Travel Diary

Visiting the Ancient City of Pompeii, Italy

I cannot believe I finally ticked Pompeii off my bucket list, a place I have dreamed of visiting for years! Pompeii was nothing as I envisioned and far better, the size of the ancient city (which should have been obvious since it was in fact a city) was astonishing and far larger than I had anticipated. Plus the amount that still stands and the detail in some of the old villas was incredible to be able to witness with my own eyes.

Naples – Pompeii

The journey to Pompeii from Naples was relatively easy after asking multiple people directions and how to use the ‘underground’ to Pompeii. The entrance to the underground is not well signposted (at least for me) in the central train station, but after asking for assistance at the ticket counter, follow the mass of people and you will manage! Make sure to look up the timings of the trains to and from Pompeii, along with how many stops, it is easy once on the train and there are frequent trains but this makes the journey smoother.

At least the café there had vegan croissants, which I ended up going back for the next day for more (hint: where I took this photo). There are two entrances to Pompeii which are accessible via train, but this does not really matter but make sure to plan this in advance to stop confusion over train stops.

Tickets

Queues for tickets are often long so prepare in advance, and I would recommend either a guided tour or an audio tour. I did neither and seriously regret this, as there are little to no signs throughout the ancient ruins, except in the museum. Whilst walking around, I overheard some parts from tour guides, but overall I wondered around and took in the sights and tried to picture what life would have been like in the busy city.

Here’s a link to book a ticket to Pompeii with an audio guide: https://gyg.me/E3dtuGpN

I would recommend visiting outside of the summer months due to the sweltering heat, as there is little shade and breeze, as well as lots of crowds. However, it is still enjoyable, but be sure to bring lots of water and a fan would be advisable. I visited during the 2023 heatwave that swept over Europe and in particular Italy, which made it far worse than normal. Walking around Pompeii felt like Mount Vesuvius had erupted again and covered me in lava.

There is a café in the centre of the ruins to top up on cold drinks and sit down, but the inside was not much cooler than outside. Throughout the city, there are lots of fountains to top up water bottles for free. Despite the heat it was an incredible experience, just slightly more uncomfortable than normal.

Inside Pompeii

What is left of the ancient city is incredible, from the remains of pillars and buildings to statues and art that covers the walls. In the house of Loreius Tiburtinus, some of the walls have been preserved which show the intricate details of plants, birds, and statues. The beautiful blues and greens shine bright amongst the bland remains of the rest of the city.

Similarly, the amphitheatre still remains in such great condition, not as the movie Pompeii shows, although grass covers most of the inside seating area. Unfortunately when I visited, most of this area was sectioned off as they were preparing for a concert.

One of my favourite parts to see whilst walking around was the roads, how you can still see the indents of where the carts were pulled through the streets, the wearing of the stone by their wheels.

The museum was a perfect end after walking around the city, which held statues and other pieces of art from the ancient city. This is where there are a few casings of the figures who were solidified by the explosion are kept, some real and some replicas. It was very heart breaking to see some, such as the one that included a young child. Seeing these reminded me that this effected thousands of regular people. Sometimes it is hard to sympathise or even fully picture the events as they are so long ago but also it is an event that I personally have never lived through, but to see a physical result and one so harrowing really puts it all into perspective.