5 tips for visiting Pompeii in one day
Raise your hand if you love ancient ruins. For all you archeology buffs out there, this one’s for you!
If you aren’t familiar with the story of Pompeii, Italy, already, here’s the scoop: It was destroyed by volcanic ash and pumice in AD 79, when the nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted, and everybody died because they breathed in volcanic ash.
It’s pretty gruesome! There are even plaster molds that were formed by the voids of ash that once held human bodies, exhibiting the excruciating pain of their last moments.
Even though the story of these unlucky inhabitants is very tragic and brings me a great deal of sadness, I suppose we are actually quite fortunate that the volcano erupted so many years ago.
Take one step inside the city and you will see how it has inspired hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to learn about an ancient way of life.
After a couple hours visiting, you’ll learn how people lived way back when and the amazing advances in technology that they contributed to society that still linger with us today.
If you want to get in touch with history, definitely be sure to stop in Pompeii. This city is so well-preserved that you can even see the “graffiti” printed on the walls, political propaganda, and the ruts in the street created by Roman chariots.
If you’re traveling with young children, Pompeii is an excellent place to spark curiosity and get kids excited about learning history.
My first visit to Pompeii was as a preteen, and it was an experience that was imprinted in my memory. I was so inspired that I felt compelled to go back a second time as a grown adult!
So without further ado, here’s my 5 tips for visiting Pompeii in one day:
1. You only need one day in Pompeii (or less) if you book a tour
Yes, if you’re questioning whether to book a tour or not: Definitely book the tour. I seriously can’t imagine doing Pompeii any other way.
There is so much information that would be missed without having a trained, educated expert with you who can point out what these circles mean, why there is a penis on the pavement, the story the frescos are depicting, show you where the brothel is, tell you why poor people lived in the upper penthouse level, etc.
We booked the Skip-the-line Small-Group Pompeii Tour with Local Guide on TripAdvisor, and our guide, Rosanna, was so incredible. She really brought Pompeii to life, pun intended.
With her calling all of us on the tour “ragazzi”, an affectionate Italian term for children or a group, we felt so enchanted by the stories she told.
Not seeing the time and date available for the tour you want on TripAdvisor? I also recommend checking GetYourGuide. I recently started taking more tours through GetYourGuide, and I’ve become a big fan. Take a look at a three excellent tour options, below:
Trying to go experience Pompeii without a guide would have been so confusing and much less impactful. By booking a tour, you will get a whole morning or afternoon filled with juicy nuggets of insider information!
I recommend small group tours for a more personalized experience (so you don’t feel like just another sheep herded along the tour).
2. Take the train to Pompeii (unless you’re driving)
Okay, so, we took the train from Rome at 9:20am, which was scheduled to arrive in Naples at 10:32am. Then, we hopped on the Circumvesuviana train, which is a local commuter train, to get to Pompeii by the time our tour started at 12pm.
Now, this would have gone perfectly if our first train hadn’t been late leaving Rome. But of course, our train was the only one in the station that morning that left 30 minutes late!
So, my tip for you: If you’re taking the train to get to Pompeii, give yourself plenty of buffer time. Don’t expect the train to be on time.
It will probably be late. And then, the Circumvesuviana train was painfully slow and stopped for minutes on end, and mind you, it doesn’t have air conditioning.
Personally, I think we were just randomly unlucky that day, so I’d still recommend taking the train over any other mode of transportation.
We ended up getting to Pompeii at 12:30pm and miraculously were able to connect with our tour group after speaking with some locals at the entrance.
I also want to note: It took me a lot of time to research and find out how to take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii, so I’m hoping these tips below will be useful for you:
- You can buy your ticket when you get to the station, no need to reserve in advance
- Trains run about every 25-30 minutes
- Take the train headed to Sorrento
- Get off at the Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri stop (not the other Pompeii stop)
- The train will be packed, watch out for pickpocketers; don’t leave your wallet or phone in an open pocket
- More resources: The Rome Toolkit
3. It’s okay to visit Pompeii while in transit because there’s storage lockers for suitcases
We almost didn’t go to Pompeii. We stayed one night in Rome, and then the next night in Naples. How would we visit Pompeii with no place to store our luggage? It was quite a predicament!
