Pompeii Opening Hours (2026)
Pompeii is open daily except Jan 1, May 1 and Dec 25. Summer 09:00–19:00 (last entry 17:30), winter 09:00–17:00 (last entry 15:30). Plus the best time of day and the 2026 timed-slot rules.
Short answer: Pompeii is open daily except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. In summer (1 Apr–31 Oct) it runs 09:00–19:00 with last entry at 17:30; in winter (1 Nov–31 Mar) 09:00–17:00 with last entry at 15:30. Last admission is about 90 minutes before closing — plan to be at the gate well before then.
Opening hours at a glance
| Season | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (1 Apr – 31 Oct) | 09:00 – 19:00 | 17:30 |
| Winter (1 Nov – 31 Mar) | 09:00 – 17:00 | 15:30 |
| Closed | 1 Jan · 1 May · 25 December | — |
There is no weekly closing day — the main site is open Monday to Sunday. (A few outlying suburban villas, such as Oplontis and the Villa San Marco, close on Tuesdays, but the main Pompeii park does not.)
The 2026 rules that catch people out
For 2026 the park has tightened how summer visits work, and it’s worth knowing before you go:
- A daily cap of 20,000 visitors, split into timed slots in peak months — a morning window (09:00–13:00) and an afternoon window (13:00–17:30). Once a slot sells out, that’s it for the day.
- Nominative tickets: each ticket carries the visitor’s name, and you may be asked for photo ID at the gate.
- The official online ticket vendor is now Vivaticket (it replaced TicketOne).
The practical upshot: in summer, don’t just turn up. Book ahead, or go with a tour that holds its own skip-the-line allocation. A guided archaeologist tour bundles timed entry so the cap isn’t your problem.
Best time of day to visit
Go early. The first slot after 09:00 is cooler, quieter, and lets you cover the highlights before the late-morning crowds and midday heat arrive — the site is largely unshaded ruins. Late afternoon in summer also thins out as day-trippers leave, but you’ll have less time before last entry. For the seasonal picture, see the best time to visit Pompeii.
Tickets and the free Sundays
Standard adult entry is €20 (EU citizens 18–25 pay a reduced ~€2; under-18s are free but still need a free ticket and ID). Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month under Italy’s Domenica al Museo scheme — but you can’t pre-book those days, tickets are collected on site, and the 20,000 cap plus crowds make an early arrival essential. For how ticket types compare, see our tickets guide.
How much time to leave once you’re in
Opening hours only matter if you leave enough of them for the site. Most visitors need 2–4 hours; see how long you need at Pompeii to plan around last entry.
Ready to skip the queue?
Hours, caps, and timed slots are exactly the friction a guided tour removes — entry is arranged for you, with an archaeologist to make the visit count. Book a Pompeii archaeologist tour →
Ready to Walk Pompeii With an Archaeologist?
The top-rated Pompeii archaeologist tour — skip-the-line Pompei Express entry, 2 hours with a working archaeologist through the Forum, Lupanar, House of the Faun, plaster casts and the theaters. Small group of 20, headsets included. From $58 per person with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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