Things to Do in Pozzuoli

A working fishing harbour with a long promenade. Views of the Bay of Naples and the volcanic island of Nisida. Watch the fishermen sort their catch.

🕐 Open 24 hours; best at sunrise or late afternoon

💡 Grab a coffee at Bar del Porto (€1.10) at dawn to see the ferry departures. No entry needed—it's the public seafront.

Ruins of an ancient Roman market, now partially submerged due to bradyseism (volcanic ground movement). The three standing columns show clear tide marks from the 1970s uplift.

🕐 Always open (exterior view from street; gate may be locked late evening)

💡 Best seen at low tide when the ancient mosaic floor is visible. No ticket needed—just walk in through the gate at the eastern end of the main square.

A well-preserved Roman amphitheatre, third largest in Italy after the Colosseum and Capua. Underground passages and seating are accessible for about €4.

🕐 Tue-Sun 09:00-19:00, Mon closed

💡 The ticket also covers the nearby museum. Ask at the ticket office about guided tours of the underground—often free with entry.

17th-century cathedral built inside the shell of a Roman temple to Augustus. Six original Corinthian columns from the temple survive, integrated into the nave walls. Free to enter; donation box gets you a booklet in English.

🕐 Daily 07:30–12:00 and 16:00–19:30

💡 Look up at the wooden ceiling — the original 1650s painted panels survived the 1964 earthquake but the modern ones are a different shade of blue. Spot the join.

Volunteer-run walking tour covering Pozzuoli's history, from Greek origins to modern day, focusing on the harbour, amphitheatre, and bradyseism effects. Runs every Saturday morning.

🕐 Saturdays 10:00–12:00; check weather cancellation on the Pro Loco Pozzuoli Facebook page

💡 No booking needed—just show up at the tourist info booth in Piazza della Repubblica at 10:00. Tips appreciated but not required. In Italian with some English.

Working fish auction and retail market under a concrete shelter on the harbour. Fishermen sell direct from wooden crates — octopus, langoustines, and oddities like mantis shrimp. No entry fee; just show up and watch the auction or buy a sandwich of f

🕐 Mon–Sat 05:30–13:00

💡 Come by 07:00 if you want to see the auction — it finishes by 08:30. The stall at the far right sells grilled baby octopus on focaccia for 3 EUR, which is the best-value lunch in town.

A working fishing port with a daily fish market under the arcades. Watch the fishermen unload their catch from small boats, then buy fresh octopus, anchovies or clams from the stalls. The atmosphere is raw and lively, with locals shouting prices and

🕐 Market: Mon-Sat 06:00-13:00, closed Sun

💡 Come before 9am to see the auction. The walkways along the old harbour walls are free and give great views of the Bay of Pozzuoli and the islands. No entrance fee, but bring cash for a €2 coffee at the bar on the corner.

A partially excavated Roman villa with stunning frescoes and mosaics, believed to have belonged to Emperor Augustus's wife Livia.

🕐 Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00

💡 Free and usually empty. Ask the custodian to unlock the viewing platform for a closer look at the floor mosaics. Only open on weekends.

The original Roman acropolis of Pozzuoli. A network of ancient streets, temples and houses built into the rock, with a modern cathedral on top. Free access to the upper area and the archaeological site beneath, which includes a Roman market and baths

🕐 Upper area: always open. Underground site: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon

💡 Look for the floor-level glass panels on Via Duomo – they show the old Roman street grid below. The underground area is free but check opening times at the tourist office as it's sometimes closed for events.

Ancient Roman marketplace ruins with standing marble columns. The three main pillars show clear marks from marine borers, evidence of the bradyseism phenomenon that has raised and lowered the ground over centuries. You can walk right through the site

🕐 Open access 24/7 (outdoor public site)

💡 Visit late afternoon when the low sun hits the marble columns — the light makes the borehole marks on the columns much easier to spot.

An excavated Roman market building, misnamed the Temple of Serapis. Its three standing marble columns mark ancient sea levels.

🕐 Mon-Sat 09:00-19:00, Sun 09:00-13:00

💡 Bring a torch to see the marble floor mosaics clearly in the dim light. Free entry, no ticket needed.

A well-preserved Roman market hall, partly submerged by volcanic bradyseism. Three standing marble columns show evidence of ancient sea-level change.

🕐 24 hours

💡 Best visited at low tide to see more of the ground level. The site is open and unfenced — just walk in from the lungomare.

The old town core built on a volcanic tuff cliff, with a maze of narrow lanes, Roman-era street level, and a cathedral. Access to the archaeological tunnel network requires a ticket.

🕐 24 hours (streets); tunnel tours 10:00-16:00, closed Tue

💡 Walk through the Borghetto degli artisti side streets for faded frescoes. The free outdoor sections give a solid feel for the ancient town.

A hilltop ancient Roman settlement with a cathedral and panoramic views of the Gulf of Pozzuoli. Underground tunnels and ruins are accessible via guided tour at a low cost.

🕐 Site open 24 hours; underground tours Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00

💡 Visit late afternoon for golden light over the sea. The tour of the underground Roman city costs about €5 and runs hourly.

A multi-layered archaeological site with Roman streets and buildings under a Baroque cathedral. Guided walk through the ancient decumanus.

🕐 Wed–Mon 09:30–14:00; closed Tue

💡 Entrance is €4 and includes an audio guide. The cathedral above is free to enter.

The third-largest Roman amphitheatre in Italy, built around the 1st century. Underground tunnels and cages are well preserved and walkable.

🕐 Daily 09:00–one hour before sunset; closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec

💡 Buy the cumulativo ticket (€9) which covers the amphitheatre, the Macellum, and the Rione Terra archaeological site.

Underground Roman city buried by volcanic debris and rediscovered in the 1990s. You walk through original paved streets, shops, and a bakery at 8m below modern street level. Entry costs 5 EUR, half price for EU under-25s.

🕐 Tue–Sun 09:00–19:00 (last entry 17:30), closed Mon

💡 Buy your ticket at the tourist office beside the cathedral, not at the entrance kiosk — shorter queue and they'll give you the audio guide for free if you ask nicely.

Ruins of a Roman market building, once the city's main food hall. Three standing columns and a marble floor grid remain.

🕐 Daily 09:00–one hour before sunset

💡 Covered by the same cumulativo ticket as the amphitheatre. Visit on a weekday to have the site almost to yourself.

Ancient Roman city buried under the medieval quarter, with streets, shops, and a temple complex. Excavations are ongoing, and you walk at original ground level.

🕐 09:00–19:00 (last entry 18:15); closed Mon, 1 Jan, 25 Dec

💡 The audio guide costs a couple of euros extra but explains the layering well. Combine with the Amphitheatre ticket for a discount.

A 2km waterfront promenade running from the port past the Temple of Serapis to the commercial port. Benches, palm trees, and views of Capri and Vesuvius.

🕐 24 hours

💡 Start at the port at sunset for best light. The benches near the Neptune statue are a good spot for people-watching. No need to pay for a cafe seat.