Frequently asked questions

Yes — please PRINT your ticket on A4 paper before you arrive. After payment you'll receive a payment receipt by email, then within 2 hours a second email with your official entry ticket attached as a PDF. Pompeii's barcode turnstiles do not reliably read phone screens, so print one A4 page per visitor (colour if possible — the page can be folded in four to fit the scanner). Each ticket admits one person and carries that visitor's name printed on it, so every member of your party must bring their own printed page.

Priority entry through any of the three main gates (Porta Marina, Piazza Anfiteatro, or Piazza Esedra) bypassing the general queue, plus full access to the 66-hectare archaeological park — including the open houses, the Villa of the Mysteries, the Forum, the amphitheatre, the Lupanare, and the body-cast displays. Under-18s are free at the gate; the family tier just bundles the paperwork.

Minimum 4 hours for the headline sights walking at a reasonable pace. A full day (6–8 hours) if you want to actually see the Villa of the Mysteries, the amphitheatre, and the Lupanare without rushing. Factor in 8–10 km of walking on uneven basalt streets.

Both, if you have the days. Pompeii is huge and chaotic — the experience is scale. Herculaneum is smaller, richer, and better preserved (wood, not just stone). The combo ticket (valid 3 consecutive days) saves a queue and most visitors who do both choose it.

Summer weekend queues at Porta Marina can hit 60–90 minutes at midday. And there's almost no shade inside — Pompeii's streets were designed for Roman summer, which means pale stone and minimal trees. Start at 09:00 opening. Bring 2L water per person, a hat, sunscreen. Skip-the-line cuts the queue to under 5 minutes.

The Villa of the Mysteries (for the frescoes, at the west edge of the park — easy to skip by accident), the Forum with Vesuvius behind it, the House of the Faun, the amphitheatre (oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre, 70 BC), and the body casts at the Granai del Foro. The Lupanare if that's your taste.

Tickets are issued for a specific date and are non-transferable once issued. If your plans change, reply to your confirmation email at least 48 hours before your date and we will rebook your visit to any open slot in the operator's calendar.

Yes — kids 8+ tend to get gripped by the body casts, the Lupanare (handle that conversation in advance), the amphitheatre, and the 'frozen in time' scale. The walking is serious (8–10 km) and the heat in summer is real. Under-18s are free at the gate.

Tickets are issued for a specific date and are non-transferable once issued. If your plans change, reply to your confirmation email at least 48 hours before your date and we will rebook your visit to any open slot in the operator's calendar.