How long should I spend in Pompeii?
Pompeii is a stunning monument to a terrifying event, a city frozen in time, unearthed from the remains of the ash and pumice that covered the city in AD 79.
Today, it is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, a sobering reminder of nature’s precarity.
A self-guided tour of Pompeii takes around two and a half hours, allowing the time to experience some of the landmark’s most important attractions like the Antiquarium, the Forum and the Theaters. However, if you fancy yourself as a true history buff, and want to take your time exploring these incredible ruins, then you might want to allow yourself four to six hours.
But no matter how much time you allow yourself, visiting Pompeii is one of the best things you can do on a trip to Italy, and even better when experienced from Rome.
Here is why!
Take the Highway of the Sun
Visiting Pompeii from Rome is an awesome adventure in itself. Traversing the Highway of the Sun, you will pass rustic Calabrian towns and rolling hillsides. Arriving in Naples, you will have time to explore this legendary town and marvel at the sparkling Meditteranean coastline. Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted on that fateful day, is never far from view, providing a constant reminder of its towering presence in the region. There are many places in Naples where you can catch an awesome view of Vesuvius and snap an incredible pic.
Arriving at Pompeii
Upon arriving at Pompeii, you will be immediately taken by the sheer gravity of the ruins and the harrowing events that transpired there some 2,000 years ago. Two and a half hours is plenty of time to take in such landmarks as the Antiquarium, the museum that houses plenty of artefacts found during the numerous excavations that have taken place there.
Moving on to the Forum, the main site of the Roman town, that also includes the Shrine of the Lares, the Temple of Vespasian and the Curia, the place where Pompeii’s council would meet to discuss matters around town. The Teatro Grande and Teatro Piccolo are two other impressive sites to see, where musical performances took place in front of crowds both rich and poor.
Pompeii is an incredible experience for both travellers and history lovers alike, and if you are taking the time to head out there then you should allow a few hours to properly experience it!
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