Anyone been to Pompeii?

And if so, did you book a guide/tickets in advance? Any recommendations would be appreciated, thanks!

Not answering the question as per the STW way…

But dint forget Herculaneum as an option too, it often gets overlooked and might be easier to visit etc.

Both are great in different ways. Pompeii for the scale, Herculaneum for the preservation.

They used to do free entry days once a month for Herculaneum. We turned up to find massive queues, so quickly booked a trip to Vesuvius – a mad minibus trip and then an hour or so to climb up and wander around. That was good, then when we got back to Herc about 90 mins before closing there were no queues and free entry.

I was there in 2022 and it is bloody good. It was 38 degrees and there is zero shade. It’s bearable if you take a lot of water.

We use a guide – there’s no need. The guide they provide will tell you most of what you need to know and you’d struggle to cover more in more detail in one dat. We arrived a short while after it opened and there were no queues but we had bought tickets online and just strolled straight in.

Herculaneum is worth a visit too – it’s just about as good. It’s smaller but much more intact and more moving in its own way as you get a better sense of being there at the time as the buildings are nearly complete.

Neither felt overwhelmingly busy or crowded, even in early July. In Pompeii there’s just so much space and in Herculaneum there’s far fewer folk.

We went, didn’t book anything. Took the local train rather than pay to go on the hotel tour. Holiday rep said the train was dangerous etc, but just kept hands and eyes on pockets and valuables to make sure we weren’t pick pocketed.

We just walked around and looked at stuff. I’m not one for being herded around being told some mundane facts etc, prefer to just look with my eyes. It was very hot and there were some shops or stalls outside selling frozen bottles of water so that they stayed cold whilst you were walking around. It is very open with little shade so bare that in mind.

We went maybe 6 years ago in May, guess it might be a lot busier in the school holidays so pre-booking tickets might make sense, just check they are not inflated prices depending on where you bit them from maybe.

We went 10 years ago.  We didn’t have a guide for Pompeii and relied on a guide book.  We probably booked in advance but I can’t recall.  Herculaneum we just went and got a ticket.  Both great.  As is Vesuvius.

We didn’t book ahead or get a guide and it was no problem. It’s a huge site, much bigger than we expected so takes a good time to get around it all

booked a trip to Vesuvius – a mad minibus trip

Ha, yeah, nice reminder as we’ve done the Vesuvius public bus…its a mad experience although the madder one was the bus back from Positano to Sorrento; dark by the time we set off, overcrowded and hot as we were thrown around the twisty roads for what seemed like hours, one lady collapsed as she got off at Sorrento.

On that note, we had been doing the Path of the Gods (Boomerano to Positano) which is well with doing if you haven’t done it

It was 38 degrees and there is zero shade. It’s bearable if you take a lot of water.

Yup same,it was blinkin hot,go prepared

Oh,and go early..

Did not book a tour,just wandered around with a map and started at the furthest away from the gate area ,then worked  our way back

Fascinating place.

Took the local train rather than pay to go on the hotel tour. Holiday rep said the train was dangerous etc, but just kept hands and eyes on pockets and valuables to make sure we weren’t pick pocketed.

Aye,second that,they try to scare you into a ‘safe’ tour.

Locals trains = Graffiti Central ,which can make it feel a bit ‘gang zone’ but they were fine .

Went about ten years ago, end of may early June I think. Got train from Sorrento. No problems, trains fine, didn’t book, wasn’t busy, no guide just wandered about. Did herculaneum by train as well, it is a bit odd as you get off and wander through a suburb that’s all built up then all of a sudden there’s this ancient historical site between the shops. It might feel a bit rough, but then so do the mean streets of Blackpool!

We were there a fair while ago, I worked often in Naples so my OH came over for the weekend.

Hired a car as wanted a coastal tour too.

Didn’t book but when we got there there were a number of freelance guides touting, we went with a well-dressed older chap (overcoat on his shoulders type) who spoke perfect English – turned out he was a History Professor from Milan who did a few weeks for ‘cash’.

He was brilliant, really worth the ten Euro’s which he asked for to be paid at the end – only if we were happy.

It rained, not only is there no shelter from the sun, there’s none from the rain either.

We went with a pre booked tour from our hotel, in a two for one Pompeii & Mt vesuvius tour. We regretted it a little. Ended up following a man with an umbrella around Pompeii in a whistle stop fashion, felt like only a few minutes at each of the main sites to see and him shouting out info on each area which was easily available to everyone else anyway. He was very knowledgeable and answered any questions etc though. But we both felt a little rushed and didn’t get to spend enough time at the bits we were interested in. My advice is to just buy entry tickets and an English guide book or leaflet.

Avoid mt vesuvius – it’s just a big hole and a very hot climb. If do go and have a look either bring walking poles/sticks or rent from the stalls at the carpark. (And take lots of water).

About six years ago. Apparently the local trains have had an upgrade since then. Went with mates, one is a Rome expert (has written several books, reenactment stuff etc) so didn’t use a local guide. Amazing place, as is Herculaneum and the Naples museums too. If staying around Sorrento, look out for day trips southward to Paestum too for a Greek city with superb temples.

