I see! But actually there is absolutely no reason to buy in advance. Especially because I'm certain that after the OP will have gone through both Pompei and Ercolano, rather than taking a train (s)he will opt for a cab. If this were Bangkok, (s)he would also go for a foot massage but this is Napule, so a taxi and a good dinner afterwards will do. :)

Besides omitting the Amphitheater, is this tour comprehensive enough so that it covers all the must-see sites?

Do you think I should just purchase a guided tour, instead of attempting to cover these sites on my own? I would have the benefit of a guide, who would explain all the must-see attractions. Plus, car transfers would be provided to and from my hotel.

I was considering one of these:

https://www.viator.com/tours/Naples/...21POMPERCOLANO

https://www.getyourguide.com/naples-...-naples-t8685/

Actually, I will watch this prior to my trip. I had mistaken this for some kind of video tour of Pompeii. I didn't realize it was a documentary. Sorry for the misunderstanding, and thanks for sharing.

As with most of Steves' tours, consider it an introduction and orientation guide. As I said it only takes a couple of hours, so it's not comprehensive.
If you Google search "Rick Steves Pompeii map" the first link should be to a pdf of the tour map, so you can see for yourself.

Sorry, but I can't give you any help: I've been to Pompei 4 or 5 times and twice to Ercolano, always on my own, so I have no basis for comparison. :(

I've decided that I'll do a guided tour only if I can't find a decent audio guide for Pompeii and Herculaneum. Alternatively, I may go to my local library and see if they carry any books that would allow me to navigate these sites on my own.