Pompeii Tour: Travel Back 2000 Years with a Local Guide and Skip-the-Line Entrance

This journey, brimming with FEELINGS, KNOWLEDGE, and SENSORY PERCEPTIONS, is an ideal venture for all. With this immersive experience, you are able to take a trip back in time to 2000 years ago, gaining insights into the practices and traditions of the city while experiencing it as a local resident would.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Pompeii Archaeological Park - Pompeii is now regarded as one of the world’s most significant historical sites due to the preservation of the city and its inhabitants by volcanic ash. This preservation offers historians and archaeologists a vivid snapshot of life in the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago. The initial excavations began in the 18th century, and after approximately 250 years, 75% of the site has been uncovered. Walking through the city’s streets, one feels as though time has stood still and the volcanic eruption is imminent.

The tour starts by appointment near the entrance to the ruins, just a few meters from the station and parking areas. The tour lasts two hours and includes:

Entrance ticket;
Priority service - skip the line for entry;
Local guide service

At the end of the guided tour, visitors can choose to remain inside the excavations.

  • House of Menander (Casa del Menandro) - This expansive house, influenced by complex construction events, exemplifies the typical residence of a high-ranking family. The atrium is adorned with frescoes depicting scenes from the Iliad and the Odyssey. The peristyle is of the “rhodium” type, with the northern side elevated. The house is named after a portrait of Menander, an Athenian playwright, located in the porch. Beneath the house’s small thermal area is an underground room, possibly a cellar, where a chest containing 118 pieces of silverware was discovered. This treasure, now displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, was hidden before restoration work began and served as the family’s collection. The pottery included wine-pouring vessels, as well as plates and cups used during banquets. On the southern side, visitors can reach the rustic quarter, where a reconstructed wagon is on display.

  • Lupanar - In the brothel, prostitutes, primarily Greek and Oriental slaves, offered their services for two to eight asses (a cup of wine cost one). The building has two floors: the upper floor housed the owners and slaves, while the lower floor contained five rooms, each with a built-in bed, arranged along a corridor connecting the two ground-floor entrances. The rooms were separated by curtains. At the end of the corridor, under the stairwell, there is a latrine. The walls of the central corridor feature small erotic paintings that informed customers of the activities available. The lupanar derives its name from the Latin word “lupa,” meaning prostitute.

  • Forum - The Civil Forum was the hub of daily life in the city, surrounded by the main public buildings for city administration, justice, business, and commerce. Initially, the Forum square was a simple open area of irregular shape with rammed earth, with the Sanctuary of Apollo on the western side and a row of shops on the eastern side. The Forum underwent significant changes between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., becoming a regularized square surrounded by arcades and paved with tuff slabs. The square’s axis aligned with the facade of the Temple of Jupiter, in line with Vesuvius. In the early imperial age, the Forum was repaved with travertine slabs; some of these slabs, no longer in their original positions, have recesses for bronze letters that were part of a large inscription.

  • Lupanar - Throughout the Roman era, brothels were designated for mercenary sexual pleasure, essentially serving as houses of tolerance. Some of these establishments are still visible in the ruins of ancient Pompeii.

  • Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane) - The Stabian Baths are a Roman-era thermal complex, buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 and later rediscovered during the archaeological excavations of ancient Pompeii. It is the oldest building of its kind in the city.

What's Included
  • Time Machine
  • Authorized local guide
  • Entry tickets
What's Not Included
  • Tip / tip
Location
Via Villa dei Misteri, 3
Via Villa dei Misteri
A few meters from the Villa dei Misteri train station and close to the motorway exit, it is easy to find the Zeus camping car park, an excellent meeting point near the entrance to the excavations.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(33 Ratings)
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Luigigi9214cs
Jul 30, 2024
Great Tour of Pompeji - Tour Guide Gennaro did a great job, highly recommend. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Gennaro is able to bring you back into ancient times.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cameron_w
Apr 5, 2024
Gennaro is great! - Gennaro was an incredible guide! He was friendly and funny and he knows his stuff. My brother and I loved Pompeii and it wouldn’t have been nearly as good without him.
Review provided by Viator
Nathan_r
Feb 9, 2024
Tour of Pompei - We had an amazing tour experience of Pompei! Anna was very patient - waiting for us for over 20 minutes (due to issues with navigating with trains), and was really knowledgable and took time to connect with us while explaining the history behind the stunning ruins. I could not recommend her or this touring service enough!
Review provided by Viator
J9063tlgiuseppev
Jan 11, 2024
Pompeii excavations - With the guide Gennaro it was like reliving the Roman era, very knowledgeable and very helpful. Highly recommended!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X4547favincenzom
Oct 9, 2023
Wonderful tours - Wonderful visit and compliments to Gennaro for the accurate explanation of the archaeological park of Pompeii
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bonnie_k
May 30, 2023
Great Pompei tour! - The tour was very good and informative. Our guide was great and we were very happy with this choice for a tour. Communication prior to your about meeting place was incorrect and confusing, so we were almost late.
Review provided by Viator
Nivedhas2017
May 9, 2023
A step into ancient Pompeii - Most amazing guide and experience! So very helpful in helping us organise the day. Fun and interactive and genuinely wants to show the amazing Pompeii around. Friendly and approachable and popular local figure! Cannot recommend him enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashley_l
Nov 1, 2023
Scam! Seriously do yourself a favor and do not use them! - THEY NEVER SHOWED UP TWICE! They kept accepting bookings and didn’t notify anyone that Pompeii was closed due to weather and never refunded!! Scam
Review provided by Viator
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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