How to Visit Pompeii on Your Own
If you're looking forward to visiting Pompeii but time or budget don't suit you with an organised tour, you can always get there and enjoy the city on your own. I'll give you the keys to get organised.
Visiting Pompeii | Carlos Fuentes
How much does an entrance ticket to Pompeii cost, will I be able to visit Pompeii on my own, and if I want to eat there, which are the best restaurants?
If organised tours are not your thing, Pompeii is accessible to visitors travelling on their own. Just follow these tips so that your visit goes smoothly and you don't have to leave too many things to improvisation.
Pompeii Tickets
Secure access to one of the most visited cultural heritages in the world.
Explore Pompeii and Ancient Rome at your own pace, but with guaranteed entry. Stroll through its streets, visit its temples and buildings and live an experience that will take you back in time.
With this ticket you can visit the legendary city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79. Its ruins are today one of the most important cultural, historical and archaeological attractions in Italy.
Visiting Pompeii is to get a first-hand experience of life in Ancient Rome, which is still in excellent condition, thanks to the ashes of the volcano that allowed it to be preserved over time. You will see houses, shops and public buildings and you will get an idea of what life was like under the Roman Empire.
Recommended if... you like to go sightseeing on your own, without set times and stops, but you want to make sure you get your ticket so you don't get any surprises or miss out on a visit to this wonder of humanity.
Buy your tickets online and in advance
This is the first thing you should do: check the availability and price of tickets to Pompeii for the dates you plan to travel.
Especially in high season (summer and holidays such as Easter) tickets are in high demand and you may run out of them.
Regarding the price: if you book through Hellotickets the entrance ticket is around 23 € if you get there in the morning.
You could buy them at the ticket office, but I do not recommend it, as you will have to wait in long queues and you run the risk of going in already tired to visit the archaeological remains of Pompeii.
Also remember that if you are travelling with children, aged 17 and under, they pay a fee of approximately €3.
Decide how you are going to get there and if you need to, book your ticket
If you are travelling on your own, my advice is to organise the method of transport you will use to get there. Once you've ruled out organised excursions, if you're travelling on your own, you can choose to go by train, bus or car.
If you are travelling from Naples, the journey is short: in about 40 minutes you will be at the gateway to the ruins of Pompeii and transport, whether by bus or train, should not cost you more than €5 each way.
If you are travelling from Rome, where the distance is somewhat longer (more than 200 kilometres), it is best to organise it with more time: there are several types of trains - prices vary depending on whether you take a regional or fast train - that can take you to Pompeii in just over an hour.
By bus, on the other hand, the journey is longer and can take up to 3 hours. You can check timetables, prices and availability here to find out how to get to Pompeii from Rome.
Why you should not rule out a guided visit
Whether you have time to spare or you're on a tight schedule, a guided tour will always help you put everything you see into context: understanding the history, what each building was like before it was petrified under lava, what life was like in Pompeii almost 2000 years ago...
Even if you have initially ruled out joining an excursion to Pompeii, a guided tour will complete your vision of the city by delving into its history and customs, something that is quite difficult to achieve if you are walking around aimlessly on your own.
If you plan to spend a whole day there, consider taking a guided tour first thing in the morning to get your bearings and learn the most important details, and spend the rest of your time walking around and delving into what you liked the most.
Don't fall into tourist traps: choose where to eat wisely
Like any tourist attraction, Pompeii has plenty of food services near the ruins but also in the more modern part of town.
If you're staying near the archaeological site, be wary of the menus on offer and their prices as you may be in for a nasty surprise.
If you want to organise your time and make sure you enjoy your meal, I've written an article compiling the best places to eat in Pompeii. Whether you're looking for pasta, pizza, mixed dishes, good coffees or even delicious ice cream, you're in luck.
Organise a tour of what you want to see in Pompeii in advance
To avoid ending up wandering around the streets of Pompeii aimlessly or without understanding too well what you are seeing, my advice is to organise your route a little before you go.
In this article I tell you what is essential to see and do in Pompeii and that will help you to have an initial planning of your visit.
Another highly recommended option is to read something (or document yourself with a video) about the history of the city and the eruption of Vesuvius. I recommend this video documentary and this report by National Geographic.
If you have time to climb Vesuvius, don't hesitate!
If you have time to spare, the first thing you should consider is the option of climbing Vesuvius to see its crater and take in the spectacular panoramic view of Pompeii and the surrounding area.
In just over half an hour by bus you will reach 1000 metres up the volcano and you can walk up to the crater (be aware that the climb is quite steep, so you will need to be in very good physical shape).
And what can you do around Pompeii when the visit is over?
As a first option, what I recommend the most is to climb Vesuvius without any doubt. Once you've made it this far, take the opportunity to see this spectacle of nature up close.
If you want to continue exploring the history of the eruption of Vesuvius, Herculaneum is also quite close and with its spectacularly well-preserved ruins, it will allow you to complete your visit to the area.
Note also that the proximity to Naples makes the city a great choice for a stroll after exploring Pompeii. The island of Capri and the Amalfi Coast are also idyllic destinations just a stone's throw from Pompeii. For more details, see my article on what to see and do near Pompeii.