Rome To Pompeii Daytrip Directions Also Herculaneum, Oplontis, Mt. Vesuvius, Villa Papyri
Jun 17th, 2007, 06:10 AM
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MT. VESUVIUS BUS UPDATE:
A Fodors' regular (S_J maybe?) mentioned awhile back that the Vesuvius Bus no longer left from the Ercolano/Herculaneum Circumvesuviana Station but now left only from Pompeii. He was pretty much right, I found the new (Apr'07) bus schedule and it only lists 2 buses leaving from Ercolano. 1st at 0825 and the 2nd at 1245; Returns at 1430 and 1720.
Whereas Pompeii's buses are much more frequent and start at 0755. Below is the official Ercolano City website with the schedules. If this link goes down in the future remember you could always ask at the Info Booth at Naples, Herculaneum or better yet the Info Booth at Pompeii near the ticket windows.
At Pompeii (Info Booth, Circumvesuviana ticket window or the cafe/newstand inside the Circumvesuviana station) they could tell you *exactly* where the bus stop is also. A poster once mentioned that the bus stop was "50m down the hill from Pompeii (near the parking lots)".
[SJ's reply to my Fodors' post seeking info about the Vesuvius Bus] Author: Steve_James Date: 06/08/2007, 05:32 am Walter - As no-one has posted from personal experience, here's the info I have:
The Vesuvius Bus departs from Pompeii (- Piazza Amfiteatro) at: 08.00 - 09.00* - 09.30 - 10.15 - 10.30 - 11.25 - 12.25 - 13.20 - 14.30 - 15.30* [Departures leave Pompeii Terminus bus station 5 mins before the above]. The service is year round except -
* 09.00 and 15.30 deps (- 1 April - 30 Sept only) Fare: € 8.60 round trip. Journey time: 70 mins Service operator: Vesuviana Mobilita http://www.comune.ercolano.na.it/erc...suvio_2006.pdf [OR http://tinyurl.com/2l9r6h ]
Bus tickets can be bought at:
- Circumvesuviana railway station OR
- 'Sgambati' (- station newsagents/tobacconist kiosk) Entrance fee to the crater: € 6.50
Hope this helps ...Steve
[In case the URL someday changes in Steve_James' post try this for the Vesuvius Bus Schedules]
Go to
www.comune.ercolano.na.it/
At the bottom of page click-on the 'Trasporti' link. Now at the bottom of that page click-on the 'Orari e prezzi dei trasporti per il Vesuvio' Link.
[SOME WEBSITES]
OFFICIAL POMPEII WEBSITE with Links to Herculaneum and Oplontis info. www2.pompeiisites.org/database/pompei/pompei2.nsf/MappaEng?ReadForm *OR* http://tinyurl.com/2pbqke
HERCULANEUM: Also Links to info on Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius
http://www.italy-weekly-rentals.com/...H/ERCOLANO.htm *OR* http://tinyurl.com/2v2z85
OPLONTIS-VILLA POPPEA [UPDATE]:
The Oplontis diagram/map Link/URL on my original post is dead so use this one instead
www.indiana.edu/~leach/c409/oplan.html *OR* http://tinyurl.com/3d84lh
The ticket office/entrance is in the upper left corner outside the map so not shown.
The large swimming pool is to the right of the map and also not shown.
For the 'Beryllos Graffiti';
46 is the long hallway/corridor you would walk down until you come to the 2 steps (shown on map) leading into the short hallway marked 52.
The 'Beryllos Graffiti' is on the left in that 52 hallway behind plexiglass.
47 is the men's urinal and 48 is the latrine.
Also I have another more likely guess on who Beryllos might have been.
From his graffiti they know that he was a slave and Greek, I'm certain they base this fact on his name?
Greeks were highly prized as slaves esp for the rich and for the Emperor's staff.
There is even an Imperial Slave School on the southern slope of the Palatine Hill where other Greek graffiti was found.
Many of these Greek slaves are placed in important positions and would be able to speak, read and write in Latin and Greek.
Now *IF* this was Villa Nero's wife's it would be Imperial property I assume and after Nero's suicide still Imperial property. Even if it was his or her's private property it would have been very likely confiscated.
Although it is unoccupied and still needing repairs it would be very wise to have someone guarding and overseeing it for theft, vandalism, weather damage, etc. Or even if this was some other rich person's private villa.
Having a slave guard a house is very common, the rich would have a slave guarding the front door (often chained to it) of their home at night while they slept.
Also after Nero's death there was a brief Civil War (~18months) and then Vespasian (and later his son Titus) came to power.
The Vespasians were deconstructing what the unpopular Nero built in Rome and giving it back to the people, like building the Colosseum over Nero's Domus Aurea's lake.
