The Pompeii archaeological site opens every day at 9 am; last entry is 5:30 pm from March 16 to October 14 and 3:30 pm from October 15 to March 15. The “Pompeii Express” ticket (ancient city only) costs €20, the “Pompeii Plus” €25. Entry is free on the first Sunday of every month.
Pompeii can be visited in a day from Naples, by train. This page sets out the rules of the Pompeii Archaeological Park (named tickets, entry quotas, free admission), calculates the free Sundays of 2027 and cross-checks daylight hours with the temperatures published for Naples: on this shadeless site, heat often decides the time of your visit. For the city, see our Naples travel guide.
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Pompeii: key facts
- Hours: March 16–October 14, 9 am–7 pm (last entry 5:30 pm); October 15–March 15, 9 am–5 pm (last entry 3:30 pm) (checked on 15 October 2026 on pompeiisites.org).
- Full price recorded on 15 October 2026: Pompeii Express €20; Pompeii Plus €25; 3-day multi-site ticket €30 — subject to change, check before you go.
- Booking: not compulsory according to the site, but tickets are named and the number of entries is capped.
- Closures: December 25 and January 1 (unless announced otherwise).
- Free admission: first Sunday of every month.
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on pompeiisites.org.
Tickets: official or reseller?
| Ticket (prices since January 12, 2026) | What it includes | Full | Reduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pompeii Express | Ancient city only | €20 | €2 |
| Pompeii Plus | Ancient city, suburban villas, Villa Regina, shuttle | €25 | €2 |
| 3-day multi-site | Pompeii Plus + Oplontis, Villa Arianna, Villa San Marco, Stabiae museum, Boscoreale, shuttle | €30 | €2 |
| Single site | Boscoreale, Oplontis or Stabiae museum | €8 | €2 |
| MyPompeii annual card | Unlimited entries on presentation of ID | €45 | €10 |
The official ticket is bought on the Archaeological Park’s website or at the entrance ticket offices. Guided-tour platforms sell a different product (ticket + guide): compare the price with the official rate above. Themed itineraries cost €8 on top of the ticket, free for under-10s.
Opening hours, quotas and closing days
| Period | Opens | Last entry | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 16 – October 14 | 9 am | 5:30 pm | 7 pm |
| October 15 – March 15 | 9 am | 3:30 pm | 5 pm |
Tickets are named and the site applies a cap of 20,000 entries per day. From March 16 to October 14, time-slot quotas apply as well: 15,000 entries from 9 am to 1 pm, and 5,000 from 1 pm to 5:30 pm. The satellite sites (Oplontis, Villa Arianna, Villa San Marco, Stabiae museum) are closed on Tuesdays.
Free first Sundays in 2027
The Park offers free admission on the first Sunday of every month, with direct access to the Pompeii site. Corresponding dates in 2027 (Destination de Voyage calculation):
| Month | First Sunday |
|---|---|
| January | Sunday, January 3 2027 |
| February | Sunday, February 7 2027 |
| March | Sunday, March 7 2027 |
| April | Sunday, April 4 2027 |
| May | Sunday, May 2 2027 |
| June | Sunday, June 6 2027 |
| July | Sunday, July 4 2027 |
| August | Sunday, August 1 2027 |
| September | Sunday, September 5 2027 |
| October | Sunday, October 3 2027 |
| November | Sunday, November 7 2027 |
| December | Sunday, December 5 2027 |
Best time to visit
Pompeii is an open-air site with almost no shade. Months when the mean maximum reaches at least 30 °C (86 °F) in Naples: July, August (Destination de Voyage calculation from ISPRA normals). In those months, it is better to enter at 9 am; the morning quota (15,000 entries until 1 pm) also shows that it is the most popular slot. October and November are the rainiest.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Mean max | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:24 | 16:58 | 9 h 35 | 13.4 °C (56 °F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| February | 06:56 | 17:36 | 10 h 40 | 13.9 °C (57 °F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| March | 06:14 | 18:08 | 11 h 54 | 16.4 °C (62 °F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| April | 06:23 | 19:41 | 13 h 17 | 19.4 °C (67 °F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| May | 05:45 | 20:12 | 14 h 27 | 23.6 °C (74 °F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) |
| June | 05:30 | 20:34 | 15 h 05 | 27.7 °C (82 °F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| July | 05:43 | 20:32 | 14 h 49 | 30.4 °C (87 °F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| August | 06:11 | 20:00 | 13 h 49 | 31.0 °C (88 °F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| September | 06:42 | 19:11 | 12 h 29 | 26.8 °C (80 °F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| October | 07:12 | 18:22 | 11 h 10 | 23.0 °C (73 °F) | 136 mm (5.4 in) |
| November | 06:48 | 16:44 | 9 h 56 | 18.3 °C (65 °F) | 152 mm (6.0 in) |
| December | 07:18 | 16:35 | 9 h 17 | 14.3 °C (58 °F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
What to see and suggested route
- The Forum and its temples, the centre of the ancient city.
