Pompeii: Two Million Visitors a Year, Still Worth Every Minute

Pompeii was buried under four to six metres of volcanic ash and pumice on 24 August 79 CE. The eruption of Vesuvius lasted eighteen hours. Around 2,000 bodies have been found in the ruins, though the pre-eruption population was around 11,000 – most escaped. The site covers 44 hectares, making it the largest excavated Roman city in the world. About two-thirds has been uncovered since systematic excavation began in 1748; the rest is still underground, deliberately left unexcavated in parts to allow future archaeologists to work with better technology. Excavation is ongoing and new discoveries are announced regularly.

Planning the Visit

Book tickets in advance at pompeiisites.org. In summer, on-site queues for tickets can run two hours. Adult admission is 20 euros in 2026; under-18s free; EU citizens 18-25 get a reduced rate with ID. The first Sunday of each month is free for everyone. The daily entry cap is 20,000 visitors, which fills on summer weekends.

Opening hours April through October: 9am to 7pm (last entry 5:30pm). November through March: 9am to 5pm (last entry 3:30pm).

The site is enormous – 66 hectares with over 45 hectares open to visitors. A rushed visit takes three hours; a thorough visit takes a full day. Main entrance is Porta Marina (Gate 1); the Piazza Anfiteatro (Gate 2) entrance in the east is less crowded and gives direct access to the Amphitheatre.

Getting there: The Circumvesuviana train from Naples Porta Nolana runs to the Pompeii Scavi stop every 30 minutes, takes about 35 minutes, and costs 3.20 euros. Significantly more convenient than driving.

What to See

The Forum is the civic centre, surrounded by the Temple of Jupiter, the Basilica, and the macellum. The view toward Vesuvius from the Forum paving is the defining photograph of the site. The Lupanare (brothel), five minutes from the Forum, has 17 small rooms with stone beds and explicit painted panels above each doorway. It is always crowded.

The House of the Vettii was the home of two wealthy freed slaves and contains the best-preserved frescoes in Pompeii – mythological scenes, still lifes, and the famous Priapus figure at the entrance.

The Amphitheatre at the eastern end was built in 70 BCE and seats 20,000 – the oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world. A 59 CE riot between Pompeii fans and supporters from nearby Nuceria, visible in a famous mosaic in the Naples Archaeological Museum, resulted in the venue being banned from events for ten years.

The Plaster Casts are the most affecting element for most visitors. When ash hardened around bodies, the bodies decayed over centuries, leaving voids. In 1863, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli injected plaster into the voids to create exact impressions of the dead. The Garden of the Fugitives has the largest collection – a family huddled together, a dog still chained, a man covering his face. These are not reconstructions; they are the last positions of real people.

Herculaneum: The Less-Visited Alternative

Herculaneum was buried by the same eruption but deeper (20 metres) and by pyroclastic flows rather than falling ash. The result is better preservation: carbonised wooden furniture, intact upper floors, frescoes that look almost fresh, shop signs still visible on street walls. The site is smaller and significantly less crowded than Pompeii. The “boathouses” on the harbour front contain around 300 skeletal remains – people who sheltered there and were killed by the pyroclastic surge.

Reachable by Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano Scavi (12 kilometres west of Pompeii). Combined tickets cover both sites. Allow 2-3 hours.

Mount Vesuvius

The hike to the crater rim starts from a car park at 1,000 metres, reached by bus from Pompeii or Herculaneum. The walk takes about 30 minutes on a gravel path. The crater is 300 metres deep. The last eruption was 1944. Admission 12 euros. The view from the rim – Naples, the bay, Capri and Ischia, the entire Campanian plain – justifies the trip even if geology does not interest you.

Eating and Staying

The food options near the Pompeii entrance are tourist standard. Naples, 35 minutes by train, is one of the best food cities in Italy. Da Michele on Via Cesare Sersale has been making only marinara and margherita pizza since 1870; arrive at opening (11am) or wait. Ristorante Presidente near the site entrance is the reliable local option for a sit-down meal.

For staying: basing yourself in Naples and day-tripping is the practical approach. Costantinopoli 104 in Spaccanapoli is a small luxury hotel from 150 euros; Hotel Piazza Bellini is a reliable mid-range option at 90-120 euros.