire from Mount Vesuvius.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 24, 2023
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Andrew G
Glasgow, UK50 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Visiting at the tail end of the COVID pandemic, the first challenge was working out how to buy tickets.
Whilst you can purchase them online there is a handling fee, and you need to arrive within a 15 minute time slot which - when travelling by Circumvesuviana is no more than a blind stab in the dark.
The entrance next to the train station is Porta Marina Superiore. As a result of COVID, you cannot buy a ticket at this gate. You are pointed to Porta Marina Inferiore 5 minutes walk away. At Inferiore there is a long queue which moves occasionally. It is mainly used as the starting point for large groups.
Defeated, and traversing the online resources which are very helpfully primarily in Italian it emerged that there is a site called TicketOne. There are two separate sets of tickets for Pompei and it defaults to entering by Piazza Anfiteatro - this is not the entrance by the train station but is a 15 minute walk away. If you know to click on the second link (which is helpfully labelled no different from the first) you find the tickets from Porta Marina Superiore. Incredibly, despite the tickets from the amphitheater being sold out for another hour, and requiring a long wait; once we realised that we could find tickets to the entrance we were actually standing it we were able to get in right away.
Given COVID, a number of one way systems and suggested tours following arrows are in place. To be honest, I think this massively improved my enjoyment and meant we really felt we made the most of our day. The sites were truly astonishing. You can retrieve your ticket on Apple Wallet and scan to gain entry.
Whilst you can purchase them online there is a handling fee, and you need to arrive within a 15 minute time slot which - when travelling by Circumvesuviana is no more than a blind stab in the dark.
The entrance next to the train station is Porta Marina Superiore. As a result of COVID, you cannot buy a ticket at this gate. You are pointed to Porta Marina Inferiore 5 minutes walk away. At Inferiore there is a long queue which moves occasionally. It is mainly used as the starting point for large groups.
Defeated, and traversing the online resources which are very helpfully primarily in Italian it emerged that there is a site called TicketOne. There are two separate sets of tickets for Pompei and it defaults to entering by Piazza Anfiteatro - this is not the entrance by the train station but is a 15 minute walk away. If you know to click on the second link (which is helpfully labelled no different from the first) you find the tickets from Porta Marina Superiore. Incredibly, despite the tickets from the amphitheater being sold out for another hour, and requiring a long wait; once we realised that we could find tickets to the entrance we were actually standing it we were able to get in right away.
Given COVID, a number of one way systems and suggested tours following arrows are in place. To be honest, I think this massively improved my enjoyment and meant we really felt we made the most of our day. The sites were truly astonishing. You can retrieve your ticket on Apple Wallet and scan to gain entry.
Written July 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thamires
Fortaleza, CE4 contributions
Feb 2020
Pompeii Archaeological park is just incredible, if you have a strong passion for ancient history every step you take you can't help but imagine how amazing that beautiful city was during the Roman empire before the eruption of Vesuvius. It is definitely much bigger than I imagined, so I would recommend getting there as early as possible in order to make the most of it since you probably wont be able to walk down every single lane/street since its really huge, so I also recommend wearing comfortable shoes as you'll be walking for quite a few hours. Also, it's incredible to actually feel the presence of mount Vesuvius as you can constantly see the vulcano from Pompeii archaeological park. Two things important to know is that the map might be a little confusing and it doesn't contain as many historical information as I hoped, but still extremely useful and it's handed for free. One last thing important to keep in mind is that the main buildings with archaeological artifacts inside are closed down about an hour prior to the actual closing time of the park, so make sure to check them out first and then feel free to roam around this spectacular place. It really was an experience I'll always treasure and I would definitely come back.
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackie C
Peterborough, UK468 contributions
Mar 2020
This has been on our bucket list and so happy we made the visit. Photos and videos alone do not do it justice. It is a place you have to see and experience for yourself. There is so much remaining in the roads, buildings and the lovely frescoes inside. If you can afford the guide for two hours I would recommend it as they take you to all the best bits of the archeological park and they are a mine of information and informative facts. There are many guides at the entrance available and audio guides. Your entrance fee just includes a map which is quite difficult to understand. It is definitely worth the entrance fee
Written April 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah G
11 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Having not been to the site for over 20 years I wasn’t sure what to expect. This time I was also taking an 8 and 10 year old in 32C heat. We decided not to take a guide but instead download an audio tour (Apple store - Discover Pompeii £3.99) and walk around at our own pace and were glad we did. We were able to stop and enjoy the many grassed areas away from the direct sunshine and take it the parts we wanted. It is such a big site I don’t really think a day is enough. We spent 5hrs there in total. We booked our tickets online and children under 18 our free. We parked at Zeus car park just along the road from the main entrance Marina Superiror. Parking was €15 but we would recommend the price as car park was so close and was also under trees. We also took a picnic and made use of the water fountains on site to refill bottles with cooler water. It was a great day out and you can clearly see there has been a lot of investment in the site over the past 20 years. Lots of the villas have been restored and the routes and a lot more organised and signposted, which is helpful as the place is huge. Highlights were the amphitheatre, basilica and kids loved running in and out of the old shops and restaurants.
Written August 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen M
London10 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
It’s not difficult to see what all the hype is about. Pompeii is a capsule caught in time and it is utterly incredible. The visit far-exceeded expectations. There is so much to see and learn and the ruins are fascinating. Our private tour enhanced the experience massively and I highly recommend paying for the luxury of a personal guide.
