Booking choice: The full-day guided tour, from $133 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Most of the day is on your feet. Pompeii's streets are paved with big, uneven stones worn smooth over two thousand years, and the Vesuvius path is loose gravel all the way to the rim.
Get the shoes and the layers right and the rest is easy.
The quick answer
Wear closed shoes with grip, light clothes and a hat, and carry sunscreen, sunglasses, a light windproof layer for the crater rim and at least a litre of water. Keep to a small bag: Pompeii only allows bags up to 30 x 30 x 15 cm, and anything bigger goes in left luggage.
What shoes should you wear?
Trainers or walking shoes with a grippy sole; not sandals, flip-flops or anything new.
In Pompeii you step up and down high kerbs and across stepping stones on polished paving. On Vesuvius, sandals fill with grit and slide on the gravel on the way down. Almost every review tip for this tour says the same thing: wear comfortable shoes.
Shoes sorted? Check your date for the full-day tour with both tickets included.
Check dates for the full-day guided tourWhat should you wear in Pompeii?
Light, breathable clothes, a hat and sunglasses: there is very little shade in the ruins.
Tours reach Pompeii in the morning, but in summer it is already hot among the stone walls. One guest suggests a small umbrella for shade. Sunscreen before you arrive, and again at lunch.
What should you wear at the top of Vesuvius?
Add a light windproof jacket: the rim is at about 1,170 metres and is often windy and cooler than the coast.
You will warm up on the 30 to 40 minute climb, then cool down fast at the top. Keep the layer in your bag rather than on the bus. More about the walk in the crater hike guide.
How much water should you bring?
At least a litre each, more in summer.
Pompeii has drinking fountains, so bring a refillable bottle. There is nowhere to buy water on the crater path, and guests report just one basic toilet at its base. Snacks help too, but in Pompeii you may only eat in the designated areas.
Would rather not hunt for lunch? This small-group tour includes pizza and a soft drink between the two sites.
Explore the small-group tour with pizzaWhat bag can you bring into Pompeii?
A small backpack or bag of up to 30 x 30 x 15 cm; larger bags and suitcases go in the left-luggage area.
If you are moving hotels on the day, leave your luggage in Sorrento: tour minibuses do not always have space for suitcases. A light daypack for water, a layer and sunscreen is all you need.
Should you bring hiking poles?
Optional, but useful if your knees dislike downhill gravel.
One Gray Line reviewer recommends poles for the "2 km mainly uphill" on Vesuvius. A folding pole fits a daypack; it is the descent where you will be glad of it.
Ready for the climb? The tour drives you to about 1,000 metres; you walk the rest.
Check dates for the full-day guided tourWhat is the full packing list?
Shoes, sun, a layer, water, a small bag, ID and a way to pay for lunch.
- Closed walking shoes with grip
- Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Light windproof jacket for the rim
- At least a litre of water in a refillable bottle
- A small bag, within 30 x 30 x 15 cm
- ID: Pompeii tickets are named, and reduced tickets need proof of age
- Card or cash for lunch (about €18 for the optional set lunch on the Gray Line tour)
- Your tour voucher and a charged phone
What about small children and strollers?
Bring a baby carrier rather than a stroller: the paving and the gravel path are hard going on wheels.
Children under 18 enter Pompeii free and under-6s go up Vesuvius free. Pack extra water, snacks and a warm layer for them. If a long day is too much, see Pompeii or Herculaneum for a no-climb option.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear sandals to Pompeii and Vesuvius?
You can, but closed shoes are far better: Pompeii's paving is uneven and the Vesuvius path is loose gravel.
Will it be cold on Vesuvius in summer?
Not cold, but often windy and cooler than the coast. A light windproof layer is enough.
Can I bring food into Pompeii?
Yes, but you may only eat in the designated areas.
Can I bring a large backpack?
Only bags up to 30 x 30 x 15 cm are allowed in Pompeii; larger bags go in left luggage.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Pompeii & Vesuvius Full-Day Guided Tour
- Air-conditioned minibus from Piazza Tasso in Sorrento and back
- Official guide all day, with about 2 hours guided inside Pompeii
- Skip-the-line Pompeii ticket and the Vesuvius crater ticket (€11.68)
Small-Group Pompeii & Vesuvius with Pizza
- Transfer from set meeting points in Sorrento in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Alpine guide for the Vesuvius crater
- Pizza and soft drink lunch
Pompeii & Vesuvius with Hotel Pickup
- Pickup at your Sorrento hotel, about 30 minutes before the 8:00 start
- Guided small-group tour of Pompeii, about 2 hours
- Skip-the-line tickets for Pompeii and Vesuvius
