Pompeii on a Sunday/suggested tour companies

Pompeii is a long day trip to make on your final day. If you go with a tour company you will get picked up about 6:30a-7a and return about 8p. You'll only have about 3 hours in Pompeii. A lot of time is wasted. If you have to see Pompeii go on your own by taking the train. You can easily find a guide at the entrance to the ruins at Pompeii and probably even find other English speakers to share the cost.

I would visit Ostia Antica instead. It's 45 minutes from the center of Rome and only costs 1 euro to get there. You'll have plenty of time to have relaxing dinner and a final stroll in the Eternal City.

We are planning to go by ourselves to Pompeii the same day. It looks easy to do. The only thing you want to plan for is to be back in Rome before 9pm when the train is scheduled to go on strike see http://www.summerinitaly.com/planning/strike.asp.

See these posts:

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/18318/day-trips-to-pompeii.html

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/17561/guided-tour-of-pompei.html

Definitely do-able if you can join up with another couple. Pompeii is great by yourself, but incredible with a guide like Gaetano.

Good luck!

Bryan

Thanks for all of the good advice and the warning about the strike. - MB