Can you do a day trip from Rome to Pompeii?

Pompeii is one of the most bizarre places you are ever likely to visit, period. This once-great Roman citadel was a sprawling hub of activity, with people living and thriving in the shadow of the imposing Mount Vesuvius.

Little did these people know that Mount Vesuvius was actually rather tempestuous, and on one savage day in AD 79 it decided to ruin everything that the Pompeiani people had worked towards as well as taking their lives in the process.

Vesuvius covered the city in a raging flurry of volcanic ash and pumice, burying the town and its inhabitants for hundreds of years, until one day it was excavated by some very clever archaeologists.

Today, you can experience Pompeii in what is a semblance of its former glory, taking in the sites and the grizzly remains of people in what is both a fascinating-yet-highly macabre experience.

To answer your question on day trips from Rome the answer is yes! You can take day trips from Rome to Pompeii, with Italy’s super fast rail service whisking you from the Eternal City to the not-so-eternal city in just a couple of hours.

If you’re not in the mood for taking the rail, there are plenty of amazing guided tours that take you from Rome, down the gorgeous Highway of the Sun, through charming Napoli and to the incredible excavation.

Once you’re there, you can expect to enjoy these fascinating sites:

Theatres

Because didn’t you know the Ancient Romans loved a good show? And Pompeii was a place that could host a few of them, with multiple theatres still well-preserved to the point you can almost imagine some toga-wearing thespians performing some jovial play.

The Antiquarium

This is a really fun place to enjoy before you actually step into the wondrous Pompeii. Acting as a museum to the landmark beyond, the Antiquarium is full of interactive exhibits and artefacts that made up the everyday life of Pompeii citizens.

The House of Mysteries

Perhaps the strangest of all Pompeii ruins, the House of Mysteries provides a snapshot into the more eerie side of Roman life. The walls of this manor house depict, presumably, the ritual rites for joining a secret cult, yet those in the know are still undecided by what, exactly, is going on in its frescoes.

Totally strange, totally worth checking out – all part of the bizarre ruins that make up Pompeii!