Top Things You Must See in Pompeii
Pompeii is one of the most iconic and fascinating cities in human history and in this article I will let you know what are The Things You Must See in Pompeii. Located in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii was an ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption of the volcano in 79 AD. It was a tragedy, but it has left us with a unique snapshot of life in the Roman Empire.
The ancient roman city was a vibrant, bustling city with a population of around 11,000 people. It was a major port city, with a bustling marketplace and a variety of public buildings such as a theatre, a forum, temples, and even a swimming pool. It was full of life, with art and architecture that was highly advanced for its time.
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As you probably know by now, the city was destroyed in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The eruption lasted two days, and the entire city was buried under ash and debris. What made the destruction of Pompeii so unique was that it was preserved in a remarkable state of preservation. The ash and debris hardened, preserving everything in the city, from houses, to artwork, to human remains.
Today, we can still visit the ruins of Pompeii and explore the incredible city. While much of the city has been destroyed, it is amazing to see how much of the city remains intact. We can explore the streets, see the remains of the houses, and marvel at the art and architecture that was so advanced for its time.
Pompeii is unforgettable, a unique experience. It is a reminder of a tragedy, but it is also a testament to the incredible achievements of the people of Pompeii. It is a reminder of how far we have come and how much the world has changed since then. So if you’re planning a trip to Naples, add Pompeii to your list of must-see sites. You won’t regret it!
Important advices for when you will visit Pompeii
- wear a pair of comfortable shoesÂ
- bring with you a bottle of water and even some snacks, inside Pompeii ruins there is only one restaurant/shop with food, drinks and ice-cream and the queues are big
- buy tickets in advance, but expect to be a little bit more pricey.Â
- I bought our tickets from this website, we received an e-ticket and with the phone we redeemed the actual ticket from the Piazza Esedra entrance, pretty easy process without waiting time.Â
- ticket price for Pompeii : We paid 46€ for 2 persons and when we received the ticket at the entrance i saw that it was written 36€ for 2. In my opinion it’s worth the difference, because we basically skipped the line (in crowded days I’ve read you can wait for 1-2 hours to enter the site).
How to get to Pompeii from Naples?
It’s pretty easy to arrive in Pompeii from Naples and there are multiple ways to get there. One way is to go to Naples Central Station ( Stazione Centrale) and take the train to Pompeii. From the Stazione Centrale you can buy the train tickets and it will take 30-35 minutes to arrive at your destination. It will cost you just 3€/person one way, we bought also the return tickets from there.
Top Things You Must See in Pompeii
1. Amphitheatre of Pompeii
2. The Forum
The Forum was the center of Pompeii when it was founded. It was the political, social and economic center of Pompeii and contained some of the most beautiful buildings in the city of Pompeii. Here you can walk around and see several impressive ruins, including the Temple of Jupiter, the Basilica, and the Comitium. You can also see The Forum Baths. When we went, it was closed so we couldn’t visit, but maybe you will be lucky.
3. Macellum of Pompeii ( The Food Market)
This was the main market of the city, where people would come and buy meat, fruits etc. Once you enter, you will see a big courtyard and in the center of it what are the remains of the central structure (12 column bases). You will see here also the imperial cult room with 2 replicas of the imperial statues, which is believed to be the statues of Marcellus and Octavia. Also on the opposite corner, you will see 3 of the preserved plaster casts and frescoes on the wall. The Macellum of Pompeii is simply fascinating.Â
4. The Stabian Baths
These baths are among one of the best preserved example of ancient Roman public baths and one of the must see tourist attractions. These baths had underground heat and various rooms for different activities: frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (warm room) and caldarium (hot room) and were used by both women and man. There is also present a big courtyard for socializing and a “palaestra” (gym how we call it today ).
If you will visit these baths, from the entrance you will see the courtyard and the palaestra and were you will see a queue, there is the entrance to the baths.
One interesting fact about the Stabian Baths is that they were damaged during the earthquake of 62 AD but were very quickly repaired and back in user before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius( the Food Market, for example, was not yet repaired when the eruption occurred).Â
5. The Brothel ( Lupanar )
It’s interesting that the frescoes present here are considered some of the most explicit and graphic art from ancient Rome.Â
The brothel is a popular tourist attraction today and offers unique insight into the social and cultural practices of ancient Rome.
6. Villa dei Misteri …
..And other villas you will encounter along the way. As you will walk on the streets of Pompeii, you will see some amazing constructions that once were home to some of the wealthiest mans in Pompeii. These villas gave us a lot of insights on how they lived their lives, what was the difference between the people with low income and the rich and what type of architecture influenced the people of the city.Â
7. The Garden of the Fugitives
The garden is located on the periphery of the Pompeii city, near the city walls and it was discovered only in 1961 during the excavations of the site. It contains the remains of the 13 people who tried to escape during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The victims displayed here include women, men and children’s.Â
The garden of the fugitives is a very powerful reminder of the tragic events that took place in Pompeii on that fateful day. It also serves as a tribute to the victims of the ancient Rome city and their families.
8. The streets of Pompeii
Yes.. the streets of the lost city. Just by walking on the streets of Pompeii gives you a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a bustling Roman city. You will see that it is a complex network of streets and alleys, that were designed to accommodate both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.Â
Interesting fact: By walking on the streets of Pompeii you will see a system of stepping stones across the streets, they were created to allow pedestrians to cross without getting wet.Â
Interesting fact 2: Also, there are a lot of fountains places strategically on the corners of the streets. These fountains were designed to provide a constant flow of fresh water from the mountain ( a complex system of aqueducts was present at that time..) and they even had special basins for the animals and birds and some of them spouts for drinking or rinsing.
In conclusion, Pompeii is a truly remarkable destination that offers a unique glimpse into the world of ancient Rome, and I hope that my guide to the top things you must see in Pompeii will inspire you to visit this fascinating city and create your own unforgettable memories.
Reading your blog and seeing these pictures that you’ve made…wow. Pompeii it’s on my bucket list!
Thank you! Glad to hear that! 🙂
What a beautiful article ! Nice to see Pompeii from home 🤍 The info in this article is pretty useful. Thank you !
This means a lot! Thank you very much! ❤️
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