POMPEII RUINS: AMAZING THINGS TO DO AND SEE

Are Pompeii ruins on your bucket list? If you are wondering how to get Pompeii tickets and experience the incredible history and architecture of Pompeii, you’re in the right place!

Pompeii was one of my favorite day trips I’ve taken in Italy. It was a dream of mine to visit the city at some point in my life, and I was truly in awe of everything they’ve preserved there.

Keep reading to find out how to make Pompeii your favorite trip too!

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HOW WAS POMPEII CREATED?

Pompeii was a typical Roman city until AD 79. As the city is located close to Mount Vesuvius, once the volcano erupted, the population of Pompeii was completely buried under tons of volcanic ash.

Their lives stopped right then and there, and that’s exactly what you will see once you’re in the city. The city is just one big museum showcasing the way the Romans lived back in the day.

The ruins show in detail how they lived, where they ate and spent their free time, as well as many other interesting facts. The findings will surely impress you.

WHERE IS POMPEII?

Pompeii was a city in Southern Italy, near the city of Naples.  It was situated at the south-eastern base of Mount Vesuvius, which later destroyed it.

Now the ruins are in the same spot where the city once stood. Not all the ruins are accessible to tourists, but you have most of the city in the palm of your hand to explore.

HOW TO GET TO POMPEII?

The closest airport to the city of Pompeii is The Naples International Airport. Assuming you aren’t coming to Italy just for exploring Pompeii, you will probably either fly into Rome or Naples.

COMING FROM ROME

If you’re coming from Rome, it will take you 2.5 hours of driving to get to Pompeii, or you can get there by train for the same amount of time. The train, which is from 20 to 50 Euros, will take you to Naples where you’ll transfer to another train to Pompeii.

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COMING FROM NAPLES

If you are going from Naples, it’s only a 25-minute drive, or again you can take the train which is around 40 minutes and only 3 Euros one way.

COMING FROM POSITANO

You can also come to Pompeii from your Positano trip. Go by car, which is an hour long drive, or by the combination of bus + train that’s going to take at least an hour and a half.  If you do not have a car, rent a Vespa or a taxi for the easy access to the ruins.

Read more >>> THE BIGGEST TRUTHS & LIES ABOUT POSITANO

WHERE TO BUY TICKETS FOR POMPEII?

The working hours of the site are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, but keep in mind that the last possible entrance is at 3:30 pm.

There are several online places where you can buy tickets for Pompeii, but you can also buy them on site. On their website, they claim that EU citizens between the ages of 18 and under 25 can get an additional €2.00 off their ticket, so keep that in mind if you’re a “youth”.

Here are the top places to buy tickets for Pompeii online:

• Ticketone.it
• tiqets.com
• Pompeii-tickets.com

We got our tickets from Get Your Guide, which is our favourite site for any kind of admission tickets. If you want to get them on GYG, just click on the preferred activity below.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN POMPEII?

The city of Pompeii is HUGE. Before researching, I thought it was going to be an hour or two of light walking, but you can actually spend well over 6 hours in there. It really is a WHOLE city to walk through, and when you come there you will want to explore every single street and path, I promise.

I’m leaving you with my top 5 locations in Pompeii you MUST see.

1. THE AMPHITHEATER

In Pompeii, you can find one of the oldest Roman amphitheaters, which is still very well preserved. Nearly 2000 years ago, it could hold around 20 000 people.

It was a place that attracted not only people from Pompeii but also from other towns around Pompeii. You can enter the amphitheater through a corridor that leads you straight in the middle of it.

2. LARGE PALAESTRA

The Palaestra shows you what life might have been like at that time. It’s a HUGE open-air square with walls on all sides enclosing it. The walls consist of multiple Roman pillars which always add on additional charm.

The Palaestra is home to the permanent exhibition of the grand frescoes and artifacts found in the Complex of the Moregine Triclinia. It’s incredible what you can find in the exhibition – they had same-looking dice as ours, and their tweezers looked identical to ours now!

3. VILLA OF THE MYSTERIES

The reason you must visit Villa of the Mysteries is the incredible art that can be found there. The people of Pompeii lived quite luxuriously, therefore the houses they owned were full of valuable art.

An incredible fresco covers three walls of the Villa and it’s one of the most preserved ancient paintings in the world. It’s totally worth seeing and the quality of the fresco made nearly 2000 years ago will shock you!

4. THE FORUM

The Forum, excavated in 1813, was the main source of socialization in Pompeii, like all other Roman Forums. The Forum ruins are breathtaking and it gives you insight into their way of life 2000 years ago.

On the north side of the Forum, you can find the Temple of Jupiter with Mount Vesuvius behind it, while on the western side Sanctuary of Apollo can be found. Close to the forum, you can also see the remains of the people caught in the eruption – their poses showcasing exactly how they died.

5. THE BASILICA

Basilica, only a couple of steps away from the Forum, was the main building for most legal functions of the city. The building was, in its time, the biggest and most beautiful building in the city.

It’s never been a church, (Christians often call their churches a “basilica”) but the magnitude of the building kind of leaves you with the same feeling.

EXTRA TIPS!

• If you’re going during summer, don’t forget to bring water and a hat, heat can be unbearable and there is no shade.
• You must have a good pair of shoes, as the ruins are worn out so it’s not easy to walk there in inappropriate footwear.
• Buy tickets online because the queues at ticket desks on site are ALWAYS long.

I hope you enjoyed these tips for your visit of Pompeii. It’s is for sure going to be an amazing experience for you, and I would definitely recommend visiting it.