In our opinion, Mount Vesuvius and the archaeological site of Pompeii are two must-see attractions when visiting Naples. They are about 25 kilometers apart, so it’s entirely possible to visit Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii in a single day, provided you book your tickets and plan your itinerary in advance.
We spent a lot of time planning our trip to the Naples area. In this article, we’ve compiled everything you need to know to visit both sites on the same day: the order of the visits, tickets, how to get there by car or public transportation, parking, and how much time to allow for each site.
Where are Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii located?
Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii are located southeast of Naples, on either side of the volcano.
To give you an idea of distances:
- The center of Naples is about 22 kilometers from the Vesuvius parking lot;
- The parking lot at Vesuvius is about 25 kilometers from the archaeological site of Pompeii.
Practical information
Everything you need to know to plan your visit.
- Mount Vesuvius: Plan on spending 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours there. The last admission is at 3:00 p.m. in January, February, November, and December; 4:00 p.m. in March and October; 5:00 p.m. in April, May, June, and September; and 6:00 p.m. in July and August.
- Pompeii: Plan on spending at least 3 hours there. The site opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. from October 15 to March 15, and at 7 p.m. from March 16 to October 14. Last admission is at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
- Vesuvius: Tickets are available only online. The official full price is €11.68, including booking fees. You can also book a ticket that includes an audio guide in French.
- Pompeii: The Express ticket costs €20, the Plus ticket €25, and the three-day pass €30. You can book a ticket that includes an audio guide or a guided tour in French led by an archaeologist.
- Combined Package: This tour of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii from Naples includes transportation and admission fees.
- By car: Parking at the Vésuve must be reserved online. It costs €7 per car for up to 4 hours.
- Between the parking lot and the trail: the municipal shuttle costs €1 each way. You can also walk the 1.8 kilometers in about 30 minutes.
- By public transportation: The Circumvesuviana train runs from Naples to Pompei Scavi. The EAV 808 bus then connects Pompeii to the Vesuvius terminus on a seasonal schedule.
How to visit both sites in 1 day?
There are two options available to you, depending on your budget and the level of organization you want.
By car or public transport
You can rent a car or take a combination of the Circumvesuviana train and the EAV 808 bus. In either case, we recommend spending the morning at Mount Vesuvius and the afternoon in Pompeii.
Afterwards, you can choose to sleep in Pompeii or return to sleep in Naples. We explain everything below.
One-Day Day Trip to Vesuvius and Pompeii from Naples
Schedule for the day :
- Morning: Guided tour of the archaeological site of Pompeii, lasting about 2 hours. French-speaking guides are available on certain departures;
- Lunch: pizza and a drink included;
- Afternoon: about 1 hour and 30 minutes at Mount Vesuvius to hike up to the crater, enjoy the designated viewing areas, and hike back down;
- End of the day: Return to Naples.
The ticket for this combined tour includes transportation, admission to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, a tour guide, and lunch.
This package saves you the trouble of arranging connections and buying each ticket separately. Having a guide in Pompeii also helps you better understand the site, thanks to their explanations and anecdotes.
We’ll discuss this further below: a guided tour is especially helpful in Pompeii, where there are many ruins but relatively few informational signs.
We were surprised by how few informational signs there were at both sites, even though Pompeii welcomes several million visitors each year.
Ideal Itinerary
If you’re planning the tours on your own, start with Mount Vesuvius and spend the rest of the day in Pompeii.
Morning
Climbing Mount Vesuvius
Start as early as possible; ideally, arrive when the site opens.
More details →Climb up to the crater of Vesuvius
Allow 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours to reach the crater rim, enjoy the designated viewing spots, and make your way back down. Add the time it takes to walk from the parking lot—located at an elevation of 800 meters—to the trailhead.
Get to Pompeii
Allow about 40 minutes by car, traffic permitting, or about 55 minutes on the EAV 808 bus. Plan enough time to have lunch and reach your chosen entrance.
Eating near the entrance
There are many restaurants around Pompeii. Depending on how much time you have, you can grab a quick bite or take a break at a restaurant.
Afternoon
Discover Pompeii
It’s a packed day, but it’s doable if you book your tickets and transportation in advance.
More details →Visit the main landmarks of Pompeii
Set aside at least 3 hours to explore the archaeological site at a leisurely pace along a specific route. A more thorough exploration can easily take half a day.
Stay overnight in Pompeii or return to Naples
Stay in Pompeii if you’re continuing on to Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast. Return to Naples if you need easy access to the train station, the port, or the airport.
If you’re planning this day trip on your own, we recommend that you carefully plan your itinerary in Pompeii so you can see as many buildings as possible in just a few hours.
Vesuvius: in the morning
We recommend starting your day with Mount Vesuvius. The tour is shorter, and leaving early in the morning limits your exposure to the heat in the summer. You can then spend the rest of the day in Pompeii.
Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano currently in a dormant phase, has had a profound impact on the region’s history. Today, the Gran Cono trail leads to the edge of the crater.
The climb is short but steep: expect a 30- to 45-minute ascent on a wide, steep trail covered with small gravel. Once at the crater’s rim, the designated trail offers several viewpoints overlooking the interior of the volcano and the Bay of Naples. It is not possible to walk all the way around the crater.
How to get to Vesuvius from Naples?
- By car: If you’ve rented a car in Naples, expect about a 40-minute drive, traffic permitting. As we explain in our guide to Naples and the surrounding area, driving in the city center can be hectic. The Vesuvius parking lot is located along the road, at an elevation of about 800 meters. It must be reserved on the parking lot’s website and costs €7 per car for up to 4 hours. A municipal shuttle then takes you to the trailhead for €1 per ride. You can also walk the 1.8 kilometers in about 30 minutes.