So perhaps not repairing this villa would have been a good move PR-wise for the Vespasians or maybe they just had no interest in this villa.
Bottomline:
The villa is damaged in the 62AD earthquake and afterwards it is being repaired.
The repairs stop at some point.
Could Poppea's murder in 65AD which Nero deeply regretted and grieved about have been a cause for the repairs stopping?
And afterwards with the Civil War and the Vespasians in power 17yrs later the villa is still not repaired or occupied?
In 79AD the unrepaired unoccupied villa is buried by Vesuvius' eruption.
In modern times the Villa is excavated and this graffiti is found.
I have worked construction over the years and what struck me was this hallway would be where I would be in the event of an eruption with fallout and multiple earthquakes happening.
IMO it is the safest structural location in the Villa. Plus an outside doorway to escape thru in the event of collapse which also overlooks Mt. Vesuvius.
p.s. All the URLs work at time of posting but the Fodors Forum won't Link all URLs, like those with www2. or with these ~ in them.
So cutting & pasting the URLs will work if there is a problem with my 'tinyurl.com' URL.
A Fodors' regular (S_J maybe?) mentioned awhile back that the Vesuvius Bus no longer left from the Ercolano/Herculaneum Circumvesuviana Station but now left only from Pompeii. He was pretty much right, I found the new (Apr'07) bus schedule and it only lists 2 buses leaving from Ercolano. 1st at 0825 and the 2nd at 1245; Returns at 1430 and 1720.
Whereas Pompeii's buses are much more frequent and start at 0755. Below is the official Ercolano City website with the schedules. If this link goes down in the future remember you could always ask at the Info Booth at Naples, Herculaneum or better yet the Info Booth at Pompeii near the ticket windows.
At Pompeii (Info Booth, Circumvesuviana ticket window or the cafe/newstand inside the Circumvesuviana station) they could tell you *exactly* where the bus stop is also. A poster once mentioned that the bus stop was "50m down the hill from Pompeii (near the parking lots)".
[SJ's reply to my Fodors' post seeking info about the Vesuvius Bus] Author: Steve_James Date: 06/08/2007, 05:32 am Walter - As no-one has posted from personal experience, here's the info I have:
The Vesuvius Bus departs from Pompeii (- Piazza Amfiteatro) at: 08.00 - 09.00* - 09.30 - 10.15 - 10.30 - 11.25 - 12.25 - 13.20 - 14.30 - 15.30* [Departures leave Pompeii Terminus bus station 5 mins before the above]. The service is year round except -
* 09.00 and 15.30 deps (- 1 April - 30 Sept only) Fare: € 8.60 round trip. Journey time: 70 mins Service operator: Vesuviana Mobilita http://www.comune.ercolano.na.it/erc...suvio_2006.pdf [OR http://tinyurl.com/2l9r6h ]
Bus tickets can be bought at:
- Circumvesuviana railway station OR
- 'Sgambati' (- station newsagents/tobacconist kiosk) Entrance fee to the crater: € 6.50
Hope this helps ...Steve
[In case the URL someday changes in Steve_James' post try this for the Vesuvius Bus Schedules]
Go to
www.comune.ercolano.na.it/
At the bottom of page click-on the 'Trasporti' link. Now at the bottom of that page click-on the 'Orari e prezzi dei trasporti per il Vesuvio' Link.
[SOME WEBSITES]
OFFICIAL POMPEII WEBSITE with Links to Herculaneum and Oplontis info. www2.pompeiisites.org/database/pompei/pompei2.nsf/MappaEng?ReadForm *OR* http://tinyurl.com/2pbqke
HERCULANEUM: Also Links to info on Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius
http://www.italy-weekly-rentals.com/...H/ERCOLANO.htm *OR* http://tinyurl.com/2v2z85
OPLONTIS-VILLA POPPEA [UPDATE]:
The Oplontis diagram/map Link/URL on my original post is dead so use this one instead
www.indiana.edu/~leach/c409/oplan.html *OR* http://tinyurl.com/3d84lh
The ticket office/entrance is in the upper left corner outside the map so not shown.
The large swimming pool is to the right of the map and also not shown.
For the 'Beryllos Graffiti';
46 is the long hallway/corridor you would walk down until you come to the 2 steps (shown on map) leading into the short hallway marked 52.
The 'Beryllos Graffiti' is on the left in that 52 hallway behind plexiglass.
47 is the men's urinal and 48 is the latrine.
Also I have another more likely guess on who Beryllos might have been.
From his graffiti they know that he was a slave and Greek, I'm certain they base this fact on his name?
Greeks were highly prized as slaves esp for the rich and for the Emperor's staff.
