Pompeii has been high on my bucket list for a long time.
Funnily enough, Bradley had already been when he was younger back in his youth cruising days, but he didn’t remember a lot.
So for him, this also felt like a first-time experience in Pompeii!
When I first started my research into planning a trip here, I actually didn’t realise just how close Naples is to Pompeii.
So it naturally was a good base for visiting both Pompeii and other awesome places in the area.
They’re only about a 20-minute drive apart, which is how we got there!
But we were visiting Naples and Pompeii as part of a larger Italy west coast road trip (which was awesome by the way).
One of the most common questions I hear about visiting Pompeii is, can you do it in one day? And you absolutely can!
The easiest and most convenient way to do that is taking a Pompeii day trip from Naples.
You can even combine it with other sites, which is what we did!
We did Pompeii, and Mount Vesuvius with some wine tasting in one day (which is actually a tour option I’ll be chatting about below).
One thing we did not do when we visited Pompeii was use a tour guide, and that is something I regret a little.
You will definitely learn a lot more about the site and its history if you go with a guide, and it is something I would recommend you to do!
But, below I’m going to take you through 5 tours from Naples to Pompeii that will suit all your travelling needs.
Whether you’ve only got half a day spare, or you want to combine your Pompeii adventure with Mount Vesuvius, or even the Alamafi coast.
When researching tours, it can get a little overwhelming, and these tours are chosen based on my own research and experiences and hopefully will help you plan your trip to Pompeii from Naples a little easier!
But if you want a super quick answer this THIS is my favourite tour: Pompeii Ruins with Mount Vesuvius, wine tasting and pizza (simply because it's very similar to what we did in one day, except, switch out the pizza for pasta! ;) )
Pompeii is probably one of the most famous tourist attractions in Italy, and perhaps in the world, attracting around 3.5 million visitors a year.
History has truly been frozen in time at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, as Pompeii shows visitors a unique snapshot of Roman life.
Pompeii is a former ancient Roman city which had around 11,000. It was a wealthy and flourishing city until the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD buried it beneath 6m of volcanic ash and pumice.
The ruins were then discovered some 1400 years later in the 16th century, when the remains of over 1000 victims were found, preserved beneath the calcified ash.
The preserved victims were then made into casts which are now on display for tourists to look at. The positioning of these casts is as the victims were found, so it gives a true insight into the devastation caused by the eruption 2000 years ago.
We’ve searched the internet, and using our two favourite tour platforms, we’ve narrowed down the 5 best Pompeii day trips from Naples.
The tours I’ve shared below are from Get Your Guide and Viator, both of which are fantastic tour operators that we’ve used before.
Both providers offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour starts, and you can also reserve your spot now and pay later, so you can stay super flexible with your plans, and keep track of your budgeting.
This tour takes you from Naples, directly to Pompeii via a minibus, where you’ll get a guided tour through the remains at the Pompeii archaeological site.
You’ll be taken to the Forum, Thermal Baths, the Lupanare, and the Greek Theatre, hearing stories from the guide about what life was really like here before the eruption nearly 2000 years ago.
Whilst you’re exploring Pompeii you’ll stop for a local pizza lunch along the route - no Italian tour would be complete without a pizza stop would it?!
After you’ve finished at Pompeii you’ll be driven close to the summit of Vesuvius. There’s a short walk from here to the lip of the crater where you’ll take in the atmosphere of the smoking mountain.
There’s stunning panoramic views from the Vesuvius crater rim over to the Bay of Naples. After enjoying the scenery it’s time to head back to Naples, where you’ll arrive back at around 5pm.
When looking at the cost of the trip, bear in mind that tickets for Pompeii alone are 19€, and another 10€ to visit the Vesuvius crater. The tour is rated 4.4 stars out of 5 by previous participants.
This tour takes you from Naples, to see Pompeii’s most intriguing sites all in just half a day.
As it’s only a half day tour there is no food included.
You can choose between different sized tour groups - group tour, small group or VIP group - and there’s also a morning and afternoon tour to choose from. Prices vary depending on group size.
An air conditioned bus will take you from Naples to Pompeii, where you’ll have a tour of ancient Pompeii, including the thermal baths, theatres, forums, and the famous Vetti’s house and “Lupanare”.
The visit at Pompeii will last around 2 hours before heading back to Naples.
This tour gives you the chance to see two of southern Italy’s top attractions - Pompeii and Sorrento.
The first part of the tour is at Pompeii where you will be shown around the Forum, Lupanare Brothel, and the Thermal Baths by a local guide. You’ll also pass the infamous Mount Vesuvius volcano. Note: a ticket to Pompeii excavations is not included.
After enjoying Pompeii there’s a stop for a pizza lunch, and then it’s time to head to Sorrento, which is around 45 minutes away.
In Sorrento you’ll be greeted with charming streets and stunning Mediterranean views. Touring the Sorrento coast, you will see the mediaeval Castle, and the small and pretty beaches of Vico Equense and Seiano, nestled amongst the orange and lemon trees.
There’s a stop off at the Meta di Sorrento viewpoint, with panoramic views of the bay and the sea.
Once you reach Sorrento town there’s about an hour to explore. A guide takes you around the most famous spots, meandering through the narrow streets, finishing off at Villa Comunale, where there’s fantastic views across to Punta Campanella and Capri Island.
This tour is a great option if you’d like to tick off Sorrento on your Italy list, however you won’t get loads of time there to really explore and get a feel for the place, it is more of a whistle stop tour.
It also doesn’t include a stop at Mount Vesuvius so you won’t have the chance to walk up to the crater rim.
This tour is ideal for history loves and wine connoisseurs alike. You’ll enjoy a walking tour of Pompeii around the former shops, brothels, baths and villas, giving you a unique insight into life in Ancient Rome.
Note: a ticket to Pompeii excavations is not included in the price of the tour.
You’ll spend around 2 hours at Pompeii which we found to be enough to get a feel for the place and cover the main parts. You also won’t want to spend any more time here when it’s the height of summer, due to the heat and the crowds.
The wine tasting experience is so much more than just trying a few of the local wines. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius whilst learning about the origins of local Vesuvius wines.
The volcanic nature of these vineyards has really shaped the characteristics of these wines, with the ‘violent’ slopes of the volcano giving the wine its unique DNA.
You’ll get to enjoy some of the wines, including “Falanghina,” “Lacryma Christi,” “Aglianico”, paired with a Mediterranean lunch.
And a lot of the reviews say this ‘light lunch’ actually proved to be very extensive with 4 courses!
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