- Public transportation: From Napoli Garibaldi, take the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri, then take the EAV 808 Pompei – Vesuvio bus. The bus reaches the Vesuvius terminus in about 55 minutes. Schedules vary by season: Be sure to check the EAV schedule before departure and make sure the bus aligns with your admission time slot.
Where to buy tickets for Vesuvius?
Please note: Tickets for the Gran Cono are sold exclusively online. There is no ticket office at the trailhead.
Here are the different options:
- Ticket for Mount Vesuvius with an audio guide in French: Choose your time slot online and book well in advance, especially in the spring, summer, and during school breaks.
- If individual tickets are no longer available, you can check for remaining spots on a tour that includes transportation from Naples or Pompeii. This package includes transportation and park admission.
Our tips for visiting Vesuvius
We have written a complete article following our visit to Vesuvius. We have put together all our tips (buying a ticket, parking, hiking trails on a map…) and we explain the mistakes you should not make if you go by yourself.
- Buy your ticket before boarding. Without a reservation, you will not be able to access the trail, even if you have already paid for parking. A small number of last-minute tickets are made available online one hour before each time slot, with no guarantee of availability.
- Download your tickets before you arrive, as cell service may be weak at the entrance.
- Be sure to bring sturdy shoes, water, and an extra layer, as the trail is steep, the ground can be slippery, and it’s often cooler near the crater rim.
Pompeii: the afternoon
Pompeii is a Roman archaeological site listed as aUNESCO World Heritage Site. This prosperous city was buried under pumice and ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.
Visiting Pompeii provides insight into the layout of a Roman city. The ruins are remarkably well-preserved: homes, thermal baths, an amphitheater, shops, and religious buildings come together to form a vast complex.
As part of this combined day trip, we recommend that you spend at least 3 hours in Pompeii. That’s enough time to follow a specific itinerary, but not enough to see the entire site.
This is a wonderful outing for the whole family. We recommend hiring an archaeologist guide to help the children find their way around and understand daily life in the Roman city.
How to get to Pompeii from Vesuvius?
- Car: If you’ve rented a car, allow about 40 minutes for the drive from the Vesuvius parking lot to Pompeii, assuming there’s no traffic.
- Bus: The EAV 808 Pompei–Vesuvio line connects the Vesuvius terminus to Pompei Scavi–Villa dei Misteri and Piazza Anfiteatro in about 55 minutes. Schedules vary by season. To reach the site quickly, get off at Piazza Anfiteatro or Villa dei Misteri, depending on your chosen schedule.
How to get to Naples from Pompeii?
- Car: We drove to the site in our rental car. There are several private paid parking lots available near the entrances. There may be a few free parking spaces further away, but availability is not guaranteed.
- Train: Take the Circumvesuviana from the Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri station, a few minutes’ walk from Porta Marina. The trip to Napoli Garibaldi takes about 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the service. The Napoli Centrale station is directly connected to Napoli Garibaldi.
Where can you buy tickets for Pompeii?
Visitor traffic is particularly heavy from spring through fall and during school vacations. We recommend purchasing an admission ticket to Pompeii with an audio guide in advance. Tickets are non-transferable, and the park limits daily admissions to 20,000.
As of January 12, 2026, a Pompeii Express ticket costs €20, a Pompeii Plus ticket costs €25, and a three-day pass costs €30, not including any booking fees.
There are 3 types of tickets to visit Pompeii:
- The Pompeii Express ticket, €20: admission to the ancient city, excluding the suburban villas;
- The “Pompeii Plus” ticket, €25: the ancient city, the Villa of the Mysteries, the Villa of Diomedes, the Villa Regina, and the Antiquarium of Boscoreale, with a shuttle bus between the sites;
- The three-day pass, €30: Pompeii Plus, Oplontis, the villas of Stabiae, the Archaeological Museum of Stabiae, and Boscoreale, with one admission to each site over three days.
The reduced rate is €2 for European Union citizens between the ages of 18 and 24. Find out about free admission eligibility and hours on the official Pompeii website, or book a ticket with an audio guide in French.
Our tips for visiting Pompeii
We’ve put together a guide for visiting Pompeii in one day, including our itinerary for seeing the main sights. Here are the key tips to keep in mind:
- Plan your route in advance, as the site is huge. Our tour takes in the main public buildings—including the baths, shops, and theaters—as well as religious structures and several homes where the decorative elements are still visible.
- Before your visit, watch the documentary “C’est pas sorcier: Pompeii.” It helped us understand the city’s layout more quickly once we got there.
- If possible, book a guided tour of Pompeii with an archaeologist. This tour lasts about 2 hours and helps you better understand the ruins, since there are few informational signs.
- Be sure to bring enough water and some snacks. There are water fountains along the way, but during our visit, some of them weren’t working, and we ran out of water halfway through the hike.
- Bring a small backpack. Luggage larger than 30 × 30 × 15 cm is not allowed on the premises.
- To round out the tour, numerous artifacts and frescoes found in Pompeii are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
- On the first Sunday of every month, admission is free. Expect large crowds, and be sure to check the access guidelines before you come.
Find out more in our complete guide to Pompeii.
Where to sleep?
Garibaldi Rooms, near Naples Central Station
In Naples, we’ve highlighted the most interesting neighborhoods, the ones to avoid, and our top recommendations in our guide to finding a place to stay in Naples.
We recommend Garibaldi Rooms. The location is convenient, right next to the central train station and the airport shuttle stop. The historic center is within easy walking distance. We stayed there for three peaceful nights.
Feel free to leave us a quick note or a 5-star rating below to let us know if you’re planning this day, or to ask any questions here or on Instagram. We’ll be happy to respond.
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