Pompeii - Guide Or No Guide?

[Andym]

Are the lines long to get into Pompei? I have maps and I've read up on the site, not sure if we'll hire a guide yet but definitely will get the headsets. We are only two people so maybe we'll be approached to help fill in a group.

 

The lines are not very long, maybe 5 minutes at the most.

[Andym]

We are planning on taking train from Naples (RCL Legend of Seas 6/26) to Pompeii. Do you pay your entrance fee and look for a guide? Do you join a (like speaking) group or must you hire your own guide? Or must you arrange in advance? How does this work?

 

Thank-you.

 

You pay your enrty fee at the booth, pick up your free map and guide book and then you will see the official guides gathering groups together. You can't miss them. if in doubt, they all have badges on, ask.

[texancruzer]

You pay your enrty fee at the booth, pick up your free map and guide book and then you will see the official guides gathering groups together. You can't miss them. if in doubt, they all have badges on, ask.

 

Bear in mind that there is an extra cost for the guides. The entry fee does not include a guide.

 

Italy licenses all their guides for sites such as Pompeii. A licensed guide will have a badge so make sure the one you use has one.

[cujosmom]

I live in Pompeii and I see many wrong things in the tourism world inside the Ruines of Pompeii....I think the best way to enjoy the archeological site is to pay the normal ticket and visit as much more you can see...without any guide ( because they show you Pompeii only a few things ) they always let you miss something very nice as: Ercole Gardens, Gladiators Locanda,House of Europe Ship...I think the best way to visit Pompeii is to go by your own and take easy!!! Remember that you have to have a FREE map when you pay entrance!!! ALWAYS!!!! I live in Pompei,if you need any information,please,keep in touch with me!!! I suggest to go to visit also the new Pompeii town...it's very charming!!!

 

Deeply Italian - The last time we cruised to Naples, we had a private guide who took us down the coast in the morning and then to Pompeii in the afternoon (around 3 PM) and it was practically deserted which was great for picture taking. Our guide did not take us through Pompeii, we just wandered around ourselves and it WAS very enjoyable.

 

This trip, we are thinking of taking the train to Pompeii and visting Pompeii only. Would it be better for us to wait until late morning or early afternoon to go as the crowds will have thinned out by then? By the way, we won't be there until late November so maybe won't be as crowded as in the summer???

 

Also, how far is it to the ruins when you take the train? Is it within walking distance from the train station or will we need to take a taxi?

 

Also, one last question: Can you give me an idea of what the weather might be like the last week of November as far as clothing is concerned?

 

I appreciate you coming on this thread and giving us information from a local's perspective.

[scanr]

Deeply Italian - The last time we cruised to Naples, we had a private guide who took us down the coast in the morning and then to Pompeii in the afternoon (around 3 PM) and it was practically deserted which was great for picture taking. Our guide did not take us through Pompeii, we just wandered around ourselves and it WAS very enjoyable.

 

This trip, we are thinking of taking the train to Pompeii and visting Pompeii only. Would it be better for us to wait until late morning or early afternoon to go as the crowds will have thinned out by then? By the way, we won't be there until late November so maybe won't be as crowded as in the summer???

 

Also, how far is it to the ruins when you take the train? Is it within walking distance from the train station or will we need to take a taxi?

 

Also, one last question: Can you give me an idea of what the weather might be like the last week of November as far as clothing is concerned?

 

I appreciate you coming on this thread and giving us information from a local's perspective.

All your questions except weather in Nov. (Weather.com) have been answered in detail several times.

[cujosmom]

Read the thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by cujosmom

Deeply Italian - The last time we cruised to Naples, we had a private guide who took us down the coast in the morning and then to Pompeii in the afternoon (around 3 PM) and it was practically deserted which was great for picture taking. Our guide did not take us through Pompeii, we just wandered around ourselves and it WAS very enjoyable.

 

This trip, we are thinking of taking the train to Pompeii and visting Pompeii only. Would it be better for us to wait until late morning or early afternoon to go as the crowds will have thinned out by then? By the way, we won't be there until late November so maybe won't be as crowded as in the summer???

 

Also, how far is it to the ruins when you take the train? Is it within walking distance from the train station or will we need to take a taxi?

