Visiting Pompeii from Naples is a mandatory “excursion”. Or should be. It is the perfect combination and now you will understand why. Here are the archaeological remains of Pompeii, something unique to see in the world. It is literally a city frozen in time since the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 left the city buried in ash.
You have several options to visit Pompeii, you can do it for yourself, hire a guided tour (something I highly recommend), or if you are not going to rent a car in Naples you can book one of the many excursions that include a stop in Pompeii.
In this post I talk about how to visit Pompeii, what you will see at the archaeological site, how to get there, excursions, guided tours, advice and some travel tips.
COMPLETE GUIDE TO VISIT POMPEII, ITALY
1. HOW TO GO FROM NAPLES TO POMPEII
Book an excursion to Pompeii
The most comfortable option to visit Pompeii from Naples is to do it with an organized excursion. You will not need to rent a car for just one day, they will pick you up at the hotel or at a central meeting point (depending on your accommodation area) and you will have a guide in Spanish who will explain all the details you need to know about Pompeii and many curiosities. In addition, you have a wide variety of options. You can only visit Pompeii or you can combine the visit with other destinations such as Sorento, Mount Vesuvius... Normally all the excursions also include the entrance to the archaeological site of Pompeii.
You can go by Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompeii
To go from Naples to Pompeii by train you can leave from two stations; from Piazza Garibaldi (the central station) and from Porta Nolana. The train option is much cheaper, however, it is very difficult to find a place, especially in high season. You can buy tickets online directly on the EAV Circumvesuviana website or you can do it at the ticket office (at the risk of not finding a place).
Trains leave every half hour from 6 a.m. to approximately 10 p.m., although I recommend you check the schedules on their official website, to avoid unforeseen events.
Rent a car to visit Pompeii from Naples
This is the option that we chose in our case since we were going to spend a few days touring Naples, the surroundings of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
To go from Naples to Pompeii you must follow the E45 motorway and in less than 25 minutes you already have the exit to Pompeii. The motorway has a toll (approx 2 euros). Once you arrive in Pompeii you will have to park, all parking is paid, it costs 10 euros. I recommend you go very early to avoid queues, not finding a place to park and above all to avoid the groups that arrive with the buses.
2. WHAT TO SEE IN POMPEII, ITALY
Pompeii is a city that completely disappeared in the year 79 due to the eruption of the Vesuvius volcano. And the good state of conservation found in most of the ruins is surprising. It is estimated that at the time of the eruption in Pompeii there were around 15,000 people living, all of them burned to death by the volcano's pyroclastic material.
It is a huge city and you would need a lot of time to go around every corner. On guided tours or if you go on your own, you must take into account the main places so as not to miss them.
I detail some of the most essential areas that you must visit on your tour of Pompeii:
The Pompeii Forum
Like any Roman city, the meeting point was the forum (the central square). Everyday, commercial, social and religious life was carried out there. In the vicinity of the forum of Pompeii is the basilica and several temples are preserved.
The Amphitheater, the theaters, the arena and the Lupanar
Nor can you miss visiting the Amphitheater on your route through Pompeii. It was the place where the inhabitants met to enjoy shows.
You will realize that the Amphitheater is one of the places that is best preserved, it seems that the years have hardly passed, much less that it was buried by lava. The restoration work has been incredible.
In Pompeii you can also visit two theaters and the arena, which was used for sports. As "fun" places you will also find several brothels, Lupanar being the most important. You can still see erotic scenes depicted on the walls and the stone beds that were used.
The Baths
Near the Forum you can visit some public baths. They are not the only ones that were in the city, but they are the ones that are currently best preserved.
There men and women bathed separately in different rooms with cold, hot or lukewarm water.
Houses
In Pompeii you will be able to see from houses that looked like Palaces, which belonged to important and wealthy families of the moment. The mosaics full of colors that are still preserved are amazing. The most important houses are: the House of the Tragic Poet, the House of the Faun, the House of Venus, the House of Salustio, the House of Jupiter and the house of the small fountain.
Although you can also see more humble houses of merchants, among others.
The fugitive's gardens
It is a somewhat delicate area to see in Pompeii. Here are the petrified bodies of 13 people who tried to flee the brutal eruption without success. It is impressive because you will be able to see them perfectly, their gestures, their face...
PRICES AND SCHEDULES TO VISIT POMPEII
Prices to access Pompeii
Adult: From 24 euros
Citizens of the European Union between 18 and 24 years old + EU teachers: €2
Children under 18 years of age + disabled with a companion: free
I recommend that, if you go by yourself, you book the guided tour in Spanish. You will learn a lot about the history of Pompeii, the most essential archaeological sites, curiosities...
Hours of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii
From April to October: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
From November to March: 9am to 5pm
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you really enjoy your trip to Naples and Pompeii and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!