Pompeii Opening Hours & Closing Time 2026: Last Entry

Pompeii opens at 09:00 (9am). It closes at 19:00 (7pm) from 16 March through 14 October and at 17:00 (5pm) from 15 October through 15 March. Last entry is 90 minutes before closing: 17:30 in summer and 15:30 in winter.

Last updated and timetable checked: 12 October 2026. Times below are local to Pompeii, Italy. The Archaeological Park's official timetable and exceptional closure notices control admission.

Pompeii opening hours: summer and winter timetable

Visit dates	Opens	Last entry	Site closes
16 March–14 October	09:00 / 9am	17:30 / 5:30pm	19:00 / 7pm
15 October–15 March	09:00 / 9am	15:30 / 3:30pm	17:00 / 5pm

The October change happens on 15 October. A visit on 14 October uses the 19:00 closing time; a visit on 15 October uses 17:00. Likewise, 15 March is still on winter hours and 16 March starts the longer timetable. Use these published dates when planning a spring or autumn trip, rather than assuming the change happens at the end of the month.

The table applies to the main archaeological site. Individual houses, the suburban villas route and other Pompeii sites have their own last-access rules. Check those before building your day around one particular building.

What does last entry mean at Pompeii?

Last entry is the final published admission time. Closing time is when the site closes to visitors. Neither replaces the date and time slot printed on your Pompeii ticket or the meeting time for a guided tour. For example, arriving at 16:00 in winter is already after last entry, even though the main site closes at 17:00; buying a ticket does not extend those hours.

Arriving at 17:30 in summer or 15:30 in winter leaves at most 90 minutes before the site closes. Time spent at the entrance or walking to a distant house reduces the visit further. Some buildings may already have stopped admitting visitors.

For example, a 14:00 entry leaves five hours until summer closing but only three hours in winter. Those are calculations from the main-site timetable, not guaranteed time inside every building. Check the open-buildings list for the places you most want to see.

How much time do you need to visit Pompeii?

For a first visit, we suggest three to four hours for a selected route through the ancient city. Allow longer for a slower pace, breaks or the Villa of the Mysteries. This is planning advice, not an official minimum visit length.

Time available inside	A realistic plan	Arrival planning
About 2 hours	A short highlights walk; choose a small area rather than crossing the whole site	Arrive well before last entry and decide your route in advance
About 3–4 hours	A broader route with time to enter open houses and pause	Morning entry offers more flexibility, particularly in winter
Most of the day	A longer visit with breaks and, with the correct ticket, suburban villas	Aim for opening and check separate building access times

Two hours can be worthwhile, but it is a selective visit. The Forum, nearby streets and any open houses you choose should fit the same route; trying to add every distant landmark spends much of that time walking. Use our Pompeii visitor guide and route planner to choose a route before you arrive.

When is the best time to visit Pompeii?

Opening time is the most flexible choice for a first visit, because it leaves the longest day ahead. It also lets you complete some walking before the hottest part of a summer day. Bring water and sun protection, and choose comfortable shoes for the uneven ancient streets.

A later arrival can suit a shorter route. Work backward from closing time and the last access to any must-see building. We would not describe any weekday as reliably quiet: school visits, group bookings, holidays and free-entry days can change the crowd pattern. An afternoon slot also has fewer published admissions available in the summer timetable.

If you are coming from Naples or Sorrento, choose a train with room for delays, the walk from the station and entry checks. Our Naples day-trip guide and Sorrento to Pompeii train guide explain the station choices.

Is Pompeii open on Sundays and public holidays?

Pompeii's published main-site timetable includes Sundays. Free admission applies to the first Sunday of each month under Domenica al Museo, not every Sunday. The Park's separate free-day entry measures still apply; read our Pompeii free-entry days guide and the current official notice before choosing that date.

The official timetable lists 25 December and 1 January as closure dates, unless otherwise communicated. It does not list 1 May as a standard closure. Holiday openings and special arrangements can be announced separately, so check the Park's notice for the actual date you intend to travel.

Do not apply another site's weekly closing day to Pompeii. For example, the Park's timetable lists Tuesday closures at Oplontis and several Stabiae sites; it does not list a routine Tuesday closure for the ancient city of Pompeii.

