Day Trip From Rome to Pompeii and Sorrento

After your guided tour of Pompeii, you'll return to your transportation and continue down the coast to the town of Sorrento on the beautiful Amalfi Coast. Your time here is free to spend however you like, but your trip leader will have plenty of recommendations for the coolest spots to visit on your own and where to grab a delicious local lunch (not included). Finally, you'll return to Rome in the evening.

Pompeii and Sorrento Day Tour Description

Your 12-hour day trip includes:

• Round-trip, air-conditioned transportation from Rome

• Skip-the-line entry at Pompeii

• An English-speaking expert archaeologist guide for your tour of Pompeii

• Free time to enjoy an afternoon in Sorrento

• An engaging trip leader to accompany your group for the day

• A maximum group size of 18

• Gratuities not included

Please note that this itinerary may be reversed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Rome to Pompeii Tour

After meeting your trip leader and the rest of your small group, you'll start your day with a beautiful drive down the Autostrada del Sole (highway of the sun) to the excavated city of Pompeii. Enjoy watching the scenic countryside pass by, filled with lemon tree orchards and quaint little towns. At Pompeii, you'll meet your archaeologist guide, who'll help you skip the line to start exploring the remarkably well-preserved remains of this ancient metropolis.

Guided Tour of Pompeii 

This UNESCO World Heritage site located south of Naples was covered almost instantly with 13-20 feet (4-6 meters) of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Literally frozen in time by volcanic ash, this ancient city is one of the most fascinating sites in Italy—and the world.

Led by your professional archaeologist guide, you'll walk through this once-thriving city and see how the well-preserved structures and evidence of daily life reveals secrets about Roman civilization. The city sat undisturbed for almost 2,000 years until a group of explorers discovered that it was still largely intact. As a result, we now have an unparalleled snapshot of life in the prosperous ancient city. 

Villa of Mysteries

After exploring the main ruins of Pompeii, you'll follow your guide to a hidden gem of the lost city of Pompeii, called the Villa of Mysteries. Your guide will take you through a series of rooms depicting a young girl and her mysterious initiation into an ancient cult. You'll be shocked to see how well this villa has been preserved since the 79 A.D. eruption.

Since this is an active archaeological site, the Villa of Mysteries occasionally closes without notice. If this happens, your guide will make up the time at other areas in this vast ancient city.

Free Afternoon in Sorrento

After you've finished exploring Pompeii, you'll meet your driver again and continue down the gorgeous winding roads of the Italian coast, along the Gulf of Naples and on to Sorrento. Before you set off to explore the town on your own, your trip leader will explain some of the many things you can do and see in this beautiful part of the Amalfi Coast.

You'll have free time on your own to leisurely explore the center of this charming coastal gem, enjoy a typical local lunch, and indulge in some gelato or famous limoncello. Then, after a long day of sightseeing, culture, and history, meet up with your small group again and relax on the scenic drive back to the Eternal City.

Why Sorrento instead of Positano? Both are famous, beautiful hillside towns on what is one of the world's most scenic coastlines. However, Sorrento happens to be nearly an hour closer to Rome, which gives you with more time to explore and less time on the road.