I recently went to Pompeii on March 21, 2008. I purchased a bus tour from Enjoy Rome that drove us from Rome to Naples and Pompeii. I do not think our tour guide for Pompeii was an Enjoy Rome tour guide. I don't remember his name. He was an ok tour guide. He was not enthusiastic. He had to say everything in English and then over again in Spanish. This did not leave room for any personal touch. One wall in Pompeii has Roman grafitti on it, which is little wall carvings. There is saftey glass covering it so that tourist do not touch it. I watched the tour guide (and got a picture) of him sticking his hand underneath the safety glass and touching the grafitti carvings. Not good.

Posted By Amanda on August 1, 2008, 9:02 PM

i was in pompeii in april while spending 3 months in sorrento.
took the local train and walked the short distance to the entrace (restroom at this location was open)
all the tours were full so i took the free book and visited EVERY site. hot, exhausting but you never know if you will be back
the restaurant was open. restrooms upstairs
but i found the sandwiches at the coffee bar were better priced and variety (after i paid 10.00 for a salad!
ha

Posted By leelaurino on August 1, 2008, 10:16 PM

We (husband/wife/2 kids) went to Pompeii on 11th July 2008. After researching a few sites on Pompeii it seemed the easiest and cheapest would be to catch the train from Rome to Naples then the local train on to Pompeii. After 6 weeks travelling Europe on our own we were still caught out on Naples station by a man who guided us to the local train spot for Pompeii (and demanded 10 euros for doing so)! I also read beforehand the best way to see Pompeii on a budget is to go around on your own first and then decide if you want a guide - so this is what we did and no we didn't get any assistance. We wanted to explore (as well as respect)the city at our own pace. Yes we were rushed at when approaching the gate so it was hard to decide who would be genuine and who would not. Another thing is do you want info overload in a place like this? It was overwhelming to take in what the city and surrounds had to say themselves. But yes we were disappointed the city looked neglected, parts were closed off, workmen were wandering around aimlessly and two plaster casts we managed to find seemed to be tucked away in the background (if not for our zoom lense to capture a glimpse).It was a really hot day and there were quite a few dogs- one seemed really sick - and we never saw anywhere for them to drink (if this is where they live).

Posted By Barbara on August 2, 2008, 6:03 AM

Great advice about the tour guide at Pompeii. I STRONGLY recommend using Gaetano Manfredi and no one else. He was a guide for one of our groups this July and will be contracted for everyone of our groups visiting Pompeii in the future. He is passionate and incredibly knowledgable on all things Pompeii.

Posted By Stewart on August 3, 2008, 9:48 AM

We visited Pompeii in March of 2007. We had unbelievably good luck with a local tour guide at the Vatican and were foolish enough to think we would repeat that luck when tour guides were available at Pompeii. Our tour guide (I'm sorry I can't remember his name...) was lackluster, cared less about showing us around, gave erroneous information, skipped large parts of the city and spent much time on his cell phone in the corner.(ARGUING with someone...) Although we will always feel our visit was impressive and the ruins are so fascinating, most of our time and money with this particular tour guide was not well spent. SO-O-O it would be to your advantage to plan your visit and have a reputable tour guide already lined up.

Posted By jody vann on August 3, 2008, 12:25 PM

we just returned. my mother in law lives in monte forte. my husband and son went for 3 weeks to see her and toured pompeii. it was extremely educational for our son, who is 12. i joined them and we did vesuvius last week. in doing pompeii and vesuvius tourists need also realize their safety and comfort and wear good walking shoes/sneakers - these are not the places to show up with your "fashion" items. one woman on our tour showed up in all white with the designer heels and bag! vesuvius takes about 1/2 hour walk up once the tour guide takes you to the base. the crater is huge and you can walk around it taking more time. equally down is another 1/2 hour. i would suggest taking a tour that allows you 2 hours at vesuvius and equal in time at pompeii to explore. grace, new jersey

Posted By grace on August 4, 2008, 11:04 AM

We just visited Pompeii on July 1, 2008 and had a great time wandering by ourselves with only our Rick Steve's Italy 2008 guidebook. My husband and three kids loved seeing everything, though soon after we arrived we were struck by a torrential rainstorm--streets like rivers, etc. When the rain cleared, we saw all the major sites and were dumbstruck by the lack of supervision and protection of the ruins! You can literally walk anywhere in the entire place, touch anything you want to, and there's not a security person in sight. It was really sad. You can't tell if the deterioration of some of the frescoes and buildings is from 2000 years of time passing, or tourists who can't resist touching the stuff. While we were there the restaurant was closed and we saw no bathrooms or water. We did see lots of feral dogs, treating the ruins as fire hydrants, if you know what I mean.... A guide might be good but a good guide book works for our family and the short attention spans of my 9 and 12 year olds.

