For a docu-drama that aims to reconstruct the last twenty-four hours before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, the choice of settings might seem predictable. Yet in the upcoming three-episode series on Disney+ from July 23, 2026, that impression is hardly felt: perhaps thanks to Tom Hiddleston, who most will remember as Marvel’s Loki, or because the production carries the stamp of National Geographic, renowned for bringing powerful images to the screen. Let’s discover together the locations of Pompeii: Out of Time.
What the series is about
Is there anyone who managed to survive the destruction of Pompeii? This question seems to have inspired the new Disney+ series with Tom Hiddleston, a blend of cinematic drama and investigative documentary. With the help of historian Steven L. Tuck, the series reconstructs, in particular, the lives of three individuals who, historical sources suggest, escaped the river of lava, ash, and cinders that covered the city that night: Avianius, a young apprentice blacksmith; Iulia Felix, a powerful businesswoman who used to rent rooms in her villa, and a member of the Praetorian Guard who happened to be in Pompeii that day.
Where the series was filmed
The filming locations for Pompei: Out of Time are, as one might expect, all situated within the Pompeii Archaeological Park: on the same streets that that day saw thousands of desperate people flee, strolling among the remains of ancient Roman villas and former public spaces such as baths, markets, and thermopolia. Tom Hiddleston meets archaeologists and scholars of Roman-era history, pauses to talk with them, and contemplates the priceless treasures that today Pompeii guards.
The Pompeii Archaeological Park
As reiterated within the series, the area remains a subject of ongoing study and research that periodically uncovers new, surprising discoveries, such as, most recently, the remains of two men fleeing the eruption.
The excavation area is vast, spanning nearly 450,000 square meters, which makes it one of the largest sites in all of Southern Italy, and thus difficult to explore in a single visit unless one chooses to focus on a few, carefully selected attractions that chronicle Pompeii’s past and the site’s archaeological significance.
Via dell’Abbondanza: the heart of ancient Pompeii
In some shots from the trailer of Pompei: Out of Time, Tom Hiddleston is seen walking along Via dell’Abbondanza, recognizable by its large basalt blocks. It was once the city’s most important commercial artery, so much so that along it you can still observe the entrances of the tabernae—characterized by a wider opening outward, the presence of stone counters, and sometimes holes for containers in ceramic that thermopolia used to heat dishes—together with the entrances of private residences, along with a multitude of inscriptions, including electoral inscriptions inviting people to vote for this or that candidate.
Today Via dell’Abbondanza, named so because it was here that one of the first archaeological finds occurred—a fountain bearing an allegory of abundance—traverses the excavations from east to west, linking two essential stops for every visit: the Forum and the Amphitheatre.
The main square of the city hosted the most important civil and religious events, and most of the public buildings faced onto it. Today it is bare, but in the past it must have boasted statues and marble embellishments. The Amphitheatre of Pompeii, one of the oldest known, was originally used for circuses and gladiator shows. Today it is among the areas open to visitors even without a tour of the Archaeological Park, hosting concerts and major musical events; its interior offers a striking view of Vesuvius.
