Top Things to do in Pompeii
What to do and see in Pompeii, Campania: The Best Ancient Ruins
Pompeii is a Roman town frozen in time, thanks to a devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Explore houses from modest to majestic; see Roman shops, baths and brothels; or apply your high-school Latin to the graffiti that's still visible on some of the walls. End your visit at the Villa of the Mysteries, and try to interpret its amazing, bizarre frescoes—scholars have debated their meaning for years.
Restaurants in Pompeii
1. Forum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,217 reviews
Reviewed By MalcH - Loughborough, United Kingdom
The focal point of the Pompeii ruins and a great photo spot for the ruins with Vesuvius in the background. Lots of interesting exhibits on the left hand side including some of the plaster casts of those that fell victim to this tragic fate. Best to go early or late as it gets very busy once the site is open. Really gives a feel to how the ancient Romans used to live.
2. Via delle Tombe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 146 reviews
Reviewed By Jo_and_Tom - Anna, United States
What is interesting is that my old high school latin kicked in and I could read some of these tombs. The guide stated this was a very rich area and not everyone could afford a tomb.
3. House of Menander (Casa del Menandro)
4. Casa del Poeta Tragico
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 178 reviews
Reviewed By JnVSydney - Greater Sydney, Australia
One of the most beautiful mosaics we saw was a picture of a fierce black dog on a chain with the words Cave Canem - Officially the earliest known "Beware of the Dog" sign (found in the house of the Tragic Poet).
5. Casa del Fauno
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 487 reviews
Reviewed By Seeking_True_Quality
The magnificent House of the Faun is located on the Via della Fortuna and it was the only private house that we visited. It is large, one of the largest in Pompeii and occupies the whole block (Insula) 12 of the Regio VI, a whole 3000 square meters! It was built in the II. century BC. We found the main entrance elegant and robust at the same time. Behind the entrance is the lobby (vestibulum) with a copy of a decorative and delicate bronze statue, the dancing Faun. It is in an impluvium, a shallow basin for catching rainwater with a nice, geometrical mosaic, actually an Opus sectile. The original of the statue is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. A second ornamental, geometrical Opus sectile is on the floor a room behind the first atrium. It is made of thin rhombi in three shades, tiled in a hexagonal pattern, creating an effect of 3D cubes, a design very popular in XX. century op-art. Behind that room is the first atrium. a little garden, surrounded by a collonaded porch (a peristyle). We then arrived at the beautiful copy of the famous Alexander Mosaic, on the floor of a room behind the first atrium. The original, also in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, was created around 120 BC and depicts the victory of Alexander the Great over Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Issus in 333 BC. Behind the room with the Alexander Mosaic is second, larger atrium with a garden and a peristyle. We did not go there, instead, we visited the many rooms of this magnificent house.
6. Tempio di Giove Capitolino
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 258 reviews
Reviewed By Bodillymill - Helston, United Kingdom
If you have a guide book you can see an artists representation of how the temple and the forum sat together... Its impressive and oddly almost in the same place as the temple of Saturn in the roman forum in Rome. Making me believe that maybe Forums have a basic plan they all adopt!!
7. Teatro Grande
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 825 reviews
Reviewed By Seeking_True_Quality
We visited the larger of the two theatres, which are located next to each other, in the Insula 7 of the Regio VIII, on the Via Stabiana. The Teatro Grande was built in the II. century BC. It was heavily damaged during the eruption in 79 AD, only a relatively small portion of the auditorium is original (the white stones), the rest is a reconstruction. Nevertheless, it is a big theatre for 5000 spectators, showing us that in ancient time people loved to watch comedies and tragedies in a theatre. The inhabitants of ancient Pompeii also held political debates in this theatre.
8. Temple of Apollo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 301 reviews
Reviewed By Jo_and_Tom - Anna, United States
Situated in the Forum. I understood more fully how the forum was composed. With Temple at one end flanked by stores and other temples.
9. Odeon - Teatro Piccolo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 292 reviews
Reviewed By SoCalOregonian - Murrieta, United States
This is one of two theaters side by side in the southwest section of the ruins. This theater sat approximately 1500 people for performances aimed at the more educated residents of Pompeii. Just the orchestra area and a few rows of seats are accessible unlike the teatro grande. Overall a well-preserved structure.
10. Tempio d'Iside
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By viaggioSensoriale - Cesena, Italy
The temple is located in the area of the theaters, is noted for its elegant structure and for the beautiful colonnade, The existence of this temple in Pompeii shows how the Pompeians of the time were open to religious cults even exotic as in the case of the cult dIside. Noteworthy in mosaics inside and even there is a shrine where the sacred water of the Nile river was built. Definitely not to be missed on a visit to the Pompeii excavations
