Pompeii and Herculaneum Small Group Excursion from Sorrento

About this experience

Discover the wonders of ancient Rome on this small-group tour from Sorrento with no more than 20 participants. Travel comfortably by air-conditioned minibus or minivan and explore Pompeii and Herculaneum with an expert archaeologist guide. Walk through the ancient streets of Pompeii, discovering public squares, thermal baths, houses, and buildings that bring everyday Roman life before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 vividly to life. After your guided visit, enjoy a relaxing break at La Cartiera, with free time for lunch, coffee, or shopping. Continue to Herculaneum, renowned for its exceptional preservation, where ancient houses, frescoes, mosaics, and remarkably intact structures offer an extraordinary glimpse into the Roman world. A fascinating full-day experience combining archaeology, expert guidance, small-group comfort, and convenient transportation from Sorrento.

What to expect

1. Stop 1 · 1h

   Your excursion will begin in Piazza Angelina Lauro, the designated meeting point in the centre of Sorrento, right by the red tulip sculpture. Here you will meet your local guide and the Askos Tours staff member who will accompany the small group throughout the experience. Please arrive a few minutes early to ensure a smooth departure.

2. Stop 2

   You will access the archaeological site of Pompeii through the Porta Marina entrance, one of the most significant gateways to the ancient city. Here your guided tour will begin, led by a licensed archaeologist from Askos Tours who will introduce you to the history, urban layout, and daily life of Pompeii before the eruption of 79 AD.

3. Stop 3 · 15min

   Discover the open portico that gave shelter to merchants and other activities.

4. Stop 4 · 10min

   Have a look of the ancient main square of Pompeii.

5. Stop 5

   Walk through the main street of Pompeii.

6. Stop 6 · 5min

   Located along the Via dell’Abbondanza, the Insula of the Chaste Lovers preserves remarkable frescoes depicting intimate moments of daily life, including the famous affectionate couple. This stop offers a brief yet vivid glimpse into the elegance and domestic atmosphere of ancient Pompeian homes.

7. Stop 7 · 10min

   See the marble tables and baths for fountains that adorned the entrances of houses and some casts of victims of the eruption as well as that of a dog and a tree.

8. Stop 8 · 15min

   Enter the oldest thermal complex in the city.

9. Stop 9 · 10min

   Visit the most famous brothel in the ruined Roman city of Pompeii.

10. Stop 10 · 15min

    The house of Faun was one of the largest and most impressive private residences in Pompeii.

11. Stop 11 · 10min

    Have a look of the so called Teatro Piccolo of Pompeii.

12. Stop 12 · 15min

    Visit the most important Theater in Pompeii

13. Stop 13 · 45min

    Take a short break at Maximall Pompeii, the largest shopping center in the South of Italy, where you’ll receive an exclusive welcome kit + discount card, granting you special deals in stores.

14. Stop 14 · 10min

    The house receives its name from marble statues of stags/deer found in the peristyle.

15. Stop 15 · 10min

    M. Nonius Balbus was the city's major benefactor restoring and building many public buildings. On his death he was made patron and feted with many honours, detailed in the long inscription on his funeral altar.

16. Stop 16 · 10min

    It is thought that the building was a centre of the cult of the Emperor Augustus and the headquarters of the Collegium Augustalium (or possibly even the local curia).

17. Stop 17 · 10min

    The house possibly belonged to one of the town's leading benefactors, Marcus Nonius Balbus and is somewhat unusual in that it has its own private access to the adjoining Suburban Thermae to the south.

18. Stop 18 · 10min

    It is very important house for the elegant wooden partition remained.

19. Stop 19 · 1h

    Enjoy a 2-hour guided tour to the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum

20. Stop 20 · 10min

    The Central Thermae were built around the beginning of the 1st century AD and were divided, as was then the common practice, into men's and women's baths, each with their own separate entrances.

21. Stop 21 · 10min

    The House of the Black Hall is one of Herculaneum's more luxurious mansions. The house has a monumental entrance which still retains the carbonised remains of the doorposts and lintel.

22. Stop 22 · 10min

    The house has an arrangement that was typical of the Samnites (an ancient people of the Sabine race who occupied this mountainous part of central Italy). The splendid atrium is skirted by a gallery with Ionic columns. The rooms are decorated with frescoes.

23. Stop 23 · 10min

    This is one of the most original houses in Herculaneum. It has a courtyard with a stairway and a stone balcony instead of an atrium.

24. Stop 24 · 10min

    Beautiful domus in the Centre of the archaeological area, with various environments, collonnati, frescos e-com everywhere at Herculaneum-charred remains of wooden parts.

25. Stop 25 · 15min

    The House of the Skeleton probably the aggregation of three smaller buildings, derives its name from the discovery of human remains in a second floor room in 1831.

26. Stop 26 · 1h

    At the end of the excursion, you will be driven back to Piazza Angelina Lauro. This central location in Sorrento serves as the drop-off point, allowing you to conclude your day comfortably and continue with the rest of your plans.

Tour & ticket options

Options may have different inclusions and meeting points. Choose your option when booking on Viator.

Meeting & pickup

• In Piazza Angelina Lauro, close to the red tulip sculpture. The driver will be holding a ASKOS TOURS sign to be recognized.

End point

• In Piazza Angelina Lauro, close to the red tulip sculpture. The driver will be holding a ASKOS TOURS sign to be recognized.

Before you go

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Travel time is included
• No dogs allowed in the vehicle for this option - service animals allowed
• Herculaneum ruins' entry tickets: 16 euros (adult)
• Not suitable for visitors with mobility issues, wheelchair or stroller users.
• Not recommended for visually impaired guests unless accompanied by a dedicated personal assistant
• If you are travelling with suitcases, we recommend storing them in a luggage deposit (for example at the station or any facility of your choice) during the excursion. It may not always be possible to accommodate luggage on the minibus, as not all vehicles are equipped with a luggage compartment.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.