Your morning in Pompeii begins at Porta Marina, the ancient city’s main entrance. As you walk the original Roman streets, you’ll discover the Forum, the bustling heart of city life. Here, the Temple of Apollo stands with its elegant columns, while the nearby Basilica showcases Roman civic architecture. The House of the Faun, Pompeii’s largest private residence, amazes visitors with its size and once-colorful frescoes. The equally impressive House of the Vettii preserves some of the finest wall paintings, showing scenes from mythology and daily life.
Don’t miss the Lupanar, the city’s ancient brothel with its preserved frescoes, or the numerous thermopolia – the Roman equivalent of fast-food restaurants. The bath complexes – Stabian, Forum, and Central – reveal sophisticated heating systems and social customs. The Large Theater and nearby Odeon (Small Theater) help you imagine ancient entertainment, while the amphitheater at the city’s edge could hold thousands of spectators.
Perhaps most moving are the plaster casts of victims, frozen in their final moments, and the Garden of the Fugitives, showing citizens’ desperate attempts to escape the eruption. The Villa of the Mysteries, just outside the main city, features an extraordinary series of frescoes depicting mysterious ritual ceremonies.
In the afternoon, at Naples’ Archaeological Museum, you’ll see Pompeii’s finest treasures in their restored glory. The Alexander Mosaic, originally from the House of the Faun, depicts Alexander the Great in battle with stunning detail. The museum’s Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Cabinet) houses erotic artifacts from Pompeii’s brothels and villas, offering insights into Roman attitudes toward sexuality.
The museum’s Pompeii collection includes delicate glass vessels, bronze statues, and everyday objects like jewelry, cooking utensils, and surgical instruments, all preserved by Vesuvius’s ash. The Farnese Collection adds context with its magnificent classical sculptures, including the massive Farnese Bull and the imposing Farnese Hercules.
You’ll also find an extensive collection of frescoes removed from Pompeii’s walls for preservation, showing vibrant colors that have faded at the archaeological site. The Temple of Isis artifacts demonstrate how Egyptian culture influenced Roman religious life.
Best visiting times:
Pompeii: 8:30-12:30 (4 hours)
Museum: 13:30-16:30 (3 hours)
Total duration: Full day (8-9 hours)
Professional guides at both locations can provide deeper insights into these remarkable sites, helping you understand the connections between the ruins and their preserved treasures.