Hello- how long does it take to go through the Naples museum ? What time would you get there , we want to do as early as possible , would you buy tickets ahead of time or can we buy tickets there? Is it usually crowded and a long line ?
Also anywhere good to eat for lunch nearby the museum or train terminal ?
The Archeological museum in Naples was fabulous, and we spent over 3 hours there. It was just after Christmas, and wasn’t very crowded, except for the room with erotic art and artifacts, which was small enough that it didn’t take very many people to make for tight quarters.
Depending on how long you want to study sculptures and other displays, I’d think you’d want at least 2 hours there.
After the museum, we took a taxi to wait in a very long line for pizza at iconic L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, although there were other pizzerias and restaurants nearby. Can’t tell you for sure about any other specific restaurants, but if you’re in Naples and pizza’s on the menu, you’re probably in a good place.
The museum is two/three hours if you rush some and an a half day if you don't. All of the good stuff from Pompeii is there and so take some time if you want a good look. My personal opinion is that the museum does not routinely attract a large crowd. We were there mid summer and the crowd was fairly light.
Would you buy tickets ahead of time or tickets there ? We are trying to squeeze visiting Pompeii Heraclium and the mueseum in one day . I know it’s not ideal but it’s the time I have to work with and I really want to see all 3
I would reconsider doing all three in one day. If you are staying in Naples, I would do Pompeii and Herculaneum on the first day and the museum on the morning of the second day. If you are trying to do this as a day-trip from Rome--please don't. The logistics are too tight and you will feel cheated by the short time you have at each sight--even if by some miracle you make all three. If you are coming from Rome, I'd visit Pompeii in the morning and do the museum in the afternoon (and skip Herculaneum). That way you are already back in Naples and can catch a late train back to Rome.
We saw each of the 3 on separate days, but had a longer overall time available, and were staying down in Piano di Sorrento, doing day trips by rental car or train. Pompeii is bigger, and we didn’t get to walk as much of it as we would’ve if they’d stayed open later. It was New Year’s Day, and they were originally going to be closed all day, but they wound up being open until just noon or one that day. . . Your result will probably differ. Herculaneum is a smaller site, but still needs at least an hour. Hope you’re able to fit in as much as you want and not be too rushed. Some parts of each site may need to be ignored if you need to be on the move to hit all 3 in a day.
I am sorry but all three are out of the question unless you want to do a drive by -- an hour or so at each. One thing you are forgetting is the travel time between each site. Personally the museum and Pompeii would more than fill one day.
We were there on May Day (5/1/2019) and the line for purchasing tickets was out the door and perhaps 100 people more.
We had the Naples ArteCard. We walked up the the turnstile, were told to go to the ticket counter (nearby), so we skipped the line by accident.
We followed Rick Steves 'tour' of the museum and were there less than 3 hours (but close).
Depending on the month, you need to factor in eating AND water breaks. We were dehydrated at Pompeii and that was on Monday, 4/29/19 - but, to be fair, they had only turned on a few of the water fountains. We spent 6+ hours there.
Pompeii is famous, so I know why you'd want to go there. We didn't go to Herculaneum. We LOVED Paestum and would recommend it to anyone/everyone! The temples are great. Since it wasn't preserved by volcanic ash, the houses were left open for the stones to be harvested for use elsewhere. BUT the houses are open to walk through.
I just got back from nine days in Naples.
Pompeii is incredibly crowded, with tourists, tourist groups, and children on field trips. I'm glad I went, I would've regretted it if I passed on it, but I learned more about Pompeii at the incredible National Archeological Museum — where there's breathing room and time to take in what I was seeing — than in Pompeii. The Museum had a good crowd, but I found myself many times virtually alone in rooms. The line for tickets moved quickly enough.
The Capodimonte is a must for anyone interested in art. That museum, too, gives you plenty of elbow room. The adjacent park is lovely. Another must is the Monte della Misercordia, which houses Caravaggio's Seven Acts of Mercy; this church is conveniently near the awesome Duomo.
Meals in Naples are shockingly inexpensive compared to, say Venice or New York City. Excellent pizza, real pizza, is four or five euros. Linguine and clams, a favorite of mine, is ten or twelve euros and it's the real thing; it is at least twice that in NYC, where they still don't quite get it. You have to have the right clams or you blow it. A full bottle of good wine is nine or ten euros. If you get a single glass, they give you a generous pour.
I stayed near the train station at Hotel San Pietro (highly recommended) and ate twice at Da Donato, twice at La Cantina dei Mille, and twice at Mimi e Ferrovia. I ate a pizza margherita at the fabled L' Antica Pizzeria da Michele. You take a number to get in but everything moves fast. I have to say I was somewhat disappointed; the pizza, at least for me, wasn't quite baked through, and the bottom was somewhat doughy.
