🇮🇹Italy · Places to discover
What to see in Pompeii?
12 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Pompeii is not an open-air museum: it's a 1st-century Roman city frozen mid-activity, with thermopolium counters still standing, pavements worn by chariots, electoral inscriptions on walls. What the Vesuvius eruption buried in 79 AD, excavations continue to reveal today - the archaeological site evolves each year with new discoveries.
Plan for at least a full day, ideally in spring or October to avoid heat and the tour buses that flood the main streets from 10am onwards. Arrive at opening time, on foot from Pompeii Scavi station on the Circumvesuviana line from Naples. Avoid unofficial guides loitering at the entrance and head towards the Villa of the Mysteries, often overlooked, to finish your visit away from the crowds.
Landmarks & heritage
10 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
House of the Faun
The largest and most luxurious domus at Pompeii, featuring two atriums and two peristyles. The celebrated Alexander Mosaic (in-situ copy) attests to the refinement of Roman elites. An absolute must-see.
2Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Great Palaestra
A vast athletic complex shaded by a central swimming pool and plane trees recreating the original atmosphere. Less crowded than the bathhouses, it's an ideal spot to linger and imagine Pompeian youth at leisure.
3Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii
A Neo-Baroque basilica in the modern town and a major pilgrimage destination throughout southern Italy. Its monumental façade and interior laden with votive offerings create a striking contrast with the ancient ruins nearby.
4Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Landmark
Civic Forum at Pompeii
Political and religious heart of the ancient city, ringed by columns with Vesuvius looming beyond. Visit early, before tour groups arrive, for a haunting atmosphere. Essential for grasping Roman urban planning.
5Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0Landmark
Amphitheatre of Pompeii
The oldest stone amphitheatre in the Roman world, built in 70 BC. Made famous by Pink Floyd's legendary concert in 1971. Its location overlooking the excavations lends it a uniquely atmospheric quality.
6Wikimedia CommonsLandmark
Lupanar of Pompeii
The only officially identified brothel in the city, with erotic frescoes and stone cubicles intact. An authentic historical site that sheds frank light on ancient Roman society.
7Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5Landmark
House of the Vettii
The residence of two wealthy freedmen, boasting Pompeii's finest-preserved frescoes in exceptional condition. The reconstructed garden with its fountains gives a vivid sense of Roman domestic life and taste.
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Landmark
Villa of the Mysteries
Set apart from the main tourist flow, this aristocratic villa contains the largest continuous fresco from Roman antiquity, with colours still breathtakingly vivid. An absolute masterpiece often overlooked.
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Landmark
Landmark
Necropolis of Porta Nocera
An extra-mural cemetery little visited by tourists, with monumental tombs, burial inscriptions and in situ casts. An oddly intimate space for understanding Roman attitudes to death and the afterlife.
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Landmark
Landmark
Forum Baths
Pompeii's best-preserved bathhouse, featuring stucco, coffered vaults and marble basins still clearly visible. A fascinating window into the daily social life of the Romans.
Activities
1 place
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Activity
Activity
Nocturnal guided tour of Pompeii excavations
During summer, the site opens on select evenings after sunset. The ruins, illuminated by candlelight or floodlights, take on an absolutely unforgettable spectral dimension. Tickets must be booked well in advance.
Beaches
1 place
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Beach
Beach
Pioppi Beach - Pompeii Seafront
Small shingle beach on the Bay of Naples shore, frequented by local residents after work. Clear water, genuine local atmosphere and views of Vesuvius from the water's edge, well away from organised tours.
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