Posted By Kirsti on August 4, 2008, 12:14 PM

We visited Pompeii in March 2008. We initially joined a tour guide along with a South American Family, who spent about 15 minutes haggling with the guide about how many of their relatives could join, how much it would cost, etc. We finally gave up and tried to tour the ruins ourselves. Disaster with map in hand! As we were headed back to the entry way to decide how to proceed, we were lucky enough to come across Gaetano talking with a father and son, just beginning a tour. They let us join their group and it was a such a wonderful visit. He was informative, gracious and made the tour one of our best experiences in Italy. The weather was cold and blustery, but Gaetano's descriptions and sense of humor more than made up for it. Many thanks to him, and for the dad from PA who'd arranged his tour and allowed us to join in. I'd definitely recommend arranging for Gaetano's guidance in advance to make the site come alive--it's well worth the price.

Posted By Aileen on August 4, 2008, 12:23 PM

I spent about 6 hours in Pompeii last spring with a friend and we didn't see any stray dogs. We also didn't hire a tour guide. With simply the map commandeered from the tourist kiosk, we navigated the ruins and had a lovely time. I think our only regret was not bringing along an umbrella to shelter us from the heat along our 6-hour tour. Another day we went to Herculaneum (Ercolano Scavi) and found that to be far more manageable and charming. I think we spent a couple of hours there and saw everything. Again, no tour guide. I haven't looked into Podcast tours of the sites, but there must be at least one good one out there. In person tour guides would be cool too, of course. But I'm more the non-group/formal tour tourist. So a Podcast tour would be ideal for me, if I were looking for a guide.

Posted By Risamay on August 4, 2008, 12:45 PM

I had a fantastic day in Pompeii in December 2007. I did a little homework in advance to decide what I most wanted to see, and was content, well served and well guided by the information that is available on the site - a map and small booklet. I planned to be on foot all day, and brought something to eat and drink. My only regret is not allowing enough time to take in some of Herculaneum as well.

Posted By Jono L on August 4, 2008, 1:37 PM

We were at Pompeii two years ago and hired a guide who was licensed. We were so thankful that we had the guide because of the sheer magnitude of the site. The guide led us in an efficient way to take in the most interesting areas. We saw the body casts close up and many parts of the city. The best part was that we felt like we understood more of the lifestyle and culture of the time as our guide brought the ruins to life. We had studied a guidebook before (and carried it with us) but it didn't begin to reveal the social culture and habits of the people of that time. When we return with our children we'll certainly hire a guide again.

Posted By Robin on August 4, 2008, 1:40 PM

Went about a year and a half ago and used the Rick Steves' Guidebook instead of a guide. We also had each read very extensively about Pompeii over a period of many years.

We, too, were disappointed to see how little the ruins were being protected. At one point we saw a bunch of teenage girls taking turns climbing on the ruins and posing for photographs.

This was a couple of days we tacked on to a Rick Steves' tour. We loved the tour, but when we go to Europe next, I think we'll try it on our own, using some Rick Steves-recommended local guides for specific cities/sites.

Posted By April on August 4, 2008, 2:17 PM

My spouse, two close friends, and four other persons we made contact with through cruise critic, etc. recently visited Naples, Amalfi Coast and Pompeii for one day. We were there as Naples was a cruise stop. We made prior arrangements with DriveAmalfi (they have a website) for a 8 person minivan with driver (contact person was Stefano). Stefano arranged for us to have a 2 hour guided tour at Pompeii. Our guide was terrific--he was young--probably late 20s or early 30s--and claimed that he was licensed (we did not ask for proof) and that he had been trained by his father who was still a guide there. In fact, we passed his father while on the tour. Sad to say--but don't remember anyone's name. Could possibly have been Gaetona mentioned in the article. Anyway, our guide was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and entertaining. It was one of the highlights of our tour. We went the last week of May 2008 and the temperature, someone claimed, reached 100 degrees F. that day. In spite of that, our guide spent over three hours with us. Since the 8 of us split the costs--the tour price including gratuity was very reasonable and well worth the price.
As to Pompeii--to the untrained eye--difficult to tell whether something has gone down hill recently or over a number of centuries! There were probably some unkempt areas but there was little evidence of trash or tourist disrespect, etc. Probably some of the interior relics/artifacts will not last much longer if they are not preserved. All in all--we were thrilled and pleased by our tour guide and the tour of Pompeii!

