4-Hour Loop from Piazza Esedra
A roughly 4-hour route starting and finishing at Piazza Esedra, taking in the theatres, the Via dell'Abbondanza, the northern houses and the Forum.
Route map
Route stops
- 1Esedra Square Entrance
Entrance to the Pompeii Archaeological Park with an official ticket office. It has a lift up to the Antiquarium and a bookshop service.
- 2Quadriportico of the Theatres
This grand colonnade in Pompeii originally featured 74 Doric columns and served as a promenade where theatre-goers could stroll between performances. Following the earthquake of 62 AD, it was repurposed as a gladiators' barracks. Excavations uncovered weapons, gladiator skeletons and military equipment within the structure, providing valuable insights into the lives of these ancient combatants and the site's transformation after the seismic event.
1.5 km·20 min - 3Great Theatre of Pompeii
The Teatro Grande is a remarkably preserved Greco-Hellenistic theatre dating from the 2nd century BC, built directly into the natural hillside of Pompeya. Its marble seating tiers once accommodated 5,000 spectators, making it one of the finest examples of Roman theatre construction surviving today. The theatre continues to host cultural events, including the Pompeii Theatrum Mundi festival, allowing visitors to experience performances in this ancient venue much as audiences would have done nearly two millennia ago.
1.5 km·21 min - 4Small Theatre (Odeon) of Pompeii
The Odeon is an intimate covered theatre built around 80 BC, located next to the Grand Theatre in Pompeya. Seating 1,000–1,500 spectators, it was Pompeya's most exclusive venue, hosting musical concerts, poetry recitations, philosophical debates and pantomime performances. What to see here is the theatre's impressive state of preservation and its exceptional acoustics, which remain remarkably effective even today.
0.2 km·3 min - 5House of Menander
One of Pompeya's finest preserved homes, spanning approximately 1,800 m², believed to have belonged to Popea Sabina, wife of the Emperor Nero. The house impresses with its exceptional frescoes depicting scenes from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, along with striking Nilotic landscapes. Within its walls lie a private thermal suite and a remarkable hoard of 118 silver objects, discovered during excavation. What to see here offers a fascinating glimpse into Roman domestic life and wealth during the 1st century AD.
0.2 km·2 min - 6Street of Abundance
Pompeya's main thoroughfare and most important street stretches for over 1 km through the ancient city. The original basalt paving, worn by countless cart wheels, remains largely intact, along with raised pavements and Roman pedestrian crossings. You'll see preserved fountains, electoral inscriptions painted on building facades, and the remains of tabernas and shops. This is what to see for a genuine sense of daily Roman life.
0.3 km·4 min - 7Stabian Baths
Pompeya's oldest bathhouse, dating from the 4th century BC and spanning over 3,500 m². The Termas Estabiana features separate wings for men and women, with the complete Roman bathing sequence: apodyterium (changing room), frigidarium (cold bath), tepidarium (warm room), and caldarium (hot bath). There's also a gymnasium and open-air swimming pool. It remains one of the best-preserved Roman thermal complexes in the world and offers valuable insight into daily life in the ancient city.
0.1 km·1 min - 8Lupanar of Pompeii
Pompeya's only documented brothel is a two-storey structure containing ten rooms, each furnished with stone-built beds. The building is noted for its explicit erotic frescoes adorning the doorways and the hundreds of client inscriptions preserved on its walls—a remarkable record of daily life in Roman times.
0.3 km·5 min - 9House of the Faun
One of Pompeii's largest and most opulent townhouses, spanning roughly 3,000 m², with origins dating to the 2nd century BC during the Samnite period. The Casa del Fauno is renowned for its bronze dancing faun statue and a copy of the celebrated Alexander Mosaic depicting the Battle of Issos. The residence occupies an entire city block and features two atria and two peristyles, offering what to see of considerable architectural grandeur and artistic merit from the Roman era.
0.2 km·2 min - 10House of the Vettii
Often called the Sistine Chapel of Pompeya, the Casa de los Vetii is an opulent merchant's residence showcasing exceptional Roman Fourth Style murals. The most famous image—Priapus—is visible immediately upon entry. The house features a beautifully reconstructed garden complete with fountains and bronze statues. What to see here is both the elaborate interior frescoes and the carefully restored outdoor spaces, offering a vivid picture of wealthy Roman domestic life.
0.2 km·2 min - 11House of the Small Fountain
Roman house in Regio VI of Pompeii from the 1st century BC, famous for the mosaic fountain adorned with shells in the peristyle that gives it its name, distinguishing it from the nearby Casa della Fontana Grande. The walls preserve Fourth Style frescoes with mythological figures, architectural landscapes and nature scenes. Excavated between 1827 and 1829.
0.1 km·1 min - 12House of the Tragic Poet
Casa del Poeta Tragico is a renowned Roman house in Pompeya famous for its striking entrance mosaic depicting a guard dog with the inscription 'CAVE CANEM' – a warning clearly visible from the street. The interior features remarkable frescoes with theatrical scenes, episodes from the Iliad, and depictions of actors in rehearsal. What to see here offers genuine insight into both the artistic tastes and daily life of a wealthy Roman household frozen in time by Vesuvius.
