Travel bucket list idea:

Pompeii

Naples, Campania, Italy

Bucket List Experience

Last updated: 24 June, 2023

Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 famously smothered the thriving Roman town of Pompeii with molten lava and choking volcanic ash.

Today, you can stroll along Pompeii’s streets and see the town as it was that day in extraordinarily vivid detail – right down to ruts in the roads caused by chariot wheels. Peer into perfectly preserved homes and shops, and wander round the Forum and Roman Baths.

Before you go

Read Pliny the Younger’s account of the eruption to experience the horror of the disaster. Or try Mary Beard’s Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town or Robert Harris’s Pompeii.

While you're there

Nearby Herculaneum (easy to reach on the Circumvesuviana railway) was also destroyed by the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Only partially excavated (a large part of the ancient town still lies under modern Ercolano) it is much smaller but better preserved than Pompeii so in many ways more vivid.

Get the complete picture

Afterwards, be sure to visit Naples’ National Archaeological Museum to see all the artifacts gathered from Pompeii, Herculaneum and Villa Oplontis – including mosaic floors, statuary, cooking utensils and jewellery.

Logistics

Price from: £13

Minimum age: Any

Age suitable: 13+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Google Maps and Street View cover Pompeii’s ruins just as they do any other city, so you can understand the layout before you go.

It’s possible to hire a guide but you should book one before you arrive, rather than trying to hire one at the site. There are excellent audio tours available from the ticket office, allowing you to wander the site at will – it’s worth working out what you want to see before you arrive.

You won’t need a taxi; regular Circumvesuviana trains run to Pompeii from Naples’ central station.

There are food stalls at the site, but they’re expensive and quality is poor – use in emergencies only. Eat in Naples before or after your visit.

When to do it

Arrive early before the crowds and take yourself to the furthest point you’d like to explore. Work backwards from there, thus avoiding bottlenecks at the earlier sites.

The site is exposed to the elements and there’s no shelter. Take the usual precautions if visiting on a hot or wet day.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Round-Trip Shuttle Transfer from Naples to Pompeii

Naples

This round-trip shared shuttle service between Naples and Pompeii gets you between these two popular destinations without the stress of driving and finding directions. Choose from three departure times for pickup at your hotel in central Naples for a coach ride to Pompeii, roughly 40 minutes away (depending on traffic). If you want to explore Pompeii independently, this affordable shuttle service offers comfortable transport without the guided portion, leaving you to soak up the UNESCO World Heritage city’s archaeological treasures at your own pace.

Price: €25

Min age: 0

Rating 4.22 / 5 [18 ratings]

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