Posted By Brian on August 4, 2008, 3:14 PM

We visited Pompeii in December as a day trip from Rome. Indeed we took the Rome to Naples train then transferred to the local train, Circumvesuviana to Pompeii. We had read about the site and used our own Rick Steve's guidebook and the map provided on site. We did not feel a need for a local guide at all and enjoyed moving at our own pace. The trip from Rome was easy and straighforward. We even left the Naples train station to have pizza at one of the two places that claim to have invented it. The only regret was not staying in Naples to see the museum that houses most of the artifacts from Pompeii. Next time......

Posted By Turan on August 4, 2008, 3:23 PM

We visited Pompeii with a guide that was excellent! He pointed out so many things we would never have known on our own, or you would have had to read the whole guidebook ahead of time. Like what the white rocks were used for, what they ate, where the laundromat was and how they cleaned their clothes. About the stray dogs, our guide told us that when people go on holiday, they let their dogs out and they fend for themselves. Which is why I guess some readers didn't see any dogs during their visit.

Posted By Toni on August 4, 2008, 5:05 PM

My wife, sister and her sister-in-law visited Sorrento in 2006, our last trip there. We always made a point of visiting Sorrento and, instead of visiting Pompeii this time we visited Ercolano (Herculineum). As noted in a response above, Ercolano is less visited and in far better shape than Pompeii, which is larger. The ruins are still better preserved but beware of the ripoff restaurants outside of the main gate. Ercolano has been excavated much more recently and much of the ruins are still under modern (??) sections of the town today, and will likely never be unearthed. Pompeii has been beaten up by 200 years of tourists...Italy needs to do a better job of preserving.

Posted By Gary on August 4, 2008, 5:10 PM

My husband and I visited Pompeii in 2006 and had a wonderful time, although it is hard to find anywhere decent to eat in the area.

We did see numerous dogs near the ruins, and many of them were very friendly and sweet. I really wish that I knew for sure that there was a humane society taking care of them or trying to place them. I presume that they are all fixed as I did not see any young pups or pregnant females. I do feel very sorry for the dogs, though, left to wander when many of them could easily take to a loving home.

Posted By Yvonne Naughton on August 4, 2008, 9:42 PM

In 1989, my husband and I and our daughter who spoke Italian after living one year in Florence toured Pompeii on our own. We felt sorry for the people there on guided tours because their tour guides invariably spoke endlessly explaining a particular site--the tourists often looked so bored; whereas, we were able to see all the areas we were interested in at our own pace. We did stop in the cafeteria/restaurant for a cold drink. I remember that the cashier tried to pass bad money to our daughter, She immediately threw it back to them, exclaiming 'bad money' in Italian.
At that time all the people cssts were stored on racks outside of the city of Pompeii. The streets were rough and we really had to watch our step otherwise we could fall in to the ruts created by the chariot wheels. It was mid-June when we went and we spent an entire afternoon there after driving past Mt. Vesuvius prior to Pompeii. It was really worth visiting.
Doris

Posted By Doris on August 5, 2008, 2:42 AM

Visited Pompeii at the end of May, 2008. We took a tour from the cruise ship we were on. It was very crowded and confusing because our tour guide disappeared down a side street as we were traveling through the very crowded streets at the very beginning of our tour. We spent a lot of time trying to find our group and finally had to go off on our own. Big mistake not getting a map as we entered. They are free but you must ask for they do not just hand them out.It was very hot and we could not find any water anywhere. The streets are uneven and good walking shoes are a must. There are no signs to help guide you. We had to ask some of the workers how to get to the exit. The crowds made it difficult to get down some streets so I am sure we missed some wonderful sites. We still were so glad that we were able to visit this area. Amazing to see their lifestyle and how nature preserved it. Be sure to stay with your guide or have a good map.

Posted By Celeste on August 5, 2008, 10:48 AM

A friend and I visited Pompeii in 2005 and perhaps it was the entrance that we used, but we had no trouble at all with tour guides acosting us. We purchased a guide book with a map at the storefront outside the ruins and did our own guided tour of the site. The guidebook and map that we purchased were very well done, although when you got to outskirts of the ruins or smaller features there was not quite as much information written, the visit to the ruins was still the highlight of our 10 day trip. At that time the ruins seemed to be in pretty good shape, and much of the site was open although there were some areas closed off due to excavations and preservation of the mosaics and frescoes. The only thing that did disappoint me was the restaurant actually being in one of the ruins, although it is a large site, and there should be areas to get sustenance and water, they should be temporary stands, not modern equipment set-up in a 2000+ year old historical site.

