During our vacation to Italy in July, we made it a point to visit Naples, a city known for its extremely busy streets, popular cruise port, Neapolitan cuisine and surrounding mountain scenery. Oh, and the city is also a common spot to stay for those wanting to visit the ancient city of Pompeii!
Italy is full of history, and visiting Pompeii was a part of the country (and a part of our bucket list!) that I am so glad we took the time to visit.
What is Pompeii?
Pompeii is an ancient Roman city that was destroyed by a volcanic eruption by Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.
Where is Pompeii?
Pompeii is in Italy, found 14 miles from the city of Naples. We took a bus from Naples to Pompeii.
My Favorite Pompeii Spots to Explore
There are a couple things about Pompeii that I didn’t expect. The only thing that I knew about Pompeii were the well-preserved bodies that were solidified in volcanic ash. It may seem morbid of me to say, but seeing a body at Pompeii was the only “attraction” of Pompeii that I knew of.
After visiting Pompeii, I realized that the area is HUGE. Pompeii is so big that you can even take a full day tour of the place. I mean it is an ancient CITY after all. I think after visiting Vatican attractions and the Colosseum in Rome, I expected Pompeii to be on a small scale like those attractions. However Pompeii is truly a city, so you will want to bring your walking shoes!
Although I’ve only listed three here, there are so many incredible spots to explore in Pompeii. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you the names of all the places we came upon here. Strolling the city streets and stopping in various structures is honestly the best way to soak in Pompeii.
Things to Bring to Pompeii
The only way to take in Pompeii is by foot. So you’ll want to prepare for at least spending a few hours walking around the ruins, which are outside, so you will be exposed to the elements. There is a cafe selling hot and cold eats, but it does get very busy during lunch hours so you may want to plan ahead for that.
- Proper footwear – With stone pathways, dusty courtyards and miles of trails to explore, you’ll want to wear proper footwear.
- Water bottle – We visited during a hot summer day. I was happy to have brought my own water bottle, which I refilled at the various water fountains found in Pompeii.
- Sunscreen/hat/umbrella – Since Pompeii is ancient ruins, you’ll be exposed to the sun during much of your time here. You won’t regret wearing sunscreen or bringing a hat or umbrella to Pompeii.
- Camera – This may be a no brainer, but you should probably bring a camera because there really is so many picturesque spots here!
- Snacks – Bring them unless you want to wait in the long line for the cafe. Your choice.
I’m not an expert on Pompeii, but there really is no need to complicate or over plan your visit here. This mini guide is simple enough for those who just want to freely roam Pompeii. There are a number of great tour guide options here, however roaming the city on your own is a great way to experience the ruins.
Have you visited Pompeii?
Tell me about your Pompeii experience in the comments below!
Scroll to check out some of the pictures of our trip to Pompeii!
In Any Direction 