For a first visit to Pompeii, start with four decisions: what your ticket includes, which entrance suits your arrival, how much time you want to spend inside and what you need to carry. You do not need to see everything to have a worthwhile visit.
This independent guide brings those decisions together. Check the Archaeological Park’s latest notices before you travel: admission rules, opening hours and access to individual buildings can change.
Information checked: 27 October 2026.
1. Choose the right ticket
Choose by what you want to visit, not only by the price. The Park currently lists these standard options:
- Pompeii Express: €20 for the ancient city of Pompeii. The suburban villas are not included.
- Pompeii Plus: €25 for the ancient city, the Villa of the Mysteries and Villa of Diomedes, plus Villa Regina and the Antiquarium at Boscoreale. The Park also lists the shuttle bus among the inclusions.
- The €30 three-day ticket: Pompeii Plus and the additional sites listed by the Park, including Oplontis and sites at Stabiae. It allows one entrance per site on its opening days.
These are the standard ticket prices shown on the official information page, not a quote for an online checkout. Check any booking fees, reduced admission, free-entry eligibility and the full inclusions before paying. Do not assume that the cheapest Pompeii ticket includes the Villa of the Mysteries.
Begin an online purchase from the ticket link on the Park’s official website. Tickets are personal: enter the visitor’s details carefully and carry identification. The regulations say that names and visit dates cannot be changed and tickets are normally non-refundable, except for extraordinary closure of the Park.
Plan meals and breaks before leaving: the listed tickets do not allow you to exit and re-enter the same site on the same ticket.
Check official ticket options and purchase links
2. Check the hours for your date
The official timetable currently lists two seasonal schedules for Pompeii:
- 15 October to 15 March: opens at 9:00; last entrance at 15:30; closes at 17:00.
- 16 March to 14 October: opens at 9:00; last entrance at 17:30; closes at 19:00.
Last entrance is not closing time. Arriving near the admission cut-off leaves a shorter visit, so work backwards from the closing time when planning your day. The Park lists closures on 25 December and 1 January unless otherwise announced; check for special notices and changes.
Admission is subject to a daily cap and entry time slots. Buying in advance can help you plan entry, but it does not mean every building will be open or that all queues disappear.
Check the current timetable and notices
3. Choose your entrance
The Park lists three entrances: Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro. Check where your transport arrives, where you want to begin and how you plan to leave. There is no single best entrance for every visitor.
- Porta Marina: consider it when your arrival and planned starting point are on this side of the site. Check the official map rather than following a generic “Pompeii entrance” search result.
- Piazza Esedra: the Park recommends this entrance for access to the Antiquarium.
- Piazza Anfiteatro: the Park identifies this entrance for the “Pompeii for All” facilitated route for visitors with mobility difficulties.
Do not treat an accessible route as a guarantee that every street or building is step-free. If you need specific access arrangements, confirm them with the Park before travelling and use its current route information.
4. Decide how much time to allow
As a planning suggestion, allow around four hours for a first visit with room for pauses. Choose two hours if you need a short, selective visit, or a longer day if you prefer a slower pace. These are editorial estimates, not official route durations.
Keep a small set of priorities and a flexible final section. The Park warns that ancient routes have uneven surfaces, changes in height and gaps. Walking time and comfort matter as much as the number of places on your list.
Use the current map and the Park’s list of visitable buildings. Follow signs and barriers, even when a route you saved earlier suggests otherwise.
5. Pack for the visit
- Wear comfortable footwear suited to uneven surfaces.
- Bring drinking water and plan for the weather, including sun protection when needed.
- Carry your ticket and identification. Keep an offline copy of the ticket and map rather than depending only on a mobile connection.
- Travel light. Bags, backpacks and cases larger than 30 × 30 × 15 cm are not permitted inside.
- If you have luggage, the Park lists paid storage at Porta Marina and Piazza Anfiteatro. Check the current service before relying on it.
Check the official visitor-services page for toilets and refreshment points. If you bring food, use the designated eating areas. Do not build your day around an unverified café opening.
6. Keep the visit flexible
A closed building does not need to derail the whole visit. Use the map to choose another open stop, leave time for breaks and keep your exit in mind as closing time approaches. Never cross a barrier or enter a closed area to follow an itinerary.
Before leaving for Pompeii, make one final check: your ticket inclusions, visitor name and date, admission slot, entrance, closing time and any new notices. Those checks are more useful than trying to memorise every possible stop.
Concerts, exhibitions and free-entry days can change the visit. See the events and exhibitions guide for what the Park is listing now.
Official sources
The Pompeii Ruins is an independent guide, not the Archaeological Park’s official website. Visitor information above was checked against the following Park pages on 27 October 2026. Check them again before your visit.