A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Pompeii vs. Bressanone for Attractions, Families, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit Pompeii or Bressanone?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Pompeii and Bressanone can help you decide which place is right for you.

Pompeii

Pompeii is a iconic, one-of-a-kind, and ancient archeological site. Other popular activities here include museums.

Bressanone

Bressanone is a quaint, picturesque, and idyllic town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the hiking, shopping, and museums.

Pompeii and Bressanone: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Pompeii or Bressanone?

Both Bressanone and Pompeii have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Pompeii is very popular for its museums, while Bressanone attracts visitors for its food, nightlife, historical sights, hiking, shopping, small town charm, and impressive beauty. Pompeii is more touristy than Bressanone and is popular for its well preserved archaeological ruins that are still intact following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Bressanone is famous for its charming old town and its idyllic setting.

How is Pompeii different from Bressanone?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bressanone and Pompeii. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Pompeii or Bressanone?

Pompeii is a world-class destination for its museums and landmarks. Also, Bressanone is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

You'll find many recognizable landmarks that put Pompeii on the map. Pompeii is a city frozen in time and it is truly a one-of-a-kind destination. The streets remain as they once stood, lined with shops and homes. Highlights of a visit include the Forum, the Antiquarium, the Temple of Isis, and the Teatro Grande.

Bressanone is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Most visitors simply enjoy soaking up the town's atmosphere, but sights around town include The Royal Palace, the cathedral, and Franzenfeste Fortress.

Is the Food Better in Pompeii or Bressanone? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Bressanone is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Bressanone has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Despite its small size, there are many family run restaurants that make use of ingredients from local farms. The town also hosts a few culinary festivals throughout the year.

While Pompeii is not famous for its food, you'll find what you need there. While there is a café near the Forum, the quality of the food isn't great and it can get crowded. You'd do best to bring your own food as the site is large and you'll want to eat on your own schedule.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Nightlife?

Bressanone is a decent place to visit for its evening party scene. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for nightlife.

Those looking for nightlife will find a few places to hang out in Bressanone. It's a small town with some quaint bars and pubs where you can enjoy a beer and chat with other visitors.

Things get quiet in the evenings in Pompeii. As a popular tourist destination, you'll find some bars nearby, but most people visit as a day trip and head out of town before the evening hours.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for its Old Town?

Bressanone is an excellent place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Pompeii does not have a historic old town.

There is a nice variety of sights in the old town of Bressanone. The cathedral and beautiful old buildings make this a charming place to explore.

Pompeii does not have a historic old town.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Hiking?

Bressanone is an excellent place to visit for its hiking trails. However, Pompeii is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Bressanone. There's a huge variety of hikes in the surrounding countryside. You can walk alongside the river, head into the foothills, or explore the nearby vineyards.

Pompeii is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Pompeii or Bressanone?

Bressanone is very good for its shopping areas. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for shopping.

Bressanone has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. The medieval streets are lined with family-owned shops, boutique clothing stores, and other unique local shopping opportunities.

Pompeii has some shopping areas for those that seek them out. There are some souvenir stands outside of the site where you can buy trinkets to remember your visit.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Families?

Pompeii is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. However, Bressanone is a town with minimal options for its kid-friendly activities.

Pompeii is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. Its a city frozen in time, and even kids will get lost in the history and story behind Pompeii. The trick is to find a kid-friendly tour and understand the layout before you arrive. Because it's so big, you want to know which places to visit and which you might want to skip with kids who have short attention spans.

For families, Bressanone is not always the best place to visit. It's a great town to take a lunch break. The kids will enjoy wandering the alley-like streets. There's a river through town and great views of the Alps.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Couples?

Bressanone is an excellent place to visit for couples. Also, Pompeii is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

Bressanone makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This charming town is seeped in romance. The quaint streets and surrounding mountain setting make this an idyllic place to take a romantic trip.

Pompeii is a nice destination for couples. It's an iconic destination in Italy, and should be added to any Italian trip itinerary. It's not exactly a romantic destination, but it's something that every visitor should see.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Pompeii and Bressanone are both nice destinations for backpackers.

Pompeii is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's touristy and crowded, but also world renowned and not-to-be-missed. Whether you're a backpacker or a luxury traveler, Pompeii is on most itineraries.

It's common for backpackers to visit Bressanone. There's a couple of hostels and cheaper guesthouses in town, so backpackers can enjoy a few days in this picturesque alpine town.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Students?

Pompeii is a archeological site with good options for students. However, Bressanone is not popular with students.

Pompeii is popular with students. It's history and educational significance make it a great study abroad destination, whether you visit alone, with friends, or as part of a tour group.

Bressanone is not popular with students.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Pompeii and Bressanone.

Pompeii has some public transit options. Many visitors from Sorrento and Naples arrive via the the Circumvesuviana train. There are also buses from many different locations.

You'll find some public transit in Bressanone, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are trains and buses throughout the region.

Is Pompeii or Bressanone a more walkable city?

Pompeii is a world-class destination for its ease of walking around. Also, Bressanone is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Getting around Pompeii on foot is easy. You can walk around the entire site in about 4 hours, but you'll really want to allow a full day if you want to see everything in depth.

Bressanone is very walkable. The town is compact and small enough to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Pompeii Worth Visiting? and Is Bressanone Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bressanone or Pompeii?

How long in Pompeii or Bressanone?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Pompeii or Bressanone to fill your time. In our opinion, Bressanone has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Bressanone than Pompeii. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Pompeii than Bressanone. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Pompeii, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Bressanone than Pompeii. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Bressanone that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bressanone than Pompeii if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Bressanone.

One day in Pompeii or Bressanone?

With museums around the one-of-a-kind archeological site of Pompeii, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. One of the main draws to the area is the museums. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Pompeii, one day is sufficent for most.

Bressanone is a small town with plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Pompeii or Bressanone?

With museums around the destination of Pompeii, there's plenty to do. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. One of the main draws to the area is the museums. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this archeological site.

Bressanone might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Bressanone has to offer.

Five days in Pompeii or Bressanone?

Pompeii, a popular archeological site, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Bressanone is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Pompeii or Bressanone?

Pompeii is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One of the main draws to the area is the museums. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bressanone. Since Bressanone is a small town, it's easily explored when your time is limited. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best Walking Tours in Italy, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.

When comparing the travel costs between Pompeii and Bressanone, we can see that Pompeii is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pompeii Expensive? and Is Bressanone Expensive?.