Pompeii guided tours at a glance
Most guided tours start at the Pompeii gate, last 2 or 3 hours and run in small groups with a guide who has an archaeology background. Many include the Pompei Express entry ticket. Transport is not included, and neither are food and drinks. Some tours let you stay in the ruins on your own after the guide leaves, which is useful if you want to go back to a house you liked.
Houses open on changing days, and a guide leads you through the ones that suit the route. A tour with an audio guide only is a different product: see the ticket page. Prices are in euros as of 2026 and they change.
Our picks: guided tours of Pompeii
All three include the Express ticket and a guide with an archaeology background. Pick the two-hour tours for a first visit, or the 2-to-3-hour tour if you would like more time with the guide and the chance to stay on afterwards.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Pompeii small-group tour, 2 or 3 hours
- Express entry ticket
- Archaeologist-led tour
- Explore on your own after
An archaeologist leads you for two or three hours, then you can keep exploring on your own. The Express ticket covers the ancient city only, not the suburban villas.
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Pompeii tour with a licensed archaeology guide
- Pompei Express entry
- Licensed guide
- Up to 20 people
A licensed guide with an archaeology background leads up to 20 people, and the Pompei Express ticket is included. Headsets are used in groups of 16 or more.
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Pompeii highlights in two hours
- Pompei Express entry
- Licensed guide
- Up to 20 per guide
A short guided visit to the main sights with a licensed guide and the Pompei Express ticket. Express covers the ancient city, not the suburban villas.
Check availability →Pompeii guided tours with an archaeologist
Small-group tours with an archaeologist guide and entry ticket included in most offers, with live prices and availability. Check whether the tour names Pompei Express or Pompei Plus.
Pompeii tour with an archaeologist: what to expect
You meet your guide at the meeting point named in your booking confirmation. The exact point depends on the option you booked. The guide leads a small group through the main streets, the forum and a selection of houses.
- Entry ticket: in most offers the Pompei Express ticket is part of the price. Check the Includes list of your option.
- Length: 2 hours, or 2 to 3 hours depending on the variant you pick.
- Headsets: provided for larger groups. One offer states groups of 10 or more, another groups of 16 or more.
- After the tour: some offers let you stay in the ruins on your own afterwards.
- Not included: food, drinks and transport.
Group size, audio equipment and meeting point depend on the format you choose. A ticket, an audio guide and a personal guide are three different services, so count a tour as guided only if it names a guide or archaeologist.
Express tour or Villa of the Mysteries tour
An Express guided tour covers the ancient city without the suburban villas. The Villa of the Mysteries, with its fresco room, lies outside the city walls and needs the Pompei Plus ticket. One 3-hour small-group tour includes the Plus ticket with the Villa of the Mysteries. If the frescoes are the reason you are coming, choose that one and read the Villa of the Mysteries page.
A tour through the city centre does not give you the villa. Whether a given house or room is open on your day depends on the park's list for that day.
Guided tours in English
Check the tour language on the booking page before you pay. If you need German or French, do not assume a guide in that language is available on your date.
Choosing between the options
| Option | Length | Ticket | Villa of the Mysteries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group tour, Express | 2 h | Pompei Express included | No |
| Small-group tour, 2 or 3 h | 2 to 3 h | Pompei Express included | No |
| Small-group tour with villa | 3 h | Pompei Plus included | Yes |
For most visitors, a 2-hour Express tour is the right start: it covers the city and leaves the rest of the day free. Pick the 3-hour tour with the Plus ticket if the villa matters to you.
Pompeii guided tour: frequently asked questions
How long is a guided tour of Pompeii?
2 hours in most offers, and 2 to 3 hours in some. The tour with the Villa of the Mysteries lasts 3 hours.
Is the entry ticket included?
In most guided tours yes, as Pompei Express. Check the Includes list of your option.
Does the tour include the Villa of the Mysteries?
Only the tour that names the Pompei Plus ticket does. Express tours do not.
Is transport included?
No. You get to the gate on your own, for example by train from Naples. For a tour with a bus or train, see Pompeii from Naples.
Can I stay in Pompeii after the tour?
Some offers say so. Entry is one time only, so you cannot leave and come back with the same ticket.