There is even an Imperial Slave School on the southern slope of the Palatine Hill where other Greek graffiti was found.
Many of these Greek slaves are placed in important positions and would be able to speak, read and write in Latin and Greek.
Now *IF* this was Villa Nero's wife's it would be Imperial property I assume and after Nero's suicide still Imperial property. Even if it was his or her's private property it would have been very likely confiscated.
Although it is unoccupied and still needing repairs it would be very wise to have someone guarding and overseeing it for theft, vandalism, weather damage, etc. Or even if this was some other rich person's private villa.
Having a slave guard a house is very common, the rich would have a slave guarding the front door (often chained to it) of their home at night while they slept.
Also after Nero's death there was a brief Civil War (~18months) and then Vespasian (and later his son Titus) came to power.
The Vespasians were deconstructing what the unpopular Nero built in Rome and giving it back to the people, like building the Colosseum over Nero's Domus Aurea's lake.
So perhaps not repairing this villa would have been a good move PR-wise for the Vespasians or maybe they just had no interest in this villa.
Bottomline:
The villa is damaged in the 62AD earthquake and afterwards it is being repaired.
The repairs stop at some point.
Could Poppea's murder in 65AD which Nero deeply regretted and grieved about have been a cause for the repairs stopping?
And afterwards with the Civil War and the Vespasians in power 17yrs later the villa is still not repaired or occupied?
In 79AD the unrepaired unoccupied villa is buried by Vesuvius' eruption.
In modern times the Villa is excavated and this graffiti is found.
I have worked construction over the years and what struck me was this hallway would be where I would be in the event of an eruption with fallout and multiple earthquakes happening.
IMO it is the safest structural location in the Villa. Plus an outside doorway to escape thru in the event of collapse which also overlooks Mt. Vesuvius.
p.s. All the URLs work at time of posting but the Fodors Forum won't Link all URLs, like those with www2. or with these ~ in them.
So cutting & pasting the URLs will work if there is a problem with my 'tinyurl.com' URL.
Jun 24th, 2007, 01:09 AM
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We did Rome to Pompeii June 8 and these were great directions. However, a slight update to the directions at Centrale. There seems to be lots of renovation going on. Lots of temporary walls, etc. There are no longer CV ticket windows at the bottom of the stairs in front of track 13. (they're covered up with temporary walls) Instead, don't go down the stairs, stay on the same level, go to the end of the trains (track 26, I think) there is a fountain there and hang a right. Follow the hallway to the end and to the right. There are ticket windows there and the turnstiles for the CV train.
Aug 29th, 2007, 07:19 AM
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Question - about how long should we budget for Pompeii? We are flying in from Venice to Naples in the am (arr Naples ~12) and having a driver meet us, then need to be at the Sorrento marina between 5:30 and 6 to catch the last ferry to Capri, where we will stay for 2 nts.
Aug 30th, 2007, 12:45 AM
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Hi Summa - Pompeii is open daily throughout the year except 25 Dec, 1 Jan and 1 May.
For opening hours see:
http://www2.pompeiisites.org/databas...B?OpenDocument
The bus tours to Vesuvius also run daily - see below.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
The Vesuvius Bus departs from Pompeii (- Piazza Amfiteatro) at:
08.00 - 09.00* - 09.30 - 10.15 - 10.30 - 11.25 - 12.25 - 13.20 - 14.30 - 15.30*
[Departures leave Pompeii Terminus bus station 5 mins before the above].
The service is year round except -
* 09.00 and 15.30 deps (- 1 April - 30 Sept only)
Fare: € 8.60 round trip. Journey time: 70 mins
Service operator: Vesuviana Mobilita
http://www.comune.ercolano.na.it/erc...suvio_2006.pdf
Bus tickets can be bought at:
- Circumvesuviana railway station OR
- 'Sgambati' (- station newsagents/tobacconist kiosk)
Entrance fee to the crater: € 6.50
For opening hours see:
http://www2.pompeiisites.org/databas...B?OpenDocument
The bus tours to Vesuvius also run daily - see below.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
The Vesuvius Bus departs from Pompeii (- Piazza Amfiteatro) at:
08.00 - 09.00* - 09.30 - 10.15 - 10.30 - 11.25 - 12.25 - 13.20 - 14.30 - 15.30*
[Departures leave Pompeii Terminus bus station 5 mins before the above].
The service is year round except -
* 09.00 and 15.30 deps (- 1 April - 30 Sept only)
Fare: € 8.60 round trip. Journey time: 70 mins
Service operator: Vesuviana Mobilita
http://www.comune.ercolano.na.it/erc...suvio_2006.pdf
Bus tickets can be bought at:
- Circumvesuviana railway station OR
- 'Sgambati' (- station newsagents/tobacconist kiosk)
Entrance fee to the crater: € 6.50
Aug 30th, 2007, 01:23 AM
#31
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Hi Ab -
'... about how long should we budget for Pompeii?'