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D M
49 contributions
Dec 2019
If you have the chance you need to visit. You can spend as much or as little time there as you want. Read material before you go and to have understanding of what you are seeing (there are plenty of videos on-line). Have a plan to walk through the city. (You can overhear what the tour guides are saying for a little free extra info). We walked through with a guide book and studied before we went and that helped. I would find PARKING before you go, plan ahead. We parked at Pompei Parking Zeus and it was super nice to be near the entrance BUT it was expensive, I did not plan before we went. I also assume that this parking would fill up fast, we got there about an hour after opening. There is parking in other locations and may be cheaper. If you have time to look, then look. There is also a train station really close so you could ride the train to Pompeii if you would like. If you are in the Naples area and are going to visit many sites (like we did) there are cards you can buy that will get you into multiple sites for free and other sites at a discount.
Much of what was taking out of Pompeii is now in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. A must if you have time.
If you have time you need to visit Parco Archeologico di Ercolano (Herculaneum) as well.
Much of what was taking out of Pompeii is now in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. A must if you have time.
If you have time you need to visit Parco Archeologico di Ercolano (Herculaneum) as well.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ezski58
Whitehouse Station, NJ35 contributions
Nov 2019
Not what I expected at all. I had no idea how large Pompeii was. It was very interesting walking around the city and "seeing" how people lived in 79 A.D. We went in early November and although it was a little rainy, there were no crowds and we were able to see a lot in the 4 hours we were there. Definitely a must see. I would recommend reading up on the history of Pompeii before hand as it would make the trip more meaningful.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JayBee
United Kingdom42 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Please be wary of the tour reps who approach you as you walk to the entrances. Luckily we knew in advance that they will lie to you saying that tickets are not available at the gate and only tours are allowed in. It’s a despicable trick to play and you can only hope that the authorities will eventually do something about it.
We visited in low season (February) and there was no need for a “skip the line” ticket. Indeed to whole site was quiet and we didn’t have to queue for anything.
Having read up in advance (and watched the tv documentaries) we didn’t feel the need for an audio guide, but we did download the official app, which contains written descriptions of each of the sites inside. It’s useful to help find anything you’d specifically like to see.
How people only manage to spend 2-3 hours is a mystery to us. We spent 7 hours and still would have gone back to see more. We took the advice and bought in water and snacks in small bags, but did enjoy the coffee and donuts for sale in the cafe next to the forum.
The scale and quality of the remains is mind blowing compared to any other historical site we have visited. We WILL be going back.
We visited in low season (February) and there was no need for a “skip the line” ticket. Indeed to whole site was quiet and we didn’t have to queue for anything.
Having read up in advance (and watched the tv documentaries) we didn’t feel the need for an audio guide, but we did download the official app, which contains written descriptions of each of the sites inside. It’s useful to help find anything you’d specifically like to see.
How people only manage to spend 2-3 hours is a mystery to us. We spent 7 hours and still would have gone back to see more. We took the advice and bought in water and snacks in small bags, but did enjoy the coffee and donuts for sale in the cafe next to the forum.
The scale and quality of the remains is mind blowing compared to any other historical site we have visited. We WILL be going back.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alasdhair M
15 contributions
Sep 2020
Truly this is an incredible place to visit. There aren't many other places on the planet that you can visit that give you such a real view into what life was like for people 2,000 years ago. You're walking their streets, visiting their homes, shops and stadiums, and it hardly takes much imagination to see it as a truly living city. You almost become completely inured to have incredible everything is; suddenly you turn your head and there is an incredible preserved piece of artwork or mosaic. You're almost completely blasé about it by the end! The site is enormous and you can go just about anywhere you like, a day just isn't long enough! I would happily spend a week here.
Particularly impressive is the bath house just outside the walls, the Forum and the temple of Jupiter, as well as the amphitheatre.
I would absolutely recommend hiring a guide for visiting this; they can add so much context to what you're seeing, and makes for a much richer experience.
Particularly impressive is the bath house just outside the walls, the Forum and the temple of Jupiter, as well as the amphitheatre.
I would absolutely recommend hiring a guide for visiting this; they can add so much context to what you're seeing, and makes for a much richer experience.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Need To See It All
Perth, Australia1,068 contributions
Aug 2019
We visited having bought an entrance ticket online in advance. We were driving our own car so we went to the second entrance and kept away from any big groups - we walked straight in, in the middle of August. We ended up using a somewhat dodgy seeming operator outside the gate for an Audio guide which turned out to be awesome. I recommend the audio guide because you can do things in any order, and stick away from huge groups of people.
It gets insanely hot so bring water, wear a hat, light clothing, walking shoes and sunscreen. It takes a good couple of hours even at a fast pace to see the majority, and you are going to want to see it.
It gets insanely hot so bring water, wear a hat, light clothing, walking shoes and sunscreen. It takes a good couple of hours even at a fast pace to see the majority, and you are going to want to see it.
Written April 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buonasera ieri ho acquistato il biglietto su ticketone come orario d ingresso mi indica alle ore 9.00 senza possibilità di cambiare.
L'orario è vincolante oppure posso entrare in un altro orario?
Written August 27, 2024
Bonjour ou acheter les billets svp merci
Written June 21, 2024
Bonjour ou acheter les billets svp merci
Written June 21, 2024
Καλησπέρα σας. Ενδιαφέρομαι για ελληνόφωνο ξεναγό στην Πομπηία 17 ή 18 Μαΐου.
Ευχαριστώ
Άννα Ασυνάνογλου
Written May 14, 2024
Ciao a tutti, è possibile acquistare on line sia biglietto che guida? Acquistare cioè proprio un biglietto combinato...
Grazie in anticipo
Written April 19, 2024
Will be visiting Pompeii in May. Is it worth it to purchase a skip the line ticket online before or better to just show up early and buy the tickets at the ticket office?
Written March 28, 2024
Hi, I am planning to visit Pompeii in mid November, and will buy tickets in advance. Is it possible to pick up an audio guide on site? thanks Lynne
Written November 3, 2023
Yes you can purchase at the entrance
Written October 14, 2024
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