Pompeii Archaeological Park

Visit the Pompeii Archaeological Park to discover the ruins of an ancient Roman city, including homes, temples, and public spaces, all preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Planning your visit

Vesuvius buried Pompeii under several metres of ash and pumice in 79 AD, and the town beneath was preserved with a completeness no other Roman site matches — streets with wheel ruts, shops with counters, election graffiti on walls, frescoes, mosaics, a brothel with its price list, and the plaster casts made by pouring into the voids left by decayed bodies.

The scale is the practical problem. This is a full town of some 66 hectares, and visitors routinely underestimate it — three hours is a minimum, a full day is better, and the ground is uneven ancient paving throughout.

Shade is scarce and the summer heat is severe. Water fountains exist but early or late visits are strongly preferable.

Much of the movable material, including the best frescoes and bronzes, is in the Naples archaeological museum, which is why the two belong together.

Bookable options include multi-day passes covering Pompeii and the Naples museum. Current availability is shown below.