When you’re cut for time and traveling between cities, this is an important thing to know.
Geographically, Pompeii is surrounded by Naples and Rome to the north and the Amalfi Coast to the south. Both are tourist hotspots, but you might not want to go out of your way to reach Pompeii.
I suggest you do take the time to visit Pompeii, and the way to do this is by storing your luggage at the Pompeii Scavi train station.
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Follow the signs down the stairs to the restroom, and you’ll find the luggage storage attendants there waiting to take your bags. It costs 4 euro per bag.
Of course, I was worried about the safety of our bags while we were gone, but they were perfectly fine.
You aren’t allowed to bring large bags or suitcases into Pompeii, so the only way to do this is to use the luggage storage. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of it, but just follow the stairs down and you should spot it.
If you are storing something really valuable in your luggage, like a computer, jewelry or camera, I’d recommend skipping the train storage downstairs and heading upstairs to Bounce, where you can safely store your bags. It’s located right behind the train station and up a flight of stairs.
What I like the most about it? You get $10,000 in BounceShield Protection. That means your booking is protected, so you can have peace of mind while you’re exploring Pompeii.
Also, if anything were to happen or if you have any trouble finding the location, you can contact their customer support team anytime, 24/7. Prices for Bounce start at just €5/day, a little bit higher than the other storage option, but I’d say, go with Bounce for an extra layer of security.
Also, don’t forget to book your tour of Pompeii, ASAP! Pompeii is a tremendously popular activity in Italy and many tours book up fast. You MUST book far ahead in advance to secure your spot.
Many tours get sold out! Check out these small-group tours by GetYourGuide and book your tour today:
4. Don’t eat at the cafeteria
Seriously, just don’t do it. Imagine your first day or two in Italy (did you know it’s literally the LAND of abundantly good food?) and winding up with a disappointing meal. There’s really nothing that could be worse.
Save the space in your stomach for a really good meal back in Naples at Gino Sorbillo, or wherever you’re going next.
I had the tuna salad, which was actually not too bad, but Jule had a slice of pizza, which was terribly underwhelming.
If anything, just get a gelato or have a snack to hold you over until dinnertime. Case closed.
5. Wear appropriate footwear in Pompeii
High heels? Don’t think so. Even more practical, comfortable wedge heels are also a definite no-go.
Be sure to go with flats, sandals or sneakers. Just be comfortable.
You will be doing a lot of walking, and all the streets are literally made of rounded stones. I have never seen more stoney streets than these, even after walking through Jerusalem in Israel.
I wore a black pair of Toms shoes and still felt my feet slip around the stones at times. Be careful. Don’t twist an ankle.
Or if you do wind up twisting an ankle, make sure you have already purchased travel insurance before leaving for your trip. More on that below.
Also, in the summer it is painfully hot, so wear a hat, something breathable, sunscreen (my fav is the Unseen Sunscreen by Supergoop), and bring water.
There you go, 5 tips for visiting Pompeii in one day!
Questions? Comments? Please reach out by leaving a comment, or emailing me at jen@jenontherun.com if you have more questions about visiting Pompeii. I’d love to help!
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Oh yeah! Before you go: Don’t forget to get your travel insurance.
The reality is that anything can happen on the road, just like anything can happen at home. But do you know that many health insurance companies that cover you at home won’t always cover you while you’re abroad?
Yeah, it’s really not cool. That’s why it’s super, super important to purchase a separate, travel-specific policy to make sure you’re covered if (and possibly, when) things go wrong.
My favorite travel insurance company is World Nomads. My friend’s iPhone got stolen once and they reimbursed her enough to purchase a new phone. Pretty great company with awesome customer support.
Get a quote for your trip:
Related posts you might like:
How to get to the Amalfi Coast, Italy
What to wear backpacking in Italy
Discovering my Italian genealogy in Sicily
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