Pompeii To Limit Daily Tourist Numbers To 20,000

Starting November 15, Pompeii will cap visitors at 20,000 per day due to a surge in tourist numbers. On the first Sunday of October, a record 36,000 visitors flooded the site during a free entry day.

Pompeii, a well-preserved ancient city buried by Mount Vesuvius’s eruption in AD 79, saw nearly four million visitors in 2023, marking a significant increase from prior years and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

In October 2024 alone, more than 480,000 tourists visited Pompeii, averaging 15,500 per day, with the busiest period in May at 16,700 daily visitors.

Park officials anticipate only a few instances where visitors may be turned away, mainly on free entry Sundays and a few peak days.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Pompeii’s director, emphasised that managing visitor numbers is essential for both conservation and safety.

Approximately one-third of the ancient city remains un-excavated, drawing ongoing interest from archaeologists. Recent discoveries include frescoes depicting Helen of Troy and Apollo, found in a lavish banquet hall adorned with intricate mosaics.

Pompeii’s entry tickets start at €18, with the new visitor cap helping to balance tourist demand with preservation efforts.

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