Can Pompeii be done as a self-guided tour

hi, I just booked Norwegian Epic today for first ever cruise in June 2016 in Western Med with husband and 2 teens. First stop is Naples. Wondering if it is possible to do Pompeii as a self-guided tour, and if so, where is a good place to research how to do it? Or similarly, can Vesuvius be done as self-guided and is it a good option in June or too strenuous/hot? all tips and hints v.welcome, thanks.

Lots of info available on the Italy board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

Pompeii also has the audio tours. I think it was 10 euros, IIRC. That is perhaps the easiest way to do it.

Not sure what you think is "too hot". We did it in August, on a day that wasn't too hot for us- perhaps mid 80s. But we were also in Italy (Rome/Florence/Venice areas) last year the first 15 days of June, and it was very warm- record or near record temps- 90s (100 in Florence two days) with very high humidity. Even the locals were complaining.

Yes you can do it yourself. If you are looking to do it cheaply you can walk out the cruise terminal take a 10.00 dollar taxi ride to the train station. Trains stop at the Pompeii station..

..... saw this awhile back.....

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As you walk through the big Naples cruise terminal building you will find yourself at the parking lot that connects the cruise dock area with road that runs along the Naples coastline. The city of Naples is practically just across the road.

As you step into the parking lot, you will be surrendered by the local taxi drivers looking to take you for a day trip to Sorrento Italy, Pompeii, Amalfi or Positano.

If you are looking for a taxi to take you to the Naples train station you won't find one here. What you will want to do is walk for 2-4 minutes until you reach the main road on the other side of the parking lot and catch one of the regular taxis often parked in line there.

If you're in a hurry to catch an early train, taking a taxi to the train station is a good idea. It will cost you approx. €10. Tell the taxi driver to take you to the Piazza Garibaldi Train station. This is actually the same station as the Naples Centrale Station but it's a different entrance.

To check for departure times to Pompeii Scavi, check website that covers the Circumvesuviana trains' timetables in Campania.

this entrance will take you directly to the tracks that serve the Circumvesuviana line, the one you need to take if you want to get to Pompeii Scavi- Villa Misteri station in Pompeii, the one right across the street from the entrance to the archaeological site of Pompeii. You don't want to waste your time taking one of the Trenitalia trains which stop at the station on the other side of Pompeii.

•Naples to Pompeii - Walking to the train station: not recommended at all. The part of Naples you would be walking through is a bit shady, if wouldn't be a very relaxed walk.

•Naples to Pompeii - Taking a tram or a local bus to the train station: on the main road, in front of the cruise terminal building, there is both a tram and a local bus stop. Take either one's number 1 to be dropped off at the Piazza Garibaldi train station in approx. 5-10 minutes.

At the Piazza Garibaldi Naples train station you will buy your Circumvesuviana line ticket to Pompeii. The cost will be anywhere between €1.80 and €3.20 for one way ticket per person.

To get from Naples to Pompeii or Hercualneum, check the departure board for trains to Sorrento (Pompeii Scavi-Villa Misteri and Herculaneum/Ercolano are one of the stops on the way to Sorrento) and go to the indicated track/binnario.

It takes about 17 mins. to reach Hercualneum/Ercolano and about 35 mins. to reach the Pompeii Scavi stop.

As you get off the train at Pompeii Scavi, you will be only about 50 metres (164 feet) away from he entrance to the archaeological site. There will be a few restaurants/cafes along the way there where you can have your first morning espresso or freshen up with some lemon granita! The food is quite pricey here so you would be better off planning your lunch somewhere else.

RELATED ARTICLES:

•VISITING POMPEII - NAPLES TO POMPEII FROM THE CRUISE DOCK

•A CRUISER'S DAY IN THE LOST CITY OF POMPEII

CRUISE POMPEII ARTICLES TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Searching for naples to pompeii?

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Absolutely. We did it by ourselves.

Best bet is to get Rick Steves's book Med Cruise Ports. It gives great directions for getting to/for Pompeii and also for touring the site

There's a bus service that departs for Pompeii from very close to the cruise port. Scheduled times are less frequent than the trains but it is easier if the timing works for you.

As already noted, come over to the Italy Ports of Call board here on CC where we discuss things like this daily. ;)

Warning -- Pompeii is a huge site, so do bring a guidebook and/or get the audioguide and also a good idea to spring for the big map in the shop at the entrance.

If you ask at the Information desk, you can also get a free booklet with descriptions of most of the key buildings and houses.

I was amazed the size of Pompeii. I did not expect that.

We had a guide and we felt it worth it. You can do it alone but I was happy we had a guide. We got so much out of our visit.

As mentioned by another poster, get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports. He will tell you how to get to Pompeii on your own. Sometimes the cruise line will offer an excursion that is 'transfer only' to the site, and you do your own tour. Go to Rick Steves' website and download free audio tours for ipod/mp3, and print out maps to go with them. He also has tours for Venice, Rome, Florence...EM

Yes, you can do Pompeii on your own, but you should research it first so you have an idea of the layout and can plan your trip. You should get a good current map of the site. I'm not sure what OP meant by Vesuvius as an option - it is just a mountain - but Herculaneum is an alternate - I do not think doing both in one day is a good idea. Yes, it will be hot -- bring, and drink, a fair amount of water - and wear shady hats and sunblock.

