When my friend Kevin told me he wanted to visit Pompeii while visiting me in Rome, my first thought was can I bring my dog to Pompeii? I hadn’t been to Pompeii since my parents took us on a trip when I was about 8 and I really wanted to go without having to leave Mishka and Lilo behind!
After some research, it turns out we could! This UNESCO World Heritage Site allows visitors to explore the ancient ruins with their dogs, making it a truly unforgettable experience for both history lovers and pet parents. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Pompeii with dogs.
Are Dogs Allowed in Pompeii?
Yes! While dogs are not welcome at sites like the Colosseum, dogs are welcome at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and you can visit the amphitheatre in the park. This makes it one of the most unique historic sites in Italy where pets can accompany you. However, there are some important rules:
- Only small dogs that weigh less than 10kg (22lbs) and have a maximum height of 40cm are allowed inside Pompeii
- Dogs must be kept on a leash at all time
- Dogs must be carried inside buildings— be prepared to carry them!
- You must clean up after your dog
Our dogs were not weighed. So if they are within the size limit—they have some dog silhouettes to measure at the entrances— your dog is fine to enter.
Rome to Pompeii Day Trips
Rome to Pompeii and Amalfi Coast Tour
Rome to Pompeii by Train
What it’s Like Visiting Pompeii with Your Dog
Early Start from Rome to Pompeii
Our day started early as we were driving from Rome with our dogs doing just a day trip to Pompeii. The Pompeii tour I booked was starting at 9:45am. I wanted it to be early to both avoid the crowds and the worst of the heat.
With Mishka and Lilo safely buckled in the car and sharing the backseat with my friend Kevin, we embarked on the 2:40hr drive to Pompeii from Rome. We parked in Camping Spartacus and paid €5 for whole day parking in the shade. Before our tour time, we had coffee with a view to prepare for a day in Pompeii.
We met our tour guide in the Porta Marina entrance to Pompeii. We had some technical issues with the headsets for our group but we eventually made it inside. The ‘skip the line’ tickets weren’t just a gimmick, we really did skip ahead and made it inside faster.
This is the Pompeii tour we did and it was actually great! Although they didn’t take us to the brothel, I later understood it might have to do with not spending our time at the site in line but rather visiting other of the important buildings. Our guide was very good and knowledgable!
Mishka and Lilo were not measured or weighed, but they did have some dog silhouettes at the entrance that Mishka found suspicious. They will probably measure your dog if they seem too big. We were reminded to carry our dogs when going inside buildings.
As soon as we walked in, our guide in Pompeii pointed to an old sea port. It is always so incredible to see the changes in sea level and how far inland ancient port cities are today. We also got a god view of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that buried Pompeii on August 24, 79 AD under ash and lapilli.
First impressions and cobbled streets
I knew that the reason this incredible ancient city was so well preserved was because of the way it was buried by the volcano. But seeing it in person, as an adult who can really comprehend the scale of the tragedy as well as the archaeological marvel, Pompeii greatly impressed me.
The huge streets with uneven huge cobblestones make it an adventurous walk and the rocks can get slippery. Be careful when walking on them and with your dog. I slipped a couple of times!
It was also incredible to think that the raised stones would help citizens cross the street without getting dirty from run-off and toilet refuse. It is unbelievable coming from a country that has aqueducts that could fill whole plazas for naval battle recreations and had a thing for baths. I find it even harder to wrap my head around as I know a lot of ancient Mexican cities had drainage and sewage systems. My pre-Hispanic ancestors were called barbarians but they had working sewage systems in their pyramids!
Pompeii Bodies
The oldest evidence found in Pompeii dates back to the late 7th century BC making the city about 300 years old by the time it was buried. It was a Roman colony in 80 BC which enriched the private and public buildings until many buildings were destroyed by an earthquake in in 62 AD. The people of Pompeii rebuilt the city just to be destroyed again by Vesuvius.
Our tour took us to the Pompeii Forum. This impressive plaza was the heart of the daily life of Pompeii and opened up to the temples. We went to the Macellum, or the market, and here we saw the Pompeii bodies.
Around 2,000 people died in both Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum. Most died from the toxic gases, ash clouds, and volcanic particles. Those preserved bodies you see on display were thanks to Giuseppe Fiorelli who found the remains and injected plaster into them. I felt an overwhelming sadness of seeing these plaster bodies, dead in a position trying to protect themselves from the inevitable. It also felt wrong to take photos of them, which is why I took one bad one and then focused on the market fresco behind them.
Pompeii Baths
We then went to the impressive Terme del Foro, one of five public baths in Pompeii. Here we had to carry the dogs inside the baths. The baths had changing rooms, cold bath rooms, warm baths, and hot baths, and the baths were divided by gender. They were not only useful but beautifully decorated with frescoes and sculptures.
Dogs in Pompeii: Beware of Dog- Cave Canem
We also of course visited the House of the Tragic Poet with its dog mosaic and the original beware of the dog sign, Cave Canem. I tried taking a photo a Mishka with the famous Pompeii dog mosaic but the glare made it impossible. But I did get a pair of socks with the Cave Canem print to have my own piece of the Pompeii dog.
After our tour, we walked towards the Anfiteatro on Via dell’Abbondanza, and passed by the House of Paquius Proculus, which had another dog mosaic. The one from the House of the Tragic Poet is the most famous, but there are more Cave Canem dogs in Pompeii.