Is there an official portal for pre-booking tickets?

As all of ^ them said – BASTARD hot at this time of year, esp pompei where there’s almost zero shade.  Get as early a start as you can

Both pompei and herculaneum are great though (I’d say herculaneum shades it unless scale is what you’re after (and I guess the newly excavated stuff at pompei might be fantastic).

There’s a nice walk/hike in the hills above the amalfi coast too – walk of the gods, maybe.  Again, hot, hot, hot

I went 2 weeks ago. Download the app and click on the map for audio descriptions of the various bits. Is an amazing place.  You may need to have bought a ticket to activate the audio.

I see this as a half way between getting a guide and just strolling around (you’ll certainly miss some insight by just walking around)

Edit: Oh and my buddy from Sicily said they had loads of investment quite recently, so folk that didn’t go for 3+ years might have had a different infrastructure etc

I have visited Pompeii several times and Herculaneum once, both are wonderful. A good guide makes the experience  more complete with additional info, sometimes there is new stuff found so recently that it is not yet in guidebooks. And a bad guide can almost ruin the experience – in my experience you can’t tell good one from bad until the tour has properly started.

Tickets in advance during the high season.

Ha, yeah, nice reminder as we’ve done the Vesuvius public bus…its a mad experience although the madder one was the bus back from Positano to Sorrento; dark by the time we set off, overcrowded and hot as we were thrown around the twisty roads for what seemed like hours, one lady collapsed as she got off at Sorrento

Oh, done that one too. Best bit was where there was road works closing one lane and temp traffic lights. We came up to a queue of three cars waiting at a red light. Bus driver just ignored the queue and red light and carried on going. On the way back he pretty much ran a couple of cars off the road that weren’t going fast enough for him.

Local trains are fine too. Public transport in Italy is part of the experience.

My recommendation is go to the museum in Naples to see the murals and artefacts. Pompeii gave a sense of scale, but Herculaneum is better preserved. We didn’t have a guide to the former, but did the latter.

IIRC, that train line is the only private train system in Italy. Didn’t feel remotely dangerous to me. Our experience was much the same as above, no guide.

Did anyone else get to ride the 6×6 Unimogs up Vesuvius? Somewhat unnecessary,  a Transit minibus would have got up the road easy, but awesome vehicles anyway!

Yep – rode up Vesuvius in the Unimog. It was great fun :o)

Also visited Pompei and Herculaneum. We travelled into Naples to visit the museum and then took the local trains to Pompei and Herculaneum.

Buskers on the train made me smile. There were four guys playing Brass/Woodwind instruments. The ONLY tune they played on the whole journey was the theme tune from “The Godfather” :o)

Did Pompeii and Herculaneum on the train from Sorrento a couple of years ago (different days). Don’t think we booked in advance.Train was less intimidating than the London Underground.

Both fantastic experiences, but different. We had a written guidebook for Pompeii that was useful (and ear-wigged on a few guided parties at different places). Would not have liked to be part of one of the large guided groups, but IIRC you can book a private guide at the entrance that may be worth it.

For me, a large part of the experience was just being free to wander down ~2000 year old streets and pavements.

When we went to Hurculaneum, we arrived early, booked the first bus ride to Versuvius and walked up to the top and around part of the rim. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it if you get the chance, but not at the expense of either Herculaneum or Pompeii (and not in mid afternoon if it’s hot).

P.S. – As above there is virtually NO shade or shelter at Pompeii.

I’d forgotten about the buskers on the train! Back in a time when I’d have had a couple of euros in my pocket to chip in.

My advice – get up early and get there to be one of the first in. Nor to beat the crowds at the entrance but because it is so big. We needed two days to do it properly.

Also, go to Herculaneum after Pompeii as there is much more detail (albeit smaller) and doing Herculaneum first may leave you disappointed at Pompeii.

Train is fine, all the scare stories are from American travel blogs wanting to write sensationalist headlines. Just get the normal train, and you can use contactless tap on/tap off with your credit card or phone. Don’t bother with the tourist trains either – they are no quicker and are double the price. Plus, the promised aircon doesn’t always work whereas the normal trains’ windows always open.

The cafe at Pompeii is crap so I’d recommend taking your own stuff and plenty of water, plus a bit more. Trainers are a must and you’ll get covered in dust but its an amazing place.

It’s pretty much a bunch of rocks without a guide.  When I go back I will definitely get a guide and it will more than likely just be one of the locals looking for a job.  Herculaneum was better imo and a guide less important.

Yup same,it was blinkin hot,go prepared

Not so much in historical terms. 🙂

I’d recommend a guide for Pompeii, and just wander around Herculaneum.

Walk to the back of Pompeii, towards the unexcavated bits, we turned around at one point and there was literally no one else in view, very eerie.

Both are great but different.

Train is fine.

We went without booking or a guide.

I think we had a lonely planet guide book. The big one of Western Europe. We might have bought a map/ book when we got there

It was very interesting

But dint forget Herculaneum as an option too, it often gets overlooked and might be easier to visit etc.

+1 we went there as well. It was also interesting.

Will I go back for me- no. I might go back if our kids are interested in that kind of stuff in 15 years.

Two super interesting days out.