Pompeii is worth half a day at most. Go early in the morning while it is still cool and beat the cruise ship crowds and spend the rest of the day on the Amalfi coast - go to Positano and Sorrento. Buy pottery (allocate about $1000 for this and have it mailed to your home - buy an oil and vinegar set, as well as serving pieces, fountains, tables.) Buy lemon cello. See the coast - they say "See Naples and die." This is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Don't waste all your time in Pompeii. Drink in the beauty of the Amalfi coast. It is spectacular. Honestly, while I enjoyed about 2 hours in Pompeii, I wouldn't bother with it again.

Vesuvius is the still active volcano that destroyed Pompeii. It is across the bay from Naples. But active volcanos are no big deal. They exist all over our planet. If you are dying to see a really cool volcano, go to St. Lucia where there is a volcano you can drive into. The better place to go from Port of Naples would be Capri and the Blue Grotto or go to the royal palaces in Naples. Vesuvius is not worth your time and the expense to get there. It's just a volcano.

I was amazed the size of Pompeii. I did not expect that.

 

We had a guide and we felt it worth it. You can do it alone but I was happy we had a guide. We got so much out of our visit.

I have to agree. Yes, it was more money because we paid for a personal guide. I can tell you that without that we would never ever have gotten out of it what we did. In my case my mother is hard of hearing and the guide spoke directly into her ear and held on firmly to her so she didn't trip. On the other hand, each and every question we had was answered, we squeezed by other groups and whizzed past people. We paid 100 Euros for our guide. She spent at least 2 hours with us. Each and every silly question was answered, we knew what we were seeing without wasting time looking things up along with not only the knowledge of what we were seeing the the passion behind the guide sharing with us.. Looking back at the experience we had and the money I spent I would do it again in a heartbeat. The passion of our guide added tons to our visit. Personal info and experience can't always be found in downloaded information.

I was actually stunned to find out that my mother (80 at the time) found this to be the most interesting aspect of the whole cruise.

I guess the question is: how many times do you plan to be back there? Is it really worth the 100 plus bucks to NOT get the most out of this unique experience? For the cost of a dinner out in the US - you can personalize and make one of the world's most special locations in the entire world a memorable and unforgettable experience.

I live on a budget but sometimes the penny wise pound foolish thing applies.

I find it interesting that everyone has their own slant on advice for the OP. :D

Personally I've spent two FULL days at Pompeii on one trip and it wasn't enough. Two hours would be just a tease -- you'd only get to see the "standard" sites, which are not necessarily the best ones....

And I am sure I got much more out of the months I spent researching it and putting together my notes on the site than I would have from a guided tour (from which I might remember, at best, half of what they said).

It's great that everyone has such a different perspective. The OP knows best what sort of planner and sightseer they are.

P.S. I'd rather have my toenails pulled out than spend time shopping for pottery on the Amalfi Coast. To paraphrase SuiteTraveler, it's just pottery, and you can find it (imported from Italy) in many places. But you can't find a Pompeii or a Herculaneum anywhere else....

Biggest mistake our group made first time we went to Pompei was not having a guide.

The second time we went we got the guide - easily worth the money. We saw so much more and learnt a whole lot more than the first time.

I find it interesting that everyone has their own slant on advice for the OP. :D

 

Personally I've spent two FULL days at Pompeii on one trip and it wasn't enough. Two hours would be just a tease -- you'd only get to see the "standard" sites, which are not necessarily the best ones....

 

And I am sure I got much more out of the months I spent researching it and putting together my notes on the site than I would have from a guided tour (from which I might remember, at best, half of what they said).

 

It's great that everyone has such a different perspective. The OP knows best what sort of planner and sightseer they are.

 

P.S. I'd rather have my toenails pulled out than spend time shopping for pottery on the Amalfi Coast. To paraphrase SuiteTraveler, it's just pottery, and you can find it (imported from Italy) in many places. But you can't find a Pompeii or a Herculaneum anywhere else....

Thank you for this post - you saved me from having to (hopefully politely) comment on the suggestion that, after half a day seeing a fraction of Pompeii, it would be a good investment of time to spend it buying tourist crap; and the comment that Vesuvius is an "active volcano" -- it is an inactive volcano - meaning that, until something happens, it is just a barren mountain.

Thank you for this post - you saved me from having to (hopefully politely) comment on the suggestion that, after half a day seeing a fraction of Pompeii, it would be a good investment of time to spend it buying tourist crap; and the comment that Vesuvius is an "active volcano" -- it is an inactive volcano - meaning that, until something happens, it is just a barren mountain.

I did mean to add that I realize my approach (in terms of preparing for a site like Pompeii) isn't something everyone wants to do and a guide isn't a bad idea for someone who has just a casual interest.

