Pompeii is a unique historic site in that in an ironic twist of fate, the catastrophe that decimated the citizens of the unsuspecting town is also responsible for the near-perfect preservation of many things that would have otherwise been destroyed in all other such natural disasters.
You’ll see art, furniture, and other everyday items the citizens used – in addition to the macabre plaster forms that are accurate representations of the citizens as captured in their last living moments.
Other beautiful coastal towns are nearby and easy to get to, including wineries, ancient villas, grottos, and breathtaking seaside resorts.
1. Pompeii Private Day Trip with Local Guide
Source: lara-sh / shutterstockThis private tour of the amazing and cursed town of Pompeii is a great way to get your Mediterranean coast vacation started.
Your licensed guide will give the tour in either English or Italian; following his lead, you’ll visit the city’s ruins that have been astonishingly well preserved.
The town is full of narrow streets brimming with the histories of the families who called this prosperous town home before that fateful day nearly 2,000 years ago.
The tour includes stops at a theatre, a brothel, and other homes and businesses, as well as the eerily accurate plaster casts of the inhabitant’s last minutes.
2. Guided Walking Tour of Pompeii
Source: BAHDANOVICH ALENA / shutterstockThis 2 ½-hour guided tour is available in English, French, German and Spanish, and will allow you to skip right through the line and get priority entrance.
Pompeii is one of Italy’s most visited and iconic sites – it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You’ll spend the afternoon discovering the history of this amazing city that was literally frozen in one historically unique moment in time and covered with layers of ash that in some areas exceeded 20 feet deep.
Much of the buried city wasn’t excavated until nearly 1,500 years later, making those undisturbed time capsules shocking and amazing in their completeness and preservation.
3. Pompeii Small Group Tour with an Archaeologist
Source: Peeradontax / shutterstockIf you’re an amateur historian or just want to know all there is to know about what makes Pompeii such a once-in-a-lifetime vacation opportunity, this two-hour guided tour is a great choice.
Your guide will be a knowledgeable and enthusiastic archaeologist who’s up to date on all the historical facts and personal anecdotes that make the town’s story so fascinating and macabre.
The maximum group size is just 15 guests, which means you’ll get that intimate feeling and attention to detail that’s so often lost with large groups.
The tour includes the Marina Gate, baths, a bakery, the basilica, and the plaster death masks.
4. Pompeii Wine Tasting with Lunch
Source: getyourguide.comAfter so much time spent among the amazing city’s long dead, it might be a good idea to switch gears and indulge yourself in a little gastronomical treat at one of the area’s most recognized vineyards.
This two-hour guided tour is available in four languages and accessible to those in wheelchairs.
You’ll see the winemaking process from beginning to end as you stroll through the vineyards, production facility, and the wine cellars where the wine is aged to perfection.
An array of food and wine samples will wet your whistle, and though door-to-door transportation isn’t included, all else is.
5. Full-Day Sightseeing Tour of Pompeii and Herculaneum from Naples
Source: WitR / shutterstockIf you happen to be staying in Naples but are longing to explore Pompeii and Herculaneum, this full-day tour should be on your itinerary.
You’ll see the ruins of Pompeii in the morning with a guide, and after lunch, you’ll be free to discover Herculaneum at your own pace.
Door-to-door transportation from Naples is included. In addition to the archaeological sites, you’ll look into some of the local shops and pick up a few mementos of your trip.
This tour is nearly all-inclusive; though the entrance fees and lunch are included, you’ll need to pay for your own drinks.
6. Full-Day Tour of Naples and Pompeii from Rome
Source: Wila_Image / shutterstockIn case you were wondering, it’s possible to visit Pompeii and Naples in a day-trip from Rome.
At 14 hours, it’ll definitely be a tiring day, but transportation is included and it’ll be well worth it when you look back on the amazing amount of history and sights that you were able to cram into only one day.
Due to its length and the significant amount of walking that’s required, this tour isn’t a great fit for very young children, the elderly, or those in less than tip-top physical shape.
It’s recommended that you bring a good hat, sunglasses and a comfortable pair of shoes.
7. Private Villa Cimbrone and Pompeii Tour from Rome
Source: Chiyacat / shutterstockVilla Cimbrone is a large historic estate situated on a rocky bluff over the majestic Amalfi Coast.
The grounds include acres of open space that is full of statues, gardens, and fountains.
In the gardens, you’ll find interesting and risqué representations of Biblical themes like the Seven Deadly Sins, as well as mythological stories and historically important events.
After lunch, you’ll head to Pompeii and check out the town’s amazing sites as your guide gives you an intimate insight into the lives of the inhabitants before their normal lives were cut short in 79 AD.
Transportation and entrance fees are included but food and drink are not, so bring a few Euros.
