Visiting Pompeii - a time capsule from the year 79

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated August 2026 | Visiting Pompeii is a once in a lifetime experience. A well-structured and well-developed Roman city disappeared in a single day, and digging it up is like travelling straight back to 79 AD. Incredibly fascinating!

Pompeii

Pompeii is an ancient Roman city, which was unfortunately destroyed in a violent volcanic eruption in 79. The upside of this terrible fate is that the city was preserved in very good condition from the very moment it was destroyed.

Pompeii is located just outside the city of Naples, in southern Italy.

Pompeii - back in the day

Pompeii was probably founded by a people called the Oscans, and later influenced by Greeks and Etruscans. In the 2nd century BC, the city came under Roman control and the site began to flourish.

At the time, Pompeii was known for its luxurious villas, fine bathhouses, exciting theatres and bustling streets filled with taverns and shops. It was a well-functioning city that excelled in many ways, not least when it came to water supply.

Water entered the city via the aqueduct Aqua Augustaand then distributed from a distribution centre to fountains, wells, bathhouses and even wealthier private households. In total, the city had perhaps around 10 - 15,000 inhabitants and was a place full of life and activity. This is what it could have looked like.

That fateful day in 79

Traditionally, 24 August has been given as the date of the disaster, but some findings suggest that it may have been a day in October. Whatever the case, on this day Vesuvius began to throw pumice and ash over the city. This first stage of the eruption lasted several hours and many people, probably the majority of the population, actually managed to escape during this time.

It was probably chaotic. Perhaps people wanted to take their most important and valuable possessions with them, or perhaps they wanted to hide them until they could return. Some fled by land in carts, while others tried to get to boats - because, yes, Pompeii was at that time on the water and had a harbour.

Still others chose to stay and take shelter in their homes, waiting for the outbreak to pass. Some also turned back when things seemed to calm down a bit. Both of these choices proved disastrous.

The crucial phase of the outbreak, known as pyroclastic flows, meant hot clouds of gas and ash rushing down the mountain in waves. The floods filled the streets and houses. Anyone left behind died from the extreme heat or suffocation, and the whole beautiful city was completely buried and disappeared from the maps for more than 1500 years.

The rediscovery and excavation of Pompeii

Pompeii was rediscovered by chance in the 16th century, but it was not until the 18th century that the importance of the find was realised and excavation began. Initially, the focus was on artefacts, but in the 19th century, interest began to focus on the city as a whole.

The exciting thing about Pompeii is that it stopped developing at a precise point in time - and can therefore be described as a kind of preserved time capsule. It's like it's still 79 in this city.

Visiting Pompeii today

Today, Pompeii is a huge tourist attraction. Around 4 million people visit the site every year and there is even a cap - a maximum of 20,000 visitors are accepted per day. However, the average number of visitors is still lower than this, so it is usually possible to visit Pompeii without booking a ticket in advance.

There are three different entrances and around the visitor centre there are lots of both municipal and private car parks - often with avid parkers, so we guess that parking fees are an important source of income for local residents.

The area is large - a whole city - so it's a good idea to set aside half a day for the visit. It's also a good idea to take a map with you from the entrance, so you have a chance to find your way around and read about the different sites.

Well-planned streets with pedestrian crossings

The first thing we noticed was how straight and well-planned the streets looked. At regular intervals there are neat well-planned pedestrian crossings in the form of raised stones. These were created because the sewers ran through open gutters in the streets - and you didn't want to have to put your feet in them.

The space between the stones was created to allow horses and carts to pass.

Roman houses (Domus)

In the city, of course, there are ruins of lots of residential buildings of various sizes. Upper-class houses almost always consisted of a atrium (central open space) at the entrance, and around this were the other rooms: bedroom, laundry/cleaning room, dining room and living room.

In the central atrium, a small pool collected rainwater from an opening in the roof - which also provided light.

The houses of wealthy families were decorated with colourful paintings and beautiful mosaics.

Bakeries and fast food restaurants

The remains of no less than 36 bakeries have been found in Pompeii.

There is also a long list (around 80!) of so-called thermopoly - a type of Roman fast food restaurant. The word comes from the Greek 'thermos' (hot) and 'poleo' (to sell). They simply sold hot drinks and food.

The round holes contained clay pots in which soups, stews, wine, olives or other ready-made food were stored. From the pots, it was easy for the vendor to scoop up a portion for the customer.

In the Roman world, eating out was common, and many people didn't have kitchens at home. No wonder these 'fast food' restaurants were popular!

Bath houses

In Pompeii, there were five public bathhouses, where people came both to wash and to socialise. The bathhouses include changing rooms, rooms for cold baths and rooms for hot baths, divided for men and women respectively.

Theatre district and amphitheatre

Pompeii is home to a large amphitheatre (not pictured), which is the oldest known from Roman times. Built around 70 BC, the amphitheatre could accommodate around 20 000 spectators, not only from Pompeii but also from surrounding towns.

In addition to the amphitheatre, there is a theatre district, a little more central to the city. There is a larger theatre with a capacity of 5,000 spectators and a smaller theatre.

Forum

The Forum served as the heart of Pompeii, and it was also where all the important buildings were located, related to administration, law and commerce. It was also home to the market and important religious monuments.

Villa dei Misteri

We chose to buy a ticket for the whole area, which meant that, in addition to the city centre, we could also go to several villas outside the city, including Villa dei Misteri. On the way there, we walked through a long street lined with graves.

Villa dei Misteri is a well-preserved suburban villa, originally built in the 2nd century BC.

The most special thing here is the 17-metre-long series of frescoes in the dining room. Absolutely marvellous!

Church of Pompeii

Another thing worth seeing when you visit Pompeii is the church Pontificio Santuario della Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei which is just outside the archaeological site. Well worth checking out when you are in the area!

What an incredibly beautiful church! It's hard to do justice with the photos, don't miss out if you travel here!

Video from Pompeii

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

So, where can you stay or park your campervan when you visit Pompeii? We have only tried one place, but we were very satisfied. Camping Spartacus offers pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents, as well as accommodation in chalets. The campsite is extremely close to one of the entrances to the archaeological site.

The advantage of a motorhome is that you do not have to pay both car park and campsite. The campsite has all the services you need in the form of electricity (8 amps), water, grey and black water drainage, service buildings and washing machines. The campsite also has a pizzeria with good pizzas.

More to see in Italy

Near Pompeii you can visit the city of Naples as well as Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. It is also possible to go to islands such as Ischia and Capri. Here you will find more tips and reports:

• The Royal Palace of Caserta
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Otranto
• Tropea in Calabria
• Capital Rome
• Sardinia

Are you curious to visit Pompeii?

Are you curious to visit Pompeii? Or maybe you've already been here? Tell us about it!