 

Also, one last question: Can you give me an idea of what the weather might be like the last week of November as far as clothing is concerned?

 

I appreciate you coming on this thread and giving us information from a local's perspective.

 

All your questions except weather in Nov. (Weather.com) have been answered in detail several times.

__________________

Capt. Pete

 

I'm sorry, Capt. Pete, but I did go back and re-read this thread and the questions I addressed to Deeply Italian were not answered. In fact, Deeply Italian specifically wrote:

 

I live in Pompeii and I see many wrong things in the tourism world inside the Ruines of Pompeii....I think the best way to enjoy the archeological site is to pay the normal ticket and visit as much more you can see...without any guide ( because they show you Pompeii only a few things ) they always let you miss something very nice as: Ercole Gardens, Gladiators Locanda,House of Europe Ship...I think the best way to visit Pompeii is to go by your own and take easy!!! Remember that you have to have a FREE map when you pay entrance!!! ALWAYS!!!! I live in Pompei,if you need any information,please,keep in touch with me!!! I suggest to go to visit also the new Pompeii town...it's very charming!!!

 

I will try to find the answers to my questions elsewhere on Cruisecritic but I'm sure I'm not first person to ask a question that has been asked before nor will I be the last, but I did find your reply to me was rude.

[scanr]

 

I'm sorry, Capt. Pete, but I did go back and re-read this thread and the questions I addressed to Deeply Italian were not answered. In fact, Deeply Italian specifically wrote:

 

 

 

I will try to find the answers to my questions elsewhere on Cruisecritic but I'm sure I'm not first person to ask a question that has been asked before nor will I be the last, but I did find your reply to me was rude.

If you click on "Search this Thread" above and type "Pompeii Train" or any derivative thereof, you will receive a dozen specific replies.;)

[ktpc2005]

When I went to Pompeii with my DW, we bought the tickets and used the map to get around the city. Inside the map there are a couple of self guided tours depending on how long you want to spend there. We chose the two hour tour and saw all the major points. We also picked up some information from guides as we were walking by.

[Susan-M]

 

Also, how far is it to the ruins when you take the train? Is it within walking distance from the train station or will we need to take a taxi?

 

This site describes the distance and direction from the train station to the entrance of Pompeii ... scroll down to just below the picture of the train station "Pompei Scavi": http://www.europeportreviews.com/Naples5.htm

[cujosmom]

This site describes the distance and direction from the train station to the entrance of Pompeii ... scroll down to just below the picture of the train station "Pompei Scavi": http://www.europeportreviews.com/Naples5.htm

 

Susan - Thank you so much for the website. It is perfect and exactly the information I needed.

[loufiji]

We visited Pompeii a couple of weeks ago. We hired a private driver- Marcello, who was fabulous (www.seesorrento.com). We drove down (up?) the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento and Positano were packed with tourists and buses which spoilt it a little, we went off the beaten track to a small restaurant with the most amazing view where we had the Best Italian (homemade and homegrown) Meal I have eaten in my life. Marcello talked for around 8 hours, he gave us great insight and we had the most wonderful day, I highly recommend him.

 

I have a degree in ancient Roman history and had done a fair amount of research about Pompeii. I had read up a lot and downloaded maps. We only had 2 hours at Pompeii (we arrived around 3pm, there were no queues.) We stopped there in the afternoon because it was then less than half an hour back to the ship by car.

 

I knew Pompeii was huge so had planned to only see only a few sites close to the entrance. We entered where we bought the tickets (which was on the right of the main entrance to the ruins) and then realised it didn't take us to the main hub where the forum and basicilia etc are. The lady who sold the tickets was very unhelpful- she said they had run out of maps which really stuffed us up from the start (together with losing our bearings because of a different entrance.) Luckily I had downloaded some maps but there are minimal directions/maps/signs and noone to help. We struggled finding our way and I now wish we had paid for a guide. If we had more time and the official map we would have been OK. There are so many guided tours going on that you can't help but hear a lot of info. I don't speak Italian so that didn't help either. We still had a good look and enjoyed our time there but if you are visiting Pompeii once in a lifetime I would pay for a guide.