Although in Rome and Naples there is no problem buying a tour to visit Pompeii, Herculaneum or both ancient Roman cities within one day, there are still people who are not averse to organizing their tour on their own. We will talk about both options. However, before proceeding with a direct description of the route, we make a little "digression."
Firstly, this article is for those who plan their leisure time using Naples or Rome as the main base (a detailed article on how to get from Naples to Rome was here). If you plan to settle down in one of the towns of the Amalfi coast, then the information given here is unlikely to be useful to you.
Secondly, if you plan to cover both Naples and Pompeii in 1 day, try to correctly calculate your time. Naples is an interesting city with a million people and you can get stuck here for a long time.
To save on sightseeing tours in Naples itself, set yourself an audio guide through the historical center for the iPhone link. The full version of the 55 points of the audio excursion costs about 5 Euros, and this is many times cheaper than the services of live guides, and in the free version the first 5 excursion points are open to try before buying.
Trip planning
First of all, of course, it makes sense to check the train schedule. Since the whole trip will rely on rail links, it is better to take care of this in advance. Thus, you will have the opportunity to make the most of the time on the archaeological sites themselves, and not hang around on the platform while waiting for the train.
Although you can plan to visit archaeological sites in any order, it still makes sense to start with Pompeii.
The fact is that Pompeii is much larger in area than Herculaneum, and, accordingly, walking through the ruins, you will have the opportunity to relax and more carefully evaluate the opportunity and desire to continue with Herculaneum.
In addition, during the season, the hottest time in Pompeii is in the afternoon, and therefore it makes sense to get acquainted with them in the first half of the day, when the sun has not yet come into full force.
Both Pompeii and Herculaneum are perfectly preserved to this day.
Of course, the majority of tourist excursions are built on the same principles, and, having arrived in Pompeii, you can come across many tourist groups who want to get inside. However, do not let the crowds at the entrance scare you: the city itself is so wide that there is enough territory for everyone.
Thus, our proposal and plan is to go to Pompeii in the morning, and after lunch - from Pompeii - to visit Herculaneum.
How to get to Pompeii from Naples
Look for the Circumvesuviana train from Naples Garibaldi train station to the “Pompei Scavi / Villa dei Misteri” (Pompei) stop (in the direction of Sorrento)
After leaving the train at the station, turn right and walk about 5 minutes to one of the main entrances to the archaeological complex - Porta Marina
Pompeii: important points
- In order to inspect the complex, you will need 3-4 hours: this is the time required to cover the main attractions of the ancient city. If you want to get to know Pompeii more thoroughly, multiply this time by two
- There is only one cafe on the territory of the complex and the prices are appropriate. So take something to chew with you, especially if you eat with children
- Not a superfluous subject in your luggage will be a flask. There are many sources in Pompeii, from where it can be replenished
- Take an audio guide or hire a tour guide. Map and booklet about Pompeii You will receive it for free along with the ticket, but the audio guide will allow you to learn much more deeply about the places you will pass by. You can rent an audio guide at the Information desk near the ticket office, where you will purchase tickets. As for the live guide, their services are more expensive, therefore, agreeing on an excursion makes sense to join with other travelers. However, regarding private guides, this is a lottery: it may be lucky with a guided tour, or it may not
Even a cursory inspection of Pompeii will require a minimum of 2 hours
How to get to Herculaneum from Pompeii
Take the Circumvesuviana train from the “Pompei Scavi / Villa dei Misteri” station to the “Ercolano Scavi” (in the direction of Naples). At the station, specify the direction in which you should go to the entrance to Herculaneum - it is located a 10-minute walk from the railway station.
Herculaneum: important points
- Herculaneum is the Latin name of the ancient city. Italian name - Ercolano. A new city was built around the old
- Herculaneum much smaller than Pompeii. In order to familiarize yourself with it in more or less detail, you will need about 2 hours
- Near the train station you will probably meet a whole phalanx of taxi drivers offering their services. It hardly makes sense to use this. After all, the path from the station to the archaeological complex is short and, in addition, the road goes down all the time
- As in Pompeii, in Herculaneum you will have the opportunity to replenish your flask with water
- By analogy with Pompeii, you will receive a map of the complex and a booklet with information at the entrance. There will also be an opportunity to rent an audio guide.
Ancient Herculaneum was much smaller than Pompeii
From Herculaneum to Naples
As in previous cases, you can take the Circumvesuviana train from the Ercolano Scavi station to the Garibaldi Station in Naples.
Please note that on your way there will be two stations marked as Naples. You need the first one if you plan to return to the Garibaldi station - Naples main railway station.
Excursions from Naples to Pompeii
Among travelers visiting Naples or vacationing on the Amalfi Coast, an excursion to Pompeii is extremely popular. And therefore, local Russian guides offer it everywhere.
Nevertheless, hoping to find a guide on the spot at the last moment is not worth it, because in the season many dates with guides are busy a few months in advance. You can see a detailed description of excursions to Pompeii from Naples in advance and choose the program for yourself using the links below.
Excursions from Rome to Naples and Pompeii in Russian
Most of the existing excursions from Rome to Pompeii and Naples are carried out in English, German and French. The choice of field trips in Russian is much narrower, but a one-day tour for “our” travelers is also available.
At the same time, one-day excursions from Rome are both individual and group. The second option, of course, is cheaper, although prices may vary slightly depending on the season.
In addition to visiting Pompeii itself, such a one-day group excursion from Rome also includes a sightseeing tour of Naples, which includes a walk through the main attractions of the capital of Campania. In particular, the tour route in Naples runs through Royal Square, Umberto Gallery, Plebiscite Square, Anjou Fortress and the San Carlo Theater.
Learn how to get to excursion from Rome to Pompeii and Naples, the current schedule and cost of such a one-day tour for the dates of your trip, you can write an email email protected the guide Lele, about which BlogoItaliano wrote in detail in the article Guide to Rome - his man in the Eternal City. The second way to contact Lela is to send her a message through the feedback form below.
It is important to note that it is better to book an excursion in advance. Within any season, a trip to Pompeii is of great interest to travelers. When postponing the order of excursions to the last moment, it is not uncommon when all the places on a certain date are already taken.
Mail to Lela:
By clicking on the "Send message to Lele" button, I consent to the processing of personal data and agree to the privacy policy
Have a good trip!