- The baths and the patrician houses of the centre.
- The amphitheatre, near the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance.
- The Villa of the Mysteries, outside the walls, accessible with the Pompeii Plus ticket (suburban villas and shuttle).
- “Pompeii for All” route, opened in 2016 for visitors with disabilities.
The Park does not publish a visit duration. The Express ticket is enough for the ancient city; the Plus adds the suburban villas and a shuttle, which takes more time. Bring water: a first-aid post is near the Chora Café, Vicolo degli Augustali.
Getting there from Naples
- Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances: Circumvesuviana Naples–Sorrento line, Pompei Villa dei Misteri stop.
- Piazza Anfiteatro entrance: Circumvesuviana Naples–Poggiomarino line, Pompei Santuario stop.
- FS train Naples–Salerno: Pompei stop, then Pompei Link (train + bus), about 15 minutes to the park.
- By car: no car park in the park; paid municipal spaces (blue lines) and private car parks outside.
Accessibility and rules
The “Pompeii for All” route opened in December 2016 for visitors with disabilities. Small animals are allowed on a lead. Amateur photos and videos are allowed without flash or tripod; drones are prohibited without authorization.
Common mistakes (according to the official rules)
- Arriving at 4 pm in winter: last entry is 3:30 pm from October 15 to March 15.
- Forgetting that the ticket is named: it is personal; keep an ID with you.
- Visiting Oplontis or Stabiae on a Tuesday: these sites are closed that day.
- Taking the Express ticket while wanting to see the Villa of the Mysteries: it is one of the suburban villas (Pompeii Plus).
- Bringing a tripod or a drone: prohibited without authorization.
What to see nearby
Pompeii combines with Naples and the bay: see our guide to visiting Naples and our page on Capri. For the wider region, see also our Italy page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Pompeii?
Prices recorded on 15 October 2026 on pompeiisites.org: Pompeii Express €20, Pompeii Plus €25, 3-day multi-site ticket €30. Reduced rate of €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to under 25.
When is entry to Pompeii free?
On the first Sunday of every month. In 2027: January 3, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 4, August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7 and December 5 (Destination de Voyage calculation).
What are the opening hours of Pompeii?
9 am–7 pm from March 16 to October 14 (last entry 5:30 pm), 9 am–5 pm from October 15 to March 15 (last entry 3:30 pm). Closed on December 25 and January 1.
How do you get to Pompeii from Naples?
By Circumvesuviana (Naples–Sorrento line, Pompei Villa dei Misteri stop, or Naples–Poggiomarino line, Pompei Santuario stop) or by FS train Naples–Salerno to Pompei. To stay at the end of the line, see our guide to visiting Sorrento.
What is the best time to visit Pompeii?
Outside the months with a mean maximum above 30 °C (86 °F), July and August; if you come in summer, enter at 9 am.
Our sources
- Parco Archeologico di Pompei, Visiting info, Timetables and tickets and How to get there, consulted on 15 October 2026.
- ISPRA, 1991–2020 normals for Naples-Capodichino (via our Naples page).
- NOAA, solar calculation algorithm; coordinates: Wikipedia / Wikidata (Q43332).
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.