Pompeii will cap daily visitor numbers at 20,000, starting 15th November, due to increased tourist numbers. This new limit aims to address conservation and visitor safety after a record-breaking 36,000 visitors flocked to the ancient city on the first Sunday of October, when entry was free.
The site, preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, drew nearly four million visitors in 2023 alone — a figure more than a third higher than in 2022, and above pre-pandemic levels. October 2024 saw over 480,000 visitors, averaging about 15,500 per day, while May remains the busiest month this year, with 517,000 people visiting, or around 16,700 daily.
Pompeii’s director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, explained reducing foot traffic is essential for preserving the site’s delicate structures and artworks, which are especially vulnerable to deterioration from high visitor numbers. While most visitors will not be affected by the cap, the park has only exceeded 20,000 on a few occasions — typically during free entry days on the first Sunday of each month and select high-demand days.
Pompeii is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site but also an active archaeological site, with ongoing excavations. Around one-third of the ancient city is still buried, offering vast research opportunities for archaeologists. In recent years, excavations have uncovered frescoes featuring mythological figures such as Helen of Troy and Apollo, found in a banquet room adorned with intricate black walls and a mosaic floor made from over a million tiles. Only a few weeks ago, the site announced the discovery of a small house with important frecoes.
With tickets starting at €18, Pompeii remains one of the world’s most significant and well-preserved insights into daily Roman life.