It really depends on your level of interest. Also on whether or not you choose to do a guided tour.
Personally I could easily spend 4/5 hrs ++ around Pompeii.
For others 2 hrs is enough ...
Steve
'... about how long should we budget for Pompeii?'
It really depends on your level of interest. Also on whether or not you choose to do a guided tour.
Personally I could easily spend 4/5 hrs ++ around Pompeii.
For others 2 hrs is enough ...
Steve
Aug 30th, 2007, 06:52 AM
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Thanks, Steve. I know it's a personal call, but that day is going to be super-crazy, so I need to have a schedule of sorts. I wanted quite badly to be an archaeologist when I was younger (alas, a business degree prevailed) so I've always wanted to see it ... we'll probably be on the longer side.
(My husband hates guided tours. Very do-it-ourselves kinda guy, so I think it will be us and a guidebook while the driver lounges somewhere.)
(My husband hates guided tours. Very do-it-ourselves kinda guy, so I think it will be us and a guidebook while the driver lounges somewhere.)
Aug 30th, 2007, 07:20 AM
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Hmmm - That could work out pretty expensive, Ab.
Don't forget you could be paying your driver €30 per hour while he sits around waiting.
Have you thought of doing it by public transport instead?
Steve
Don't forget you could be paying your driver €30 per hour while he sits around waiting.
Have you thought of doing it by public transport instead?
Steve
Aug 30th, 2007, 10:32 AM
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As of right now, we've budgeted ~$250 for the driver. I'm a city girl and take public transportation every single day at home, but on vacay with suitcases ... we decided to splurge a bit for the convenience and given that day's ambitious schedule.
Nov 14th, 2007, 12:01 PM
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topping for Michelle and to also add;
I recently read that excavations have started again (or will start soon) at the Villa of the Papyri', so that tour will no longer be available.
Regards, Walter
I recently read that excavations have started again (or will start soon) at the Villa of the Papyri', so that tour will no longer be available.
Regards, Walter
Jan 6th, 2008, 03:06 PM
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Thrilled to say we're heading back to Italy in two months and plan on a trip to Pompeii. Just so I'm clear - if we're taking a car and driver, is it about a three hour trip there from Rome? And should we budget about 4 - 5 hours there and then head back? We have 10 days in
Rome so don't feel guilty about being out of the city for day. Thanks for all of this great info- I've wanted to see Pompeii since I was a kid.
Rome so don't feel guilty about being out of the city for day. Thanks for all of this great info- I've wanted to see Pompeii since I was a kid.
Jan 12th, 2008, 09:51 PM
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Thanks Steve,
Been away from Fodor's for a bit. We just came from a wedding full of Europeans, mainly Brits who love Italy and they are all saying it's very ambitious to try to day trip it to Pompeii (from Rome) and really feel you've seen it without rushing. They also suggested a museum in Naples that houses a lot of the artifacts from Pompeii.
Should we try to find a place close by to stay and head back to Rome the next day? I'm not even sure we would be able to give up our hotel for the night in Rome and don't really want to pay for two places.
Thoughts anyone? Thanks as always for everyone's help!
Been away from Fodor's for a bit. We just came from a wedding full of Europeans, mainly Brits who love Italy and they are all saying it's very ambitious to try to day trip it to Pompeii (from Rome) and really feel you've seen it without rushing. They also suggested a museum in Naples that houses a lot of the artifacts from Pompeii.
Should we try to find a place close by to stay and head back to Rome the next day? I'm not even sure we would be able to give up our hotel for the night in Rome and don't really want to pay for two places.
Thoughts anyone? Thanks as always for everyone's help!
Jan 13th, 2008, 01:45 AM
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For some it's ambitious as a day-trip, for others it's a doddle - it depends on you 
If you can't start the day before 10.00 ... don't bother
If you can make an early start from Rome and be at Pompeii soon after opening time, then you have plenty of time to do it justice - and visit the museum too.
For train times see:
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
There is also a Rome-Pompeii bus service (- dep 07.00; arr. 10.00) - operator: Marozzi
www.marozzivt.it
Hope this helps ...
Steve
If you can't start the day before 10.00 ... don't bother
If you can make an early start from Rome and be at Pompeii soon after opening time, then you have plenty of time to do it justice - and visit the museum too.
For train times see:
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
There is also a Rome-Pompeii bus service (- dep 07.00; arr. 10.00) - operator: Marozzi
www.marozzivt.it
Hope this helps ...
Steve