Posted By Nicole on August 5, 2008, 11:43 AM

We toured Pompeii in mid-October of 2007. The first thing we noticed upon entering was the stray dogs. Being animal lovers, we were concerned. Our tour guide (licensed) and with us for the 7 days, assured us that the dogs are fed and that vets come out to the site from time to time.I hope this is true. On a recent trip to Sicily a few months ago, there were many stray dogs and cats down by the cruise ship pier in Palermo. They were lethargic and non-threatening to us and none of them appeared thin so someone feeds them. I was told that the Italians are not as quick to euthanize animals as are we Americans.

Posted By Eileen on August 5, 2008, 1:44 PM

I went to Pompeii two years ago and didn't enjoy it. I have asthma and the dirt and dust did not agree with me. A lot of walking uphill did not help my asthma. It was boring and hot. I never want to visit Pompeii again.

Posted By Diana on August 5, 2008, 5:32 PM

Last October, we took (or were taken!) to Pompeii on a mini-bus tour while on a cruise ship stop in Naples. The "guide" disappeared when we arrived at entrance with not so much as any accurate admission information-also demanded we return in one hour-which we all agreed to ignore. the weather was unbearably hot and the dust caused my asthma to flare. We purchased maps which were not very clear or instructive and most of the time we (and I'm a history graduate!) had little clue as to what we were looking at, yet we were repulsed by the touts, phony "guides" and hustlers all surrounding the entrances-so we "winged it". Pompeii really needs some better governemental direction and policing. All in all, it didn;t compare-at a entrance fee, with the free experiences touring Rome's magnificent ruins.
Because the "tour bus" haggled us for prolonging our tour period (by an hour) we also missed Herculeum. I'd be reluctant to ever bother with Pompeii again, unless assured of a good guide like the one Rick Steves advises.

Posted By Bob Bentley on August 7, 2008, 2:23 PM

We toured Pompeii as part of a complete tour of Italy last year. We had a local guide at Pompeii who did not keep track of his group too well. It was crowded that day and hubby and I couldn't keep our eye on the guide. We got a little lost in the maze of streets and had some trouble finding our way back. It was scary, because you cannot see over the walls and after a while it all looks the same. We wished the guide had carried something that would set him apart from all others and we could actually FIND him!

Posted By Daisy on August 7, 2008, 4:25 PM

I am taking a European cruise in November and Naples is a stop. How far is Pompeii from Naples/docks? I was hoping to get there on my own, is that possible?

Posted By Rachel on August 9, 2008, 10:12 PM

We visited Pompei this past May. It was a tour we booked through our cruise ship using a guide.

Our guide was intelligent, funny and kept the group moving through the crowds and rain hitting us half way through the tour.

I found the presence of dogs very sad. I am an animal lover hating to see them hungry, shunned, yelled at and sometimes kicked by the tourist.

I saw workers throughout the tour tossing their lunch sacks, soda cans, cigarette butts, etc...

I found the other tour groups to be pushy, even the guides would push you aside to keep his/her group going.

The drop off for the bus we traveled in from the ship was fine however, upon departure we had to walk a considerable distance (in pouring rain) to where all the tour buses are parked.

One of the locals decided to funny/rude swerving to hit a very full puddle of water which my husband happened to be walking by soaking him even more than he was already.

There were a lot of tourist type booths set-up at the entrance/exit which I was kind of turned off by.

They were very vocal somewhat taking away from such an incredible historial site, possibly they should be a little more respectful.

At the end of our tour we were treated to drinks and some of the candies, breads and olive oils they sell in an on-site hotel and pizzaeria.

I recommend the tour and the use of a guide is helpful. If you choose not to use a tour at least purchase a guide book.

Be prepared of what I saw and the others on this blog as it is true and sad.

Posted By Pam on August 12, 2008, 5:09 PM

Just a further comment(s) addressing some that have been left previously.

If you can't decide to see Pompeii look at it this way...if you are interested in history, artifacts and up for walking around in a non-shopping, non-glitzy, no sidewalk cafes city then you would enjoy this tour.

If you are not interested preferring to shop, eat, drink than go to Capri which was another tour we could have opted for.