However, I do find the guides take people to the most convenient places, not necessarily the best spots in Pompeii. (Missing the Villa of the Mysteries, for example, is a crime....and most 2-hour tours do not get there.)

I did mean to add that I realize my approach (in terms of preparing for a site like Pompeii) isn't something everyone wants to do and a guide isn't a bad idea for someone who has just a casual interest.

 

However, I do find the guides take people to the most convenient places, not necessarily the best spots in Pompeii. (Missing the Villa of the Mysteries, for example, is a crime....and most 2-hour tours do not get there.)

Can I go with you the next time you go?:)

I find it interesting that everyone has their own slant on advice for the OP. :D

 

Personally I've spent two FULL days at Pompeii on one trip and it wasn't enough. Two hours would be just a tease -- you'd only get to see the "standard" sites, which are not necessarily the best ones....

 

And I am sure I got much more out of the months I spent researching it and putting together my notes on the site than I would have from a guided tour (from which I might remember, at best, half of what they said).

 

It's great that everyone has such a different perspective. The OP knows best what sort of planner and sightseer they are.

 

P.S. I'd rather have my toenails pulled out than spend time shopping for pottery on the Amalfi Coast. To paraphrase SuiteTraveler, it's just pottery, and you can find it (imported from Italy) in many places. But you can't find a Pompeii or a Herculaneum anywhere else....

Once again, Cruisemom has nailed it… But, I'll disagree on the pottery: Ceramics actually made in Sorrento is different from ceramics made in Deruta or Orvieto, or Montelupo - each area has a unique method and styling. There is history to each place and style. Sure, you can buy any of the pieces anywhere, but like the days spent at Pompei vs 2 hours, I research my pottery/ceramics to know what I want to buy. One of my favorite souvenirs to bring home is a drawer knob done in the style of the towns I've visited - my drawers and cupboards in my kitchen and pantry have all these pulls!! To me, it's not just pottery ;)

Thanks so much everyone for all the detailed advice, I will take it all on board (except maybe the 'spend €1000 on pottery' bit - if budget would stretch to that I wouldn't be asking about DIY tours!) Thanks again everyone.

We all have different tastes and interests. While most of us travel Europe to see the highlights of history, art, culture, antiquities etc some are more interested in the Cathedrals, the Palaces, the Natural History Museums, others are more interested in WWII history and love the British War Museum,,,,,,,, others do months of study of archeological digs. Some of us want to see the high points of certain sites and an overview broadens our horizons but we don't feel the need to study every inch. Others want to immerse themselves in the dig and that is outstanding.

I want to eat paella prepared the way the people of Spain cook it, not the way some U.S. cook writes the recipe. I want to eat pizza in Naples and pasta all over Italy. I never ate grilled salmon until I had it on the beach in Marbella. Now is my choice for 'last meal'. :) I want to hear languages spoken by those to whom it is native, I want to see the art, the fountains, the small churches, the magnificent Basilica and Cathedrals, the Mona Lisa and Winged Victory..... I want to shop in Gucci on via Condotti. I don't want to write a thesis paper.

Pick what works for you. See what you love. Stop and shop if that is what you want. There is no exam at the end of your cruise to see if you learned enough, studied hard enough, walked miles enough. It's a vacation and it is YOUR vacation to do your way. There is No wrong.

DO NOT go to Pompeii without a guide. The little bit you pay an knowledgable guide is well worth the money. A good guide will make the site come alive for you. we spent half a day there and I would go back and spend several days just in Pompeii - but that's my thing. We did a tour with I think Italy in limo which went to Pompeii and also sorrento and down the amalfi coast. We set it up with others on the cruise critic roll call and it was awesome. Only 8 of us so we had personal attention but it was also quite reasonably priced compared to the ship excursions.

Get a guide! You will be glad you did. I mean really, how many times do you get to take your kids to Pompeii? Maximize the experience!

@slidergirl (since the quote function doesn't seem to work for me at present....)

It's a funny thing. I am not even interested in ANCIENT pottery, let alone modern. It's the one section in an archaeology museum that I can generally just pass right by.... :D

@slidergirl (since the quote function doesn't seem to work for me at present....)

 

It's a funny thing. I am not even interested in ANCIENT pottery, let alone modern. It's the one section in an archaeology museum that I can generally just pass right by.... :D

I went with a friend of mine a few years ago to Italy. She was studying ceramics and learning how to throw her own. Her instructor gave us a ceramics school in Montelupo to visit. Next door was a small ceramics "factory" and the nice gentleman who owned it welcomed us in. He talked to us about the different types and the ones he and his daughter did. It did get me interested more than I was before. I wish I had 1000EU to spend on Italian ceramics!!! I can only look and drool. I could go through that much money in about 15 minutes in certain shops (why I MUST stay away from Orvieto).

We are lucky. We have had the luxury of spending copious amounts of time in Italy rather than the quickie few hour stop that cruisers have to do. So, while I have my addiction to ceramics and architectural features, I won't begrudge someone who can only spend a few minutes at a site that I want to spend hours or days visiting.

Yes, I spend time in the ceramics/pottery section in museums ;)