8. Boat Tour from Sorrento to Pompeii and Capri
Source: leoks / shutterstockIf your base of operations for your Italian vacation is Sorrento but you’d still like to see Pompeii and Capri, this tour is for you.
After meeting your guide, you’ll head to the Port of Piano di Sorrento, then go via boat to the Port of Castellammare di Stabia.
From the boat, you’ll see some of the most amazing views of the coastal towns surrounded by hills and cliffs shimmering against the bright blue water.
Your guide will lead you on a tour through Pompeii’s narrow streets and must-see historical sites, after which you’ll head by boat to the island of Capri and take in its many famous grottos.
9. Naples and Pompeii Train Trip from Rome
Source: ShutterstockIf you’re young, adventurous and up for an amazing tour of southern Italy by train, this Rome based tour of Naples and Pompeii is a great choice.
It’s only open to those between18 and 39-years-old, which should keep the tour’s pace quick and lively.
Your local guide will share lots of amazing and historical facts about the town of Pompeii and its people, whose lives were prematurely snuffed out on the day of the eruption in 79 AD.
You’ll also have a few hours of free time before traveling to Naples, one of the Italian coast’s most scenic cities that’s also known for its delicious food – especially pizza.
10. Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano Group Tour
Source: BAHDANOVICH ALENA / shutterstockWhether you’re staying in Naples, Salerno or Amalfi, you’ll be able to join this tour that will include Pompeii, Sorrento, and Positano.
The tour is available in three languages and includes pick-up from the ports of Naples, Salerno, and Amalfi.
Though Pompeii is the tour’s focal point, you’ll also get a chance to enjoy the amazing town of Sorrento, which is a mecca for lovers of Italian cuisine.
Last but not least, you’ll visit the scenic town of Positano that rests atop a rocky bluff overlooking the sea.
Keep in mind that this tour doesn’t include entrance fees, food or drink.
11. 3-Day Tour from Rome to Naples, Pompeii and Amalfi Coast
Source: leoks / shutterstockFor those looking for a multi-day, full-immersion tour into the beauty and history of southern Italy, this three-day Naples, Pompeii, and Amalfi tour from Rome is probably the best option.
The tour will be a pleasant mix of guided and unguided time, which will allow you to venture off the beaten path, get away from the crowds, and do exactly what you want.
After the guided portions of your Naples and Pompeii stops, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to enjoy the Amalfi Coast, its beautiful beaches and the amazing seaside town and its stunning vistas.
The tour includes transportation and some meals but not museum admission – except in Pompeii.
12. Pompeii and Herculaneum Half-Day Private Tour
Source: Nido Huebl / shutterstockThough Pompeii’s sites really deserve a full day, if you haven’t got that much free time to spare, there are a few options that’ll give you a thorough look at the town’s attractions in only a few hours.
This private four-hour tour is available in nearly 10 languages. In addition to Pompeii, it includes a stop in Herculaneum; although smaller and less known than Pompeii, it’s actually a better-preserved site.
With the preserved items you’ll see and your guide’s careful explanation, the town will come to life, though the tragedy happened nearly 2,000 years ago.
13. Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, and Winery Day Tour
Source: Diego Ioppolo / shutterstockPompeii is an amazing town that’s one of the most historic and visited in all of Italy.
That being said, all that morbid chaos and death caused by the fateful volcanic eruption so many eons ago can be a little on the depressing side.
Though even in Pompeii you’re surrounded by natural beauty, it might be worth considering adding a few upbeat activities to your itinerary to mix things up a bit.
If this sounds like a good idea, consider this tour, which includes trips to Mount Vesuvius and a local winery located at the mountain’s base.
You’ll tour the vineyard and sample the wine varieties that are produced.
This tour includes transportation, but not admission fees to historical sites or food.
14. 2-Hour Walking Tour of Pompeii with Light Lunch
Source: Ekaterina Pokrovsky / shutterstockFor those who don’t want to commit too much of their time to one tour, this two-hour walking tour with a light lunch is a great value.
You’ll still get to see the area’s excavations, architecture, and wonderfully preserved art, but the rest of your day will be wide open so you can go wherever your spirit takes you.
Your local and knowledgeable guide will fill in lots of amazing historical details about the city that was caught off guard and paid the ultimate price.
You’ll get an amazingly accurate insight into the daily lives of the common people who called the town home before it was ravaged.
15. Pompeii Fast Track Ticket
Source: Alvaro German Vilela / shutterstockIf your Italian vacation has been full of guided tours with overly-verbose if well-meaning guides, this fast-track entrance ticket is a great way to see the sites of Pompeii on your own terms.
The tickets are good for a full day, so it’s up to you when you want to go.
This site hosts millions of visitors annually and will certainly be one of the visits that you won’t likely forget; it’s the final resting place of nearly 10,000 ancient people whose lives were unexpectedly taken so long ago.
Opening and closing times are great times to visit if you’re keen to avoid the crowds.