Pompeii 3-Hour Skip-the-Line Tour with Archaeologist and 2-Hour Express Option

Three hours is the standard length here, and the guide is a trained archaeologist who covers more ground than a shorter walk would. Travelers short on time can pick the Pompeii Express option when booking: two hours, same kind of guide, a curated route through the highlights.

The tour skips the entrance queue and moves through the ruins of shops, temples and homes. Along the way are a bakery where food was found almost intact, the Temple of Apollo and the Forum, the House of the Vettii, an ancient supermarket, a cemetery, and a brothel (if age appropriate). The plaster casts of people caught in the eruption are part of the route. About a third of the city is still unexcavated, and the guide adapts the itinerary to new discoveries and takes the group to the latest excavations.

The tour ends with a walk along the city walls, with views toward Naples and Capri. Groups are limited to 15 people.