We are planning to visit Pompeii and Vesuvius on our way back to Rome from Sorrento. How much time should we allow for each? Vesuvius is a special request, so I am willing to give up some time at Pompeii for some time at Vesuvius. Thanks!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23282 posts
It is your choice. You could spend nearly all day at Pompeil but it can be very hot and dusty. I would limit it to the amount of time you want to spend and hit the high points. You could walk through it adequately in three hours.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, USA
1883 posts
If you plan to hike up Vesuvius, allow an hour up, about 1/2 of that back down. This depends on your fitness level. We walked it in about 30 min. It's windy on top, so make sure you bring a jacket.
Pompeii. you should have a guide to get the most of this area. There is a lot to see, and you can get lost in the streets. Pompeii is amazing, but to enjoy, a guide is the best investment.
We did a tour from Sorrento. Left at 8AM and got back to the main square about 6PM. We spend about 1/2 day in each location...Pompeii being the first stop.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
George,
A visit to Pompeii will take about two-three hours, depending on how much detail you want to see. I'd highly recommend a private guide, in order to get the most of your visit. Gaetano (listed in Rick's book) is outstanding and highly recommended! If you don't pre-book a Guide, you'll probably find they'll approach you when you go through the gate, so it shouldn't be hard to find one.
For the visit to Vesuvius you'll have to allow time to get there and back, and also for the hike up the mountain. As the others have said it's about 30 minutes if you're in reasonably good shape. I found the walk downhill to be a bit hard on the knees, but not too strenuous. As I recall, Guided tours of Vesuvius are mandatory, so you'll have a Guide there.
If you're going to be touring the whole day, you might ask your Hotel to pack a "bag lunch", as you might not have time to stop.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Newbury, VT, USA
75 posts
Hi...you might consider Herculaneum rather than Pompeii. It was easy for us to do both, getting a tour van from the train station to go up Vesuvius, then visiting Herculaneum in the town. It is smaller than Pompeii, but plenty big for me and the kids! I confess that I didn't make it all the way up Vesuvius, it was cold and began to snow (April) and I turned back....it was still a great day!
Happy travels to you!
Posted by
arroyo grande, ca, usa
3 posts
There is another archeological site outside of Rome, called Ostia Antica. It is not as big and well preserved as Pompei, but it also has a museum and is really a great site. I think it gets overlooked. My daughter and I found it accidentally last year and plan to go back.