Other Pompeii Buildings
The Casa del Fauno is named after the little bronze faun statuette in the central fountain. This luxurious home was the biggest and grandest of the Samnite period. Most of the luxurious homes were built by the Samnites even though Pompeii has Oscan, Greek, Etruscan, Samnite and Roman influences.
Thermopolium was a place that served drinks and hot dishes that were kept in jars, a sort of ancient cafeteria or fast food joint. Some had frescoes showing what they sold there and decorated counters.
At the end of the tour we visited the Casa delle Nozze D’Argento, with the impressive inner courtyard with an open ceiling that would rain into the water fountain.
Pompeii Amphitheatre
Finally, we made it to the Anfiteatro or Pompeii Amphitheatre. It is the oldest, that we know of, from Roman times. It was built in 70 BC it could hold up to 20,000 spectators! It is always magnificent to stand in the middle of the arena and imagine everything this place has seen and felt. There was a whole Pink Floyd exhibition because they filmed live in 1971!
The Pompeii Amphitheatre was the second amphitheatre our dogs have been inside of, the first one being the Pula Arena in Croatia!
Outside the amphitheatre, we sat in a shaded area to take a break and have snacks. This area was much cooler and a much needed rest for me and the dogs. It was already noon by the time we got to the Arena, so we made our way back passing through other buildings including the Palestra Grande and Casa di Octavius Quartio.
Lupanar or Pompeii Brothel
I was disappointed we didn’t visit the Lupanar (brothel) with the tour even if it was on the tour’s description. I remembered that during my childhood visit, at the Lupanare, the guide switched to Italian so only my parents would understand. Of course, my older brother and I, would discuss what we did understand, and I remember seeing specific sex position images on top of each room.
I wanted to see if I remembered correctly and show it to Kevin and CJ. On our way out, we tried going to the Lupanar but ended up turning away when we saw how long the line was.
Stone Penises of Pompeii
If you find some stone penises around Pompeii, you found a good luck charm or one to ward off the evil eye. I remember this from my childhood and it is still the most prevalent theory, even though some stories claim these penises point to the brothel— they don’t. They were outside shops and homes for luck and, according to a guide I overheard, the Pompeii good luck penis later turned into the Naples cornicello.
Gross Pompeii Facts
I also learned some more unsettling facts about Pompeii: that slaves had to tread on fabrics in a liquid with animal and human urine to treat fabrics at the ancient laundries.
And if that wasn’t gross enough, there were also ancient latrines, or toilets, where people would use a communal sponge that was later put into a bowl of water with vinegar. GROSS!!! I’m glad current Italians use a bidet religiously!
Leaving Pompeii
By the time our tour ended around noon, I noticed how there were more people and it was very crowded. I really do recommend to arrive early and avoid the crowds, especially when visiting Pompeii with dogs.
We left at around 1:30pm and headed to Sorrento in the Amalfi Coast for some lunch before our drive back to Rome.
From Amalfi to Pompeii it’s about an hour drive so it is possible to visit both in one day taking a day trip from Rome but it will be an exhausting day.
Few places in the world allow dogs in such a remarkable archaeological site which makes Pompeii a top pet friendly destination in Italy!
Pompeii Dog Friendly Visitor Information
- Opening Hours from 9am to 7pm April to October and 9am to 5pm November to March. The Pompeii archeological site is closed December 25 and January 1st.
- Map of Pompeii
- Pompeii tickets are €18 (with reduced €2 ticket for 18-25 EU citizens)
- Dogs enter for free, cannot weigh more than 10kg, and need to be leashed at all times.
- Drinking fountains are available, but if you’re sensitive like me, I found the water had a sort of grainy/sandy texture—I would bring extra water and an insulated dog water bottle to keep water cool.
- Plan the route as the site is very large (over 163 acres or 66 hectares), so plan rest breaks for your pup. The area around the amphitheatre has some trees and grassy area you can rest and sit in.
- It gets very hot during the summer and there is very little shade or places to sit. Get the earliest tour.
- To keep your dog safe, avoid the biggest crowds. We saw the site filling up around noon.
- Find a bathroom early when you need it as later in the day bathrooms might be closed due to running out of water.
Check out the best dog gear that is Mishka and Lilo approved for your trip to Pompeii!
Accessibility in Pompeii
Italy is not very accessible, especially archeological and historical sites that are hard to make adaptable for people with mobility issues. Thankfully, Pompeii For All has made it their purpose to allow disabled visitors to also enjoy Pompeii.
Pompeii can be visited with a wheelchair! They have an itinerary designed for disabled visitors with a pathway. It is marked in blue dotted line on the map. While this is true, be aware that this path follows some roads and adapts the top part of it with metal pathways. This part was the only shaded area during the day and as always people would block the way.
The free inner site shuttle service that connects all of the Pompeii sites is not equipped with disabled access.
Bathrooms are scarce: at each entrance—Piazza Anfiteatro, Piezza Esedra, Porta Marina, and exit by Villa dei Misteri— by Casa di Fabius Armandius, by the Antiquarium, by the Quadriportico dei Teatri, by the Necropoli di P. Nola, and by the restaurant/bar inside the archeological site.
The bathroom by the Antiquarium was closed right after I was able to use it because it ran out of water. This was only about 1:30pm, so prepare ahead for possible bathroom closures.
Check Out More Things to do in Italy With Dogs
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