Duration of the tours and visits of Pompeii

You are traveling in Italy and you have Pompeii marked on your agenda for some time, but surely you have doubts about whether you will have enough time to visit it, if it is worth going for only one day, how long your visit will take...

Whatever the case and wherever you come from, I give you several tips to organize your trip. Of course, the first thing you have to do is to book your tickets to Pompeii because they sell out quickly. Keep reading!

Once you have booked your ticket to Pompeii, you will be free to explore it as much as you want. Take your time to visit the city that has remained intact since the 1st century, walk through its streets and delve into its stories and anecdotes. The recommended time for a free visit is between four and five hours.

During this time, you can contemplate at leisure its most important archaeological remains such as the Forum of Pompeii, the Temple of Jupiter, the Basilica or the Temple of Apollo and get an idea of what life was like in the times of ancient Rome from the remains of this city that was buried by Vesuvius in the year 79. You will discover many details of the daily life of the Romans and learn about their stores, statues, houses and signs.

Enjoy a visit full of history, ideal for lovers of history and culture.

When you book your guided tour of Pompeii, keep in mind that you will spend a total of two hours with a professional guide who will show you the history and facts of this place, as well as its most emblematic sites such as the Temple of Jupiter, the Villa of the Mysteries, the Temple of Apollo, the House of the Faun, the Amphitheater and the Lupanar.

You will know Pompeii to perfection thanks to the stories and anecdotes of the guide while you explore its archaeological ruins. An essential proposal to delve into the historical past of this place declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

The vast majority of visitors spend a full day at Pompeii. If you are in Rome, you have over 200 kilometers to get here, so the ideal is to take an organized excursion to Pompeii from Rome that allows you to travel comfortably by private bus, with no stops in between and all inclusive.

Excursions usually leave early in the morning to make the most of your time in Pompeii. Departure time is usually around 7:30 or 8 a.m. for departures from the center of Rome.

Normally, you will be back in Rome about 12-14 hours later, when you will have enjoyed a full, intense and fascinating day among the ruins of Pompeii. Take the opportunity to rest on the bus, enjoy the scenery and recharge your batteries for a guided tour that will not leave you indifferent.

From Naples the excursions to Pompeii are much shorter, as the distance is shorter (both cities are just over 20 kilometers apart). Therefore, you can even choose between excursions that last only half a day or excursions that last the whole day, but make some intermediate stops so you can visit (and climb) the crater of Vesuvius.

Guided tours usually last at least two hours: the guide will explain the details of what you are seeing and tell you how the citizens of Pompeii lived before the volcano surprised them one morning with an eruption of such virulence that buried them under the lava. Afterwards, you will have time to walk around at your leisure, finish visiting the parts that have caught your attention, take pictures, have lunch.... You decide how to spend the rest of your day!

By the way, towards the end of the afternoon you will see how Pompeii empties, the large groups leave and the atmosphere in its cobblestone streets is much more intimate. Take the opportunity to visit the ruins of this exciting city for the last time to leave with the best possible taste in your mouth.

This will surely be the key question you are asking yourself and the answer is very clear: definitely yes. In fact, the size of the city is perfect to spend a day there and get an idea of what life was like in this city in Ancient Rome, how the eruption of Vesuvius took place, which surprised its citizens, etc.

The guided tours (I highly recommend you to take one) usually last at least two hours and include a general tour of the key points of the city: you will see the amphitheater, temples, baths, houses, taverns ... even the fossilized bodies of some citizens.

In fact, if you arrive in Pompeii relatively early in the morning, in the afternoon you will have enough time to go up to Vesuvius (in a half hour walk you can get from Pompeii to 1,000 meters above the volcano and then walk up) and it is well worth it. So, I insist: if you only have one day to dedicate to the city of Pompeii, go ahead with it, you won't need more.

The reality is that you don't need two days to visit Pompeii, so if you have extra time and want to continue exploring the area, you are in luck, because there are many things to see around Pompeii.

If you liked Pompeii and you were left wanting more, you will be amazed to visit Herculaneum, the neighboring city that was also buried under the lava of Vesuvius during the same eruption. I dare say that its remains are much better preserved than those of Pompeii, so the visit will be more than interesting.

If the weather is good and you feel like relaxing by the sea, the Amalfi Coast or the Isle of Capri are two great options that do not disappoint: a dip in crystal clear waters, cliffs with colorful dream houses or a boat ride in the Bay of Naples will be a pleasure for all the senses. And last but not least, we cannot forget Naples, the most authentic city in the whole country, the birthplace of pizza and al fresco terraces with checkered tablecloths. Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong.

Seeing the best of Pompeii in half a day is possible. You will not have much time for long breaks or to sit down to eat in one of the surrounding restaurants, but you will still enjoy this peculiar area and get to know the essence of the city, its main monuments, the history of Vesuvius...

The best thing in these cases is to join a guided tour in which an expert guide will show you the most beautiful of the city, take you to the key points and explain the most relevant ideas that you should know.

If you visit Pompeii in the late afternoon, you will see that the influx of tourists and large groups will decrease significantly and you will be able to enjoy the city in the most authentic way possible under the last rays of the afternoon sun. A great plan!

If you are staying in Rome and want to calculate how long it will take you to get there, take note (although I leave you more info in my article on how to get from Rome to Pompeii):

• By train: it will depend on whether you take a regular or high speed line. The fastest trains (they are also the most expensive) cover the journey in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Be careful because the "slow" trains can take several hours.
• By public bus: by intercity bus it will take you about three hours, depending on the stops along the way.
• By car: by car you could make the trip in two and a half hours.

• By train: for about 3 ¤ you can buy a ticket that will take you from Naples to the door of the archaeological site of Pompeii in 40 minutes.
• By bus: By bus it will also take you about 40 minutes from Naples to Pompeii.
• By car: It will take you just over half an hour to cover the route from Naples to Pompeii by road.