Villa of the Mysteries, Boscoreale and other site hours

The main-site closing time does not guarantee access to every house until that minute. The Open Buildings page is the place to check individual building hours and service changes.

For the suburban villas route, the official ticket table lists last entrance at Porta Ercolano at 17:30 in summer and 15:30 in winter. You also need the appropriate ticket: Pompeii Express covers the ancient city; Pompeii Plus includes the suburban route and the sites stated in the Park's tariff.

If you hold a wider network ticket, check each destination separately. The published timetable lists Villa Regina and the Antiquarium at Boscoreale with last entry at 18:00 in summer and 16:00 in winter, closing at 19:00 and 17:00 respectively. Oplontis, the Stabian villas and the Archaeological Museum of Stabiae have separate entries in the same table and Tuesday closures. A ticket valid across several sites does not extend their opening hours.

Tickets, entry windows and the daily visitor limit

The Archaeological Park publishes a 20,000 daily visitor limit and uses personal tickets. For 16 March–14 October, its admission windows are:

• 09:00–13:00: up to 15,000 entries;
• 13:00–17:30: up to 5,000 entries.

Those are admission quotas, not a promise of tickets remaining for any date. Follow the time slot on your booking; a morning entry window does not itself say that you must leave at 13:00.

Use the Park's official booking link for current availability. Our official Pompeii tickets guide compares the €20 Pompeii Express and €25 Pompeii Plus categories, explains identification checks and links to VivaTicket. If your preferred date is unavailable, consult what to do when Pompeii tickets are sold out.

Which entrance should you use?

The Park lists Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro as entrances with official ticket offices. You may also see Porta Marina Superiore and Porta Marina Inferiore used in directions, with the latter referring to the Piazza Esedra side. Follow the entrance or meeting-point instructions on your own booking.

For visitors with mobility difficulties, the Park's timetable page directs the Pompeii for All route through Piazza Anfiteatro, with a possible exit at Piazza Esedra using the Antiquarium lift. That makes entrance planning especially important: the nearest station entrance may not be the most suitable route for your party.

Before leaving your accommodation, confirm the day's hours, ticket window, return transport and current route notices. Keep your ticket and identification accessible so the entry check does not eat into your visit.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Pompeii open in 2026?

The Archaeological Park currently lists opening at 09:00. From March 16 through October 14, last entry is 17:30 and closing is 19:00. From October 15 through March 15, last entry is 15:30 and closing is 17:00. Confirm the date-specific timetable before travelling.

What time does Pompeii close, and what does last entry mean?

The Park currently lists closing at 19:00 from March 16 through October 14 and 17:00 from October 15 through March 15. Last entry is the latest time shown for entering the main site, not the closing time.

What is the 20,000 daily visitor cap at Pompeii?

The Archaeological Park currently publishes a daily capacity of 20,000 visitors. From March 16 through October 14, the published entry windows allocate up to 15,000 entries from 09:00 to 13:00 and up to 5,000 from 13:00 to 17:30.

Is Pompeii open on Sundays?

Yes, Sundays are included in the published main-site timetable, subject to exceptional closures. Free admission is offered on the first Sunday of the month; other Sundays follow the applicable ticket tariff.

Is Pompeii free on the first Sunday of the month?

The Park currently advertises a free ticket on the first Sunday of each month under Domenica al Museo. Entry measures and capacity rules still apply, so check the Park’s current notice before travelling.

Do all Pompeii buildings have the same opening hours?

No. The Park publishes a separate Open Buildings page with building-specific hours and last-access times, and it asks visitors to check service communications for changes.

Which entrances can I use at Pompeii?

The Park’s how-to-visit page names Porta Marina Superiore, Porta Marina Inferiore (also called Piazza Esedra), and Piazza Anfiteatro. Check your ticket and the Park’s current notices before travelling because access routes can change.

Are there toilets at Pompeii?

Yes. The Park's visitor-services page lists toilets around the entrances and within the archaeological area. Check that page and the current visitor map for facilities along your route.

Official sources

• Archaeological Park of Pompeii: timetables, tickets and access information
• Archaeological Park of Pompeii: open buildings
• Archaeological Park of Pompeii: regulations for visitors
• Archaeological Park of Pompeii: visitor services