Map of Pompeii — The Key Sites
Pompeii covers 66 hectares with almost no signage and no maps inside. Here's where the famous sites actually sit — grouped by area — so you can plan a route before you go.
Pompeii is bigger and more confusing than most first-timers expect: a 66-hectare grid of roofless streets with barely any labelling and no maps handed out at the gate. It’s the single most common complaint — people spend their first hour lost around the Forum. This map fixes the orientation problem. It plots the sites worth your time, grouped into five areas, so you arrive knowing where things are.
How the site is laid out
Think of Pompeii as a long oval on a slope, entered from the west at Porta Marina. The Forum sits just inside that gate — the civic heart, and the right place to start. From there the main spine, Via dell’Abbondanza, runs east past the baths, the brothel, and the grand houses all the way to the Amphitheatre at the far end. The theatres cluster to the south; the Villa of the Mysteries sits alone out to the north-west, beyond the walls.
The map below colours each area; the cards underneath list what’s in each, with a line on why it matters. Planning the wider trip too? See the Pompeii, Herculaneum & Vesuvius regional map.
The orientation map only gets you so far
Knowing where the Lupanar or the House of the Faun is doesn’t tell you what you’re looking at — and with no signage, that’s the gap. This is exactly why most visitors who go without a guide say afterwards they wished they hadn’t: see is Pompeii worth it and guided vs self-guided. A 2-hour archaeologist tour walks this route and reads the city for you. Planning logistics first? See how long you need and opening hours.
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Tap an area below (or a coloured pin) to light it up — the rest stay as dots. Click any pin for details, or ◉ Locate on a card to fly the map to it. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Pompeii's public square and the natural place to start — ringed by temples and the law courts, with Vesuvius framed to the north.
The streets where Pompeii actually lived — baths, bars, and the famous brothel along Via dell'Abbondanza.
The mansions of Pompeii's elite, where the best-preserved frescoes and mosaics survive.
Where Pompeii was entertained — from Greek drama in the south to gladiatorial games at the far east end.
The poignant and the spectacular, out at the edges — worth the extra walk.
See these sites with an archaeologist
Pompeii has almost no signage on the ground — this map helps you orient, but a working archaeologist is what turns the ruins into a city you can read.
Book a Pompeii archaeologist tour →Planning the rest of your visit? See how long you need, the opening hours, how to get there, and whether Pompeii is worth it.
Map of Pompeii — FAQ
Barely. The park hands out little at the gate and there's almost no signage on the ruins themselves, which is why so many visitors get lost around the Forum. Use the map above to orient before you go — or take a guided tour that walks the route for you.
The short list: the Forum, the House of the Faun, the Lupanar (brothel), the plaster casts at the Garden of the Fugitives, the Amphitheatre, and — out beyond the walls — the Villa of the Mysteries. They're plotted by area on the map above.
It's a Roman grid on a slope. You enter from the west at Porta Marina, with the Forum just inside; the main street, Via dell'Abbondanza, runs east to the Amphitheatre. The theatres are to the south and the Villa of the Mysteries sits alone to the north-west.
The most accessible casts in situ are at the Garden of the Fugitives in the south-east of the site (thirteen victims), with more on display in the Forum area. They're the most affecting stop — and easy to miss without knowing where to look.
The main entrance is Porta Marina on the west side (near the Forum), with a second entrance at Piazza Anfiteatro on the east. Which is better depends on your plan — see how to get to Pompeii.
Start at the Forum, follow Via dell'Abbondanza east, and use the area map above to find the highlights. The surest way not to miss things — or waste time backtracking — is a guided tour with an archaeologist who knows the route.