You’re planning your trip to Pompeii and the first question that pops into your mind is: how much time do I actually need? Well, the honest answer is that it depends on what you want to get out of the experience.
How long does it takes
Here’s what you need to know upfront: a standard visit takes around 3 to 4 hours if you want to see the main highlights without feeling like you’re in a race. This gives you enough time to walk through the Forum, explore some of the best-preserved houses, and catch your breath at a couple of the most fascinating spots.
If you just want the essentials, you can sprint through in 2 hours, but you will miss the famous Villa of the Mysteries. On the other hand, history buffs could easily spend a full day here. Keep in mind that if you book a guided tour, they typically guide you for about 2 hours inside the ruins before leaving you free to wander on your own.
Here is a quick breakdown to help you plan:
| Visit Type | Duration | What You'll Cover | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express Visit | 2 hours | Forum area, main temples, plaster casts | Cruise passengers or tight schedules |
| Standard Tour | 3-4 hours | Commercial districts, residential houses, amphitheater, main baths | Most visitors and families |
| In-Depth Exploration | 5-7 hours | Everything above plus Villa of the Mysteries, far corners, new excavations | History enthusiasts and photographers |
| Relaxed Two-Day Visit | 2 days (3-4 hours each) | Complete site at comfortable pace with time to absorb details | Those wanting the full experience without fatigue |
| Wheelchair-Accessible Route | 3-4 hours | 3.5 km accessible path covering key sites along Via dell'Abbondanza | Visitors with mobility needs |
You need to know that Pompeii is not a museum with smooth floors, instead, it is a disaster zone frozen in time. The streets are paved with original Roman basalt stones that are uneven, slippery, and have large gaps between them. Honestly, this is the main reason people get tired. If you wear flip-flops or ballet flats, you are practically asking for a sprained ankle. You should definitely wear sturdy sneakers with good support.
Regarding accessibility, the site can be tough. While there is a specific route called “Pompeii for All” that stretches 3.5 kilometers, it is not perfect. It uses ramps and flattened earth to help you navigate, but there are still slopes and bumpy transitions.
If you use a wheelchair, it is wheelchair friendly enough to see the main sights like the House of the Menander, but you must enter through Piazza Anfiteatro to avoid the steep hills at other gates. If you decide to take a tour, make sure they know about your mobility needs beforehand. The Porta Marina entrance involves steep inclines that are brutal for manual wheelchairs. Some ramps along the accessible route still have gradients exceeding 8%, so if you’re using a manual wheelchair, you might need assistance in spots. The surfaces vary too, and while they’ve smoothed transitions, you’ll still feel small bumps and vibrations where modern ramps meet ancient stones.
The site also offers additional inclusivity features like guides for visitors with intellectual disabilities and “Silent Visits” with Italian Sign Language interpreters. The Antiquarium museum near Piazza Esedra has an elevator, which makes accessing the artifact collection much easier.
And if you’re bringing luggage? Don’t. Bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm aren’t allowed inside to protect the frescoes in narrow corridors. There’s a cloakroom at the entrances, but it fills up fast. The more reliable option is the luggage storage at Pompei Scavi train station (about €8-€10), especially if you’re visiting between hotels.
To ensure your visit is memorable for the right reasons, you need to plan for the elements:
Pompeii is much more than just broken columns. You are going to walk into a living city where you can see fast-food joints (thermopolia), intricate mosaics, and even the plaster casts of the victims which are incredibly moving. It isn’t just a dry list of monuments, it is a peek into daily Roman life.
Here is a strategy for what you can cover based on your time:
| Duration | Best Route & Highlights |
|---|---|
| 2 Hours | The Essential Impact. Enter at Porta Marina. See the Forum, the Temple of Jupiter, the Forum Baths, and the Basilica. It is a "greatest hits" run. |
| 4 Hours | The Roman Life. Enter at Piazza Anfiteatro. See the Amphitheater, walk down Via dell’Abbondanza, visit the Lupanar (Brothel), and explore private homes like the House of the Menander. |
| 6 Hours | Complete Immersion. Do everything in the 4-hour route, plus head out to the necropolis and the stunning Villa of the Mysteries to see the best frescoes in the city. |
It is possible, but it is exhausting. Pompeii is the “macro” experience, huge and overwhelming, while Herculaneum is the “micro” experience, smaller but better preserved with wood and upper stories still intact.
If you are determined to do both, start early (around 08:30 AM). Visit Herculaneum first or last, but remember that the walk from the Herculaneum station is steep. For most people, doing one per day is much more enjoyable.
Navigating the ruins with small children requires strategy. The uneven stones make using a stroller a nightmare. Even though there is an accessible path, you will want to explore off-road, so a baby carrier is infinitely better than a stroller. There are “Baby Points” for changing diapers, which helps. To keep older kids engaged, turn the visit into a treasure hunt. Ask them to find the “Cave Canem” (Beware of the Dog) mosaic or the phallic symbols on the streets which were actually good luck charms.
You can, but with significant restrictions. Only dogs under 10 kg and 40 cm in height are permitted. They must be on a leash in the streets, which is fine, but here’s the catch: inside any building (houses, temples, baths, basically anything with walls), your dog must be carried in your arms. Not in a bag, in your arms.
After a couple hours of hauling even a small dog through buildings, your arms will be screaming. And the basalt stones heat up dramatically in summer, which can burn paw pads. If you’re bringing your dog, bring booties to protect their feet.
Many people combine the two, but there is a major trap you need to avoid. You cannot buy tickets at the summit. You must buy them online in advance. The problem is that there is zero cell signal at the top of the volcano. If you arrive without a downloaded ticket, you will be turned away. You can take the EAV bus from Pompeii to the volcano, but make sure you book your entry slot to match the bus schedule, leaving plenty of buffer time for delays.
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