The Atlas Obscura Guide To Pompeii

6 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Pompeii, Italy

Updated November 11, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Pompeii

Pompeii, Italy

Plaster Citizens of Pompeii

The last moments of the ill-fated Pompeiians, frozen forever in plaster.

Thermopolia of Pompeii

Pompeii, Italy

Thermopolia of Pompeii

Ancient snack bar of the Roman Empire re-opened.

Fresco erotic scene in the Lupanar

Pompeii, Italy

The Brothels of Pompeii

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.

Stone penis.

Pompeii, Italy

Stone Phalluses of Pompeii

The walls and streets of the ancient city are peppered with penises.

Villa dei Misteri seen from above.

Pompeii, Italy

Villa dei Misteri

This amazingly well-preserved villa just outside Pompeii boasts rare examples of ancient Roman paintings.

The remnants of the ancient eatery.

Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii Thermopolium

Before it was buried by volcanic ash, this fast-food restaurant fed the hungry hordes of ancient Rome.

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View towards Pompeii excavations from tower

Pompei, Italy

Campanile del Santuario della Beata Vergine Maria del Santo Rosario di Pompei

Although controlled by the Santuario, the Campanile is a separate and later structure which offers great views of Pompei and Vesuvius

0 miles from Pompeii

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Pompeii

The remnants of the ancient eatery.

Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii Thermopolium

Before it was buried by volcanic ash, this fast-food restaurant fed the hungry hordes of ancient Rome.

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

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Stories About Pompeii

In Pompeii, four individuals who perished together were long thought to be a mother, father, and their two children. New research says otherwise.

In Pompeii, the Dead Have New Stories to Tell

What we got wrong about some of the ancient city's most famous victims.

by Roxanne Hoorn, Atlas Obscura

November 11, 2024

The House of the Vettii, one of the most important historical sites in Pompeii, opened to the public in 2023 after 20 years of work to restore its frescos and the mansion itself.

Revealing the Risqué Art of Pompeii’s House of the Vettii

Inside the two-decade-long effort to restore the mansion’s colorful frescos.

by Amy Crawford, Atlas Obscura

February 7, 2023

Don’t take stuff from Pompeii, or anywhere else. But if you already have, kindly give it back.

How to Give Stolen Artifacts Back to Historic Sites

Penitent pilferers can—and should—return their finds.

by Jessica Leigh Hester, Atlas Obscura

October 22, 2020

The gems and figures were found in the remains of a villa in Pompeii.

Found: A Stash of Mystical Charms and Amulets in Pompeii

The ash-encased city always manages to surprise.

by Isaac Schultz, Atlas Obscura

August 15, 2019