Archaeological sites - Pompeii or Herculaneum and/or Osti Antica after Greece?

It takes 3/4 of a day to see both Herculaneum and Pompeii. I really thought Herculaneum was more meaningful because much of it is better preserved than Pompeii, that is the actually structures. Both are definitely worth a visit.

There is a lot to see in Naples (and eat, like pizza). Most artifacts from Pompeii are in the museums of Naples.

Flying into Naples seems quite reasonable, staying in the area sounds good too although I have only stayed on the Amalfi Coast.

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of visiting the museums in Naples to see the best stuff. I think two sites in a day may be too much for our teen girls. We'll need to decide if re-visiting Pompeii or going to Herculaneum is best for us. Seriously I wouldn't mind repeating Pompeii. Like you, we have only stayed on the Amalfi coast and a couple nights on Capri. Looking for a place to stay, Ischia looks very intriguing without the huge crowds of Capri.

Anyone have any thoughts about Ischia as a place to stay sort of near the archaeological sites?

Thanks,
Bret

With only 3-5 days, I would vote for staying in Rome, minimizing any wasted travel time and visiting Ostia Antica, instead of the other two. Just google images for all three options. I think you will be very pleased with Ostia Antica.

As you said, round trip from Rome to Pompeii is a full-day enterprise. Though important and fascinating, it's crowded, intense, and can be very hot.

Ostia Antica, on the other hand, is easily accessible from Rome in about half an hour. When my grandson and I arrived, on a Friday midday at the end of May last year, there were two (count them) people in line at the ticket booth at the entrance. Most of the expansive site is shaded by fragrant umbrella pine trees. It's a calm, peaceful, at-your-own-pace experience.

In my opinion, compared to Pompeii, Ostia Antica gives you 80% of the experience for 20% of the hassle.

Thanks for the comments.

It seems to make sense to head straight to Rome. After multi-stops through the Greek islands, a visit to Osti Antica appears very easy to do. At this early stage in our planning we keep struggling with trying to do too much while planning destinations and trying to be efficient.

If we try to include a multi day side trip to the Naples area it will cut into Greece & Rome time. It just seems so close and doable at first glance. But when you really look at the details a Naples area side trip is too dilutive to the rest of our trip. Even flying into Naples and visiting the sites for the day is a hassle with all the transportation and crowds. It may be best to save the Naples trip for another time when we plan to visit Ischia and the Amalfi coast.

With the help of a wonderful private driver and guide, we visited Herculaneum and Pompeii and also had lunch at a winery at the base of Vesuvius, all in one day. It was a fantastic day and we really enjoyed seeing both sites however I personally liked Herculaneum better. It's much less crowded than Pompeii and more intact so it's easier to envision the lay-out of the structures. If you have the better part of a day and are inclined to pay for a guide and private driver, you could see both sites. Our guide suggested visiting Herculaneum first so that when we got to Pompeii we had a good understanding of the typical lay-out and features of the homes. We stayed in Sorrento and our driver picked us up at our hotel and drove us to both sites and then delivered us back to our hotel at the end of the day. We then visited the Archaeological Museum in Naples en route from Sorrento to Rome at the end of our trip and had a wonderful 2-hour tour with a guide. Seeing the artifacts from Pompeii & Herculaneum further enriched the experience.

Another vote for Ostia Antica from me. We have been there on our last two trips to Rome and still haven't covered it all. Easy to get to, the cafe is quite nice, and not as crowded as Pompeii.

There are several good restaurants near the archeological park at Ostia Antica, and later in the day you could take the train or a bus to the nearby beach. Your girls might enjoy that.

Bret, I think you've made a wise decision saving the Amalfi/Herculaneum/Pompei for another trip. That way you can give it the time it begs for without feeling rushed. A good friend of mine who is well versed in Roman antiquities and who has done volunteer archeology had high praise for Ostia Antica so I don't think you'll feel as if you've settled for an inferior choice.

Additionally, if you can make the time I'll highly, highly recommend a walk on some of the Appia Antica. This has been the highlight of all we've done in Rome to date, and affords a wealth of attractions - from the remains of the best-preserved circus in Italy, to once-grand, crumbling tombs, to catacombs - along the way. It's a fascinating activity on a sunny day, and affords some welcome breathing room from the crowds in the city's center.