Best Time to Visit Pompeii

We’ll break down the best months, days, and even times of day to experience Pompeii without the overwhelming crowds and scorching heat.

Best time to visit

Map of Pompeii

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Opening hours

Time/Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Morning (9 AM - 12 PM)	❌ Not Recommended	⚠️ Acceptable	⚠️ Acceptable	⚠️ Acceptable	❌ Not Recommended	❌ Avoid	❌ Avoid
Midday (12 PM - 2 PM)	❌ Not Recommended	⚠️ Acceptable	⚠️ Acceptable	⚠️ Acceptable	❌ Not Recommended	❌ Avoid	❌ Avoid
Afternoon (2 PM - Close)	✅ Good	✅ Best	✅ Best	✅ Good	✅ Good	⚠️ Acceptable	⚠️ Acceptable

Best day of the week to visit Pompeii

Here’s the thing about weekends at Pompeii. They’re packed. Fridays and Saturdays draw the heaviest tourist traffic, and while that might not surprise you, what might catch you off guard is that Mondays can be just as crowded. Why? The Naples Archaeological Museum and several other major regional sites close on Mondays, making Pompeii the default destination for everyone in the area.

Your best bet for a relatively peaceful experience is Tuesday or Wednesday.

Naples is a major port, and when three or four massive ships dock simultaneously, thousands of shore excursion tourists descend on Pompeii in coordinated waves. These groups almost always arrive mid-morning, typically between 9:30 AM and 11 AM. If you check the Naples cruise port schedule for your travel dates and see multiple ships in port, throw the day-of-week advice out the window and visit in the afternoon instead (more on this crucial strategy below).

One day you absolutely must avoid, regardless of the week: the first Sunday of every month. Pompeii offers free admission on these days, which sounds great until you realize it creates genuinely unmanageable crowd conditions. The site can hit 15,000 visitors by noon, ticket offices may temporarily close, and you can’t even book skip-the-line tickets.

Best month of year to visit

The conventional wisdom about visiting Pompeii goes something like this: come in spring or fall, avoid summer and winter. But that’s painting with too broad a brush. Each season offers distinct trade-offs between weather, crowds, and the overall experience of walking through Pompeii.

May and September (and why everyone keeps mentioning them)

If you’re looking for the Goldilocks months, not too hot, not too cold, not too crowded, May and September hit that sweet spot where most factors align in your favor. These shoulder season months offer comfortable temperatures that hover around 24-29°C (75-84°F), warm enough for short sleeves but not so intense that you’ll be desperately seeking shade (which barely exists at Pompeii, but we’ll get to that).

September edges ahead slightly because the summer crowds begin their gradual retreat while the weather remains reliably pleasant. You’ll still encounter tour groups and fellow travelers, but the density drops noticeably compared to the peak summer months.

May brings its own charm with wildflowers blooming across the site, adding unexpected splashes of color against the ancient stone. The temperatures climb steadily from spring into early summer, making it physically easier to tackle the full site.

Spring at Pompeii (April Through June)

Spring unfolds at Pompeii with a photographer’s dream palette. April transforms the archaeological park, with temperatures ranging from 13-22°C (55-72°F) and soft, diffused light that makes the ancient frescoes inside homes like the Lupanar (the famous brothel) appear almost luminous. You can comfortably spend 5-7 hours exploring without the physical drain that summer heat imposes.

The trade-off? Easter can completely upend the tranquil spring experience. When the holiday lands in April, which happens most years, that particular week transforms from pleasant to overwhelming.

By June, you’re transitioning into summer proper. Temperatures push toward 28°C (82°F), and the crowds swell as schools let out across Europe. The advantage June holds over July and August is simple: you get the longest daylight hours of the year.

October or the early fall magic

October deserves special recognition as the optimal month for most travelers. Picture this: temperatures settling into a comfortable 17-24°C (63-75°F) range, the oppressive summer heat finally broken, and tourist numbers declining steadily as families return home and schools resume. The light takes on that rich, golden quality that photographers obsess over, casting long shadows across the Via dell’Abbondanza as afternoon fades toward evening.

July and August

Summer at Pompeii ranges from challenging to genuinely miserable, depending on your heat tolerance and timing.

July temperatures regularly hit 32°C (90°F), and August cranks it up another notch with peaks reaching 35°C (95°F) or higher. But here’s what the weather apps don’t tell you: the ancient stone streets and walls absorb and radiate heat, making the feels-like temperature significantly higher than the actual reading.

August specifically deserves its own warning. Mid-August brings Ferragosto, the Italian holiday when the entire country essentially shuts down and heads to tourist destinations. If you thought regular August crowds were intense, Ferragosto-week crowds are exponentially worse.

If you’re locked into summer dates, here’s your survival strategy: visit after 3 PM when the tour buses have departed, bring at least 2 liters of water per person, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and accept that you’ll need to keep your visit to the essential highlights rather than attempting a comprehensive exploration.

Winter's quiet side

Winter Pompeii is for the purists, the archaeology enthusiasts who prioritize solitude and contemplation over comfort. February holds a particular reputation as the “secret month”, when you might have entire sections of the ancient city nearly to yourself. The crowds drop to their absolute lowest levels, hotels and tours slash prices by 30% or more, and you can finally stand in the middle of the Forum without navigating around dozens of tour groups.

But winter extracts its price. November brings the heaviest rainfall of the year, with up to 188mm of precipitation spread across approximately 5 rainy days.

The bigger challenge is daylight, or the lack of it. Winter days are significantly shorter, and the park closes at 5 PM with last entry at 3:30 PM. More critically, the low afternoon sun after 3 PM makes it difficult to see details inside the ancient houses. The interiors, already dim from partially collapsed roofs and 2,000 years of aging, become nearly impossible to appreciate properly without strong natural light.

Temperatures hover around 8-14°C (46-57°F), requiring layers and rain gear.

Weather and climate throughout the Year

Month	Avg Temp (Max/Min °C)	Rain Days	Precipitation (mm)	Daylight Hours	Crowd Level	Key Considerations
January	13° / 8°	10-15	~150	9.6	Very Low	Coldest month. For dedicated archaeology enthusiasts only.
February	14° / 8°	10-14	120-130	10.7	Very Low	The "secret month" – minimal crowds, improving weather.
March	16° / 11°	10-14	100-110	12.0	Low	Spring arrives but can still be wet.
April	19° / 13°	9-13	80-100	13.3	Moderate (High during Easter)	Photographer's paradise. Avoid Easter week.
May	24° / 17°	7-9	50-60	14.5	High	Perfect weather before summer heat and crowds hit.
June	28° / 20°	5-6	30-40	15.1	Very High	Longest days of the year. Hot and crowded.
July	32° / 23°	~4	18-24	14.8	Extreme	Driest month. Intense heat and peak crowds.
August	32° / 24°	4-5	30-40	13.8	Extreme	Worst month – hottest temperatures and maximum crowds.
September	29° / 21°	7-9	80-90	12.5	High	Heat subsides but still very busy early in the month.
October	24° / 17°	10-12	130-140	11.1	Moderate	Optimal month – ideal balance of weather and crowds.
November	18° / 12°	~15	188	9.9	Low	Wettest month. Light crowds compensate.
December	14° / 9°	11-14	150-160	9.3	Very Low	Cold, wet, short days. Closed December 25.

More information about Pompeii

POMPEII TICKETS