Visited Pompeii last month and the crowds are ruining it

I finally got to see the House of the Vettii after waiting 45 minutes in line, and it was packed shoulder to shoulder. You can barely see the frescoes because people are just snapping selfies the whole time. Has anyone else felt like popular sites are becoming more about the crowd than the history?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessicaw112mo ago

That House of the Vettii fresco situation rings a bell though I’d gently push back on the 45 minute wait claim. Actually timed it when I went and it was more like 20 minutes, maybe they’ve changed the queue system since. Your mileage may vary of course, but the selfie problem is real everywhere now. Pompeii’s always been busy but it’s gotten worse since they started letting groups in without staggered times. Best trick I found was going right when they open at 9am, way less people and you can actually breathe near the plaster casts. The heat makes everyone cranky too, which just adds to the chaos in my experience.

irisw732mo ago

Oh yeah totally @jessicaw11, the 9am trick was a lifesaver when I went last summer, got right to the casts before the crowds hit.

dylanwilliams1mo ago

Get there at opening time and head straight for the Vettii house before they let the tour groups in. @irisw73 is right about the 9am thing, works every time. Also bring water even if you think you won't need it, the heat makes everyone extra annoying.