0.2 km·2 min - 13Macellum of Pompeii
The Macello di Pompeya is a second-century BC public food market situated at the north-east corner of the Forum. Its design centres on a columned courtyard with a fish-washing fountain and a central tholos. Retail shops line the perimeter, whilst the complex includes a meeting hall decorated with frescoes and a shrine housing imperial statues. What to see here offers genuine insight into Roman commerce and daily life at Pompeya.
0.1 km·1 min - 14Temple of Jupiter
The Temple of Jupiter dominates the northern edge of Pompeii's Forum, dating back to the 2nd century BC. Dedicated to the Capitoline Triad—Jupiter, Juno and Minerva—it remains the most impressive structure in the Forum precinct. The temple features Corinthian columns and houses several statues within. What to see here includes the temple's commanding position and its architectural details, which offer insights into Roman religious life and the town's civic importance before the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.
0.1 km·1 min - 0
- 16Temple of the Public Lares
The Temple of the Public Lares stands on the eastern side of Pompeii's Forum and served as a shrine to the Lares—Roman guardian deities believed to protect the entire community. Unlike the household Lares that watched over individual homes, these public counterparts represented civic protection. The temple occupies a rectangular footprint measuring approximately 18 by 20–21 metres and opens directly onto the Forum plaza, emphasising its public role and accessibility. It remains an important example of Pompeian religious architecture.
0.2 km·2 min - 17Templo de Vespasiano
This small tetrastyle temple in the Forum was dedicated to imperial worship, also known as the Temple of the Genius Augusti. The highlight is its sculpted marble altar, which bears a sacrificial scene, complemented by lateral niches and decorative reliefs. What to see here are the finely worked marble elements that testify to Roman religious practice and imperial veneration in Pompeii.
0.1 km·1 min - 18Building of Eumaquia
This imposing building on the Forum was commissioned by the priestess Eumaquia and served as the headquarters for the guild of dyers and fullers. It forms the eastern boundary of the Forum with a magnificent marble Portico of the Concordia Augusta, dedicated to the Concordia and Pietas Augusta. What to see here includes the fine architectural details and the historical significance of this well-preserved Roman structure, which offers insight into Pompeii's commercial and religious life before the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.
0.2 km·2 min - 19Curia
The Curia at Pompeii housed the city's political administration and stood at the heart of the Forum, surrounded by other civic buildings that formed the administrative centre of this ancient Roman town. This building exemplifies the architectural layout typical of Roman municipal government during the 1st century AD.
0.1 km·1 min - 20House of Championnet
Roman residence in Regio VIII, insula 2 of Pompeii, built on the southern city wall with privileged views of the Gulf of Naples. It owes its name to the French general Championnet during the first excavations at the end of the 18th century. Architecturally notable for its two-level system: upper floor with atrium, tablinum and peristyle hanging over a volcanic base; lower with a cryptoporticus and vaulted rooms. Preserves Fourth Style painting and mosaic floors.
0.1 km·2 min - 21House of the Geometric Mosaics
One of Pompeii's largest domus, with geometric mosaic floors and views over the bay.
0.2 km·3 min - 22Sanctuary of Apollo
The Sanctuary of Apollo ranks among Pompeya's oldest places of worship, with origins dating to the 6th century BC and a major redesign in the 2nd century BC. The sanctuary features a courtyard surrounded by 48 columns, a substantial altar bearing inscriptions, a sundial, and copies of sculptures depicting Apollo and Diana. It lies adjacent to the Forum, making it an essential what to see when visiting the archaeological site.
0.1 km·1 min - 23Basilica
The Basilica stands at the south-west corner of the Forum and is Pompeya's oldest and most significant public building. Built between 120 and 78 BC, it served dual purposes as both the seat of justice administration and the commercial heart of the city. Measuring 24 by 65 metres, it remains the finest example of pre-Roman architecture to visit in Pompeya and offers remarkable insight into the city's legal and commercial operations before the eruption of Vesuvius.
0.1 km·2 min - 24Temple of Venus
The Temple of Venus stands at the southwestern edge of Pompeya, overlooking the sea. Dedicated to Venus, the city's patron goddess, this temple was still under construction when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Despite its incomplete state, it remains an impressive structure with substantial columns intact. It represents the most ambitious religious project of Pompeya's final years and offers insight into the city's grand architectural ambitions.
0.0 km·1 min - 25Pompeii Antiquarium
The Antiquarium di Pompeya is an archaeological museum established in 1861 and rebuilt in 1948. It houses over 9,000 artefacts excavated from the site, including sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, jewellery and amphorae. The museum's most compelling exhibits are the famous plaster casts of more than 100 Vesuvius victims, preserved in their original positions at the moment of death. The collection presents a chronological display spanning from the Samnite period through to 79 AD, offering crucial insights into life before the catastrophic eruption.
0.2 km·3 min - 26Imperial Villa
Suburban villa next to Porta Marina in Pompeii, in Regio VIII, insula 1.a. Built in the 1st century and damaged by the earthquake of 62 AD, it was excavated in the mid-20th century. Its name derives from the splendor of its decorations and possible imperial links after post-earthquake repairs. Features frescoes in the Third and Fourth Styles with mythological scenes such as Theseus slaying the Minotaur and the fall of Icarus.
0.9 km·13 min - 27Esedra Square Entrance
Entrance to the Pompeii Archaeological Park with an official ticket office. It has a lift up to the Antiquarium and a bookshop service.
