We visited Pompeii today and used the Rick Steves Audio Europe tour to base some of our stops on. We entered from the Pompeii Town gate near the amphitheater right as the park opened at 9am. (We stayed overnight here and highly recommend it for folks who like visiting places where locals are abundant after the day-trippers leave. Food is delicious and reasonably priced.) We did a quick stop in the amphitheater before heading straight to the RSAE described brothel. This gave us a visit all to ourselves before any tour groups arrived. Highly recommend this method for crowd avoidance. We then headed towards the forum, and followed much of the audio guide route before heading back to the exit. The route in the RSAE app isn't currently possible as they have gated the path beyond the brothel.
We enjoyed our visit and would highly recommend you visit Pompeii it's 10/10 not to be missed. Also, if Naples intimidates you, Pompeii is a fine alternative with a more relaxed vibe and a comfortable base to explore this part of Italy.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16618 posts
Thanks for that update, Kristy! Very happy that you had such an enjoyable visit to a fascinating - and often very busy! - treasure!
Posted by
Bay Area SF & Uppsala Sweden
1038 posts
Hey thanks! Very informative, just wondered where you stayed in Pompeii town & would you recommend it?
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7936 posts
We also found that streets around the brothel are barricaded to control the brothel-only entry line. This can generate many extra steps, and affect walking-tour instructions that don't take account of the closures.
Posted by
3459 posts
Thanks for posting Kristy! We also enjoyed our stay in Pompei.
Sandancisco - In 2022, we stayed at the Hotel Forum, which is across the street from the Amphitheatre entrance. Wonderful hotel that ticks all the boxes, and we had a great view of Mt. Vesuvius from our room.
Posted by
Bay Area SF & Uppsala Sweden
1038 posts
Thanks for hotel info, most appreciated. Have bookmarked this for a 2024 trip.