If I would have known about the animal situation, rehab on the site(s)and really not alot to see I would have gone elsewhere. There were artifacts locked up behind a fence and you could take pictures but, they were stacked on shelves.

As for not alot to see that is kind of story of the city if anyone knows the history.

A guide will be able to tell you alot of what was there when looking at an empty space up to you to create an image in your mind.

The statues, buildings, fences, etc...that are there are superb to see.

Where we were docked it was approximately an hour give or take by bus to answer someone on how far I would consult google or some map on the internet to answer your traveling needs.

Just to end this post script....I beleive that these are stray dogs/animals. I think the tour guide just told this person they belonged to locals as to not make the situation appear as dire.

If they are locally owned then shame on the owners as they are not cared for.

As far as AMERICANS being quick to put an animal to rest, SORRY, but I would prefer an animal to RIP then to suffer with no food in its tummy, to suffer from sores, illness and abuse.

Anyone traveling in this part of the country as well as many other countries animals run ramped, spay/neutering is not priority or readily available as here in the states.

There were many dead animals we saw while traveling for three weeks. Dead animals were just left on the sidewalks in Italy, one in the front yard on Santorini and of course the sad mules/donkeys of Santorini.

The humane society, as well as many other organizations are not as present as in the states.

If you care help get their presence more visible in these countries as the animals are suffering.

Posted By Pam on August 12, 2008, 6:06 PM

The Italian govt has a conspiracy for the road signs to Pompeii...Rick Steve's guide notwithstanding, we followed EVERY road sign for 30 minutes and came only to dead ends. We concluded this was DELIBERATE to ensure that one uses a tour guide rather than actually finding Pompeii on one's own. In all our world travels, this was the first time we gave up in disgust. It was just unbelievable.

Posted By Cherry Vanilla on August 19, 2008, 2:10 AM

I've been to Pompeii three times in the last 10 years. All have been enjoyable and informative. Why use a tour guide whose English may be minimally useful? Use a hand-held audio guide that is cheaper and uses impeccable English! And you can repeat areas and go into greater depth. Oh...why not also consider going to Herculaneum which is closer to Naples, much less crowded and equally interesting!

Posted By Ray M. on August 22, 2008, 11:18 AM

I visited Pompeii on a group tour about ten years ago, and then my husband and I visited Pompeii last October. In ten years, the crowds seems to have tripled, and tourists' respect for the site seems to have diminished to nothing. During my first visit, I was in awe of the beauty and the weight of the history of Pompeii. But when we visited last year, I wasn't able to enjoy it - I was distracted and disgusted by the droves of tourists and their apparent disrespect for the site. A big part of the problem seemed to be the tour guides' urgency to get as many people through all the highlights as quickly as possible. And, as we felt with most sights in Europe last fall, the tourists in Pompeii have an attitude of entitlement and disrespect - like touching things that say "do not touch" or walking under ropes clearly labelled to keep people out. And the tour guides don't reinforce the rules - it seems they just want to corral the herd, rather than lovingly show off this wonderful location.

I hope anyone who visits Pompeii keeps in the back of their mind the historic importance and beauty of Pompeii - and not just the hustle and bustle that the guided tours seem to infuse.

Posted By Molli on August 22, 2008, 7:27 PM

To Diana: ancient sites are dusty, usually, so I don't understand why you went to visit Pompeii if you suffer from asthma.

Posted By Carmela on August 29, 2008, 7:32 AM

If you are relatively handy with a map my suggestion is to skip the guides all together. Rick Steve's walk is nice but there are other guidebooks that are equal and or more detailed. Visiting off peak is probably key to enjoying the site. I went in December. No crowds. Very few dogs. Cool but not cold weather. At times we felt like we had the place to ourselves.

If coming from Naples and limited time (like a cruise) I would echo the suggestion to go to Herculaneum / Ercolano. Closer, easy to get to, more compact for walking.

Posted By Steve on September 2, 2008, 4:07 PM

I am 13 years old and went to Europe for 4 weeks with my mom, dad and twin sister last year. We spent part of our time on a cruise and we stopped in Naples. Since this was not our first time to Europe we felt ok with just walking to the train station and taking the local train to Pompeii. My mom had checked it out at home before we left, so she knew the times and trains. The train dropped us off right across the street from the entrance to Pompeii. When we got there we couldn't decide about a guide, but then we just did it on our own. My mom made my sister and I research some of where we would be before we left home so we had some good info with us. I loved it and I would recommend it to anyone. I just think that you should research before you go and then enjoy!

Posted By Amanda on September 15, 2008, 12:44 PM