Seeing Pompeii From the Forum to the Villas
Sightseeing at Pompeii covers a lot of ground, and the park is easier to enjoy with a plan. This page picks out the sights worth your limited time, with prices in euros and the rules that affect them.
Where to begin
Three entrances serve the ancient city: Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra beside it, and Piazza Anfiteatro on the eastern, town side. The Porta Ercolano and Via dei Sepolcri entrance starts the suburban villas route. Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, on the Circumvesuviana Sorrento line, stops by Porta Marina.
The public heart of the city
The Forum is the best place to get your bearings. The Temple of Jupiter closes one end, and Vesuvius rises behind it. Look for the Basilica and the Macellum, the market building, close by. The Roman amphitheatre is the oldest surviving stone amphitheatre. Estimates of how many people it seated vary.
Houses worth seeking out
The Casa dei Vettii reopened to visitors in January 2023, and the Lupanar is among the best-known stops. The park lets visitors into five more buildings, namely Menander, Octavius Quartio, the Tragic Poet, Pansa and the Fullonica of Stephanus, from 15 August 2026, between 09:15 and 18:20. The Ceii, Lararium of Achilles, Silver Wedding and Praedia of Julia Felix are shut. Access to houses changes, so treat each one as a bonus.
The Garden of the Fugitives
In Regio I, insula 21, the garden shows casts of 13 people who died in AD 79. Stand quietly and give other visitors space. The Palestra Grande exhibition, open from 12 March 2026, shows 22 casts, and the park describes the display as a memorial with the aim of giving the victims dignity.
Outside the walls
Walk Via dei Sepolcri to reach the Villa dei Misteri, known for its fresco frieze. Pompeii+ at EUR 25 covers this route. Pompeii Express at EUR 20 does not, though you can pay EUR 8 extra by card at the Porta Ercolano entrance.
Neighbouring sites
Herculaneum charges EUR 16, and the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano Scavi takes about 20 minutes. Oplontis charges EUR 8 for Villa Poppea, and Thursday mornings between 10:30 and 12:00 bring a short viewing of the excavation, in Italian. Browse GetYourGuide if you want to pair them on a guided day.
Entry rules and hours
Tickets carry a name, and the park caps visitors at 20,000 a day. Use Vivaticket for the official sale, or the ticket offices. Summer hours (16 March to 14 October) are 09:00 to 19:00, last entrance 17:30. Winter hours are 09:00 to 17:00, last entrance 15:30. The park timetable page has the details. Remember not to sit on ancient walls or touch frescoes.
Read more: day trips from Pompei describes the surrounding sites in detail.