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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Pompeii with children!

35 replies

CandyCanes23 · 17/04/2024 12:08

My partner, who rarely strays further than Cornwall, has suddenly announced an interest in visiting Pompeii (which is also somewhere I’d love to go to!). We have a 6yo and a 3 month old baby. I’m jumping on the opportunity to plan this holiday, either for later this year or next year. Any advice from people gratefully received - best time of year, best location to base ourselves, what else to do etc? Many thanks

OP posts:
Greywitch2 · 17/04/2024 12:11

Sorrento is a good base, and you can get the train to Pompeii. You can also do Herculaneum and a boat trip to Capri from there.

But there is not really any shelter at Pompeii. I don't think it's a good place to take a 6 year old and a baby. It can get incredibly hot in summer. I've only been in May/June time, so can't comment on weather at other times, but I think you'll have a whining child and a crying baby if you aren't careful! It's not somewhere for them, really.

(Sorry to sound negative)

AllThePotatoesAreSinging · 17/04/2024 12:13

No I definitely wouldn’t take my 3 year old and 9 month old to Pompeii . The sun is unrelenting, and last time we went, we were chased by the stray dogs that live there! Wait until the kids are older. 6 is borderline, I might take an 8 year old.

Sarahconnor1 · 17/04/2024 12:13

You could in the sorrento area which is only 40 mins by train to pompeii.

Don't go in the height of summer.

DailyFailstinks · 17/04/2024 12:13

Pompeii is likely to be difficult with a buggy as there are lots of cobbles. I did notice some pram/wheelchair friendly routes, but they don’t cover the majority of it.
on the plus side, Italy is great for children. The Italians love them and they will be spoilt rotten!

dragonscannotswim · 17/04/2024 12:16

We have just been to Pompeii. I'd wait until the dc were older. It was 25 degrees when we visited. There's no shade, rough cobbled roads and steps, so not ideal for a pram. The local train, the Circumvenesia, goes from Naples to Sorrento. Takes 45 mins to Pompeii from Sorrento. These trains get v busy: they have no aircon or luggage space.

Fabulous trip, and Pompeii is incredible, but I'd probably wait until the kids were older.

There are plenty of Roman remains in the uk for you to visit in the meantime!

SlowBurn · 17/04/2024 12:17

I went some time ago and maybe access is easier these days but it wasn’t then. I wouldn’t do it with children. I wouldn’t go to Sorrento either as it’s very hilly with lots of steps everywhere you go. I wouldn’t have thought it was very child friendly either. It was all middle/aged older couples when I went.

drawnfrommemory · 17/04/2024 12:17

We went at Easter and booked a kid friendly private tour which was brilliant and worth every penny. We've been in late September before and it was still roasting then.

The site is big and with loads of cobbles, uneven paths. I would take a baby in a sling or walking well, but not take a buggy.

We've stayed in Sorrento before, and done Pompeii etc from there, but the traffic to drive in and out of Sorrento is still pretty bad. You can also stay in Naples and get the train to Pompeii easily as the entrance is opposite the train station.

Pinkdelight3 · 17/04/2024 12:20

After the first hour, have to say my two (older) DC found it tedious AF, and Vesuvius was worse - absolute chaos with coach jams on precipitous roads. The town was over-priced, touristy and a quite grotty. I'd go elsewhere, perhaps somewhere cooler in the region and just go there for a day trip.

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 17/04/2024 12:20

Baby would have to be in a carrier. My 7yr old would love it, happily walks round places like that, i wouldn't taker her in summer though and she can tolerate heat well, i went and it is like a bowl, no breeze, very hot. Maybe October half term or next Easter?

GoingOnHol · 17/04/2024 12:36

As.others have said the sun is relentless and there's no breeze.

A baby in a sling would be too hot too from your body heat

DD was 11 when we went and she had learnt about it at school so was interested and she had had enough after about an hour. It's pretty same-y so once you've seen one house you've kind of seen them all.

We did a cruise which stopped in Naples and got a cruise company coach there but bought our own tickets as it was cheaper, you could do that and send your DH whilst you and the kids stay on the ship in the pool or kids club

rookiemere · 17/04/2024 18:54

We went in the October school break and the weather was perfect- not too hot for sight seeing, but plenty warm enough for sitting outside.

We were staying in Sorrento so we just got the train, but somehow managed to get off a stop too early- well in fact it was just 12 year old DS who got off, and DH had to pull open the train doors as it started moving so we could get out. It took us about 2 hrs to walk and get a taxi to Pompeii and then DS was sick over DH on the bus on the way down from Vesuvius. It was only actually me who made it into Pompeii .

If you are going to do it I would get a guide who specialises in children's tours. The place is huge.

It might be worth staying in Sorrento ( loads tackier than I had imagined) because then you could also do day trips to Capri and possibly Ischia.

DGPP · 17/04/2024 18:57

Oh gosh, people on MN love to put a dampener on a holiday plan. OP it will be fine. I’ve been with young kids. We used Sorrento as a base (hotel with a pool) and took a trip. Train wasn’t busy at all. Put your baby in a sling, walk the eldest around, and just don’t go in August. Have a great time

dragonscannotswim · 17/04/2024 19:57

DGPP · 17/04/2024 18:57

Oh gosh, people on MN love to put a dampener on a holiday plan. OP it will be fine. I’ve been with young kids. We used Sorrento as a base (hotel with a pool) and took a trip. Train wasn’t busy at all. Put your baby in a sling, walk the eldest around, and just don’t go in August. Have a great time

Edited

What time of year did you go if the train wasn't busy, and when?

outyoctober · 17/04/2024 21:02

Echoing comments about the sun here. There's no shade. The queues to get in can be quite long but they process people through fairly quickly. There's water fonts about but you really need to take food in. I wouldn't take a 3 year old and baby. I seem to remember there's cobbles on some paths or gutters and such like so not pram friendly.

HappyHedgehog247 · 17/04/2024 21:08

Been with 11 year old. Echo others re cobbles and heat. It's quite big so take snacks and drinks. It's one of the only places I've ever booked a guide and have also been without and the guide is amazing as they bring it all to life. The train is good for access and you can stay elsewhere along the line.

Newuser75 · 17/04/2024 21:08

We did this with a 6 year old and a six month old baby. We had a great time.

We actually did do it in the middle of summer and I'd advise picking a time not quite as hot as it was a little too hot.

You can take an umbrella for shade and there are lots of water fountains around.

We stayed in an air b n b in sorento which is a great base. We also visited Vesuvius although ran out of time to go to capri which I wanted to do.

We didn't do an organised tour at pompeii just in case it got too much for the kids but they were fine.

You will have a fantastic time!! Kids will be fine.

Newuser75 · 17/04/2024 21:09

Oh and pop the baby in a sling/carrier as I think you would struggle with a buggy due to the cobbles.

drawnfrommemory · 17/04/2024 21:12

There are a couple of cafes (with loos!) inside the ruins now (they weren't there when we went before 15 years ago!) which was really handy - we went into the site at 9 with our tour guide (I would really advise getting there at opening as it was much quieter then), had our 2 hour tour then had a drink, pastry and wee break before seeing some more of the site on our own, then left about 1330 and had lunch at one of the restaurants just outside the gates.

drawnfrommemory · 17/04/2024 21:14

We used https://kidstoursofrome.com/pompeii/ who were excellent and I would recommend. DH and I got loads out of the tour as well (wish we'd done something similar when we went 15 years ago!).

Pompeii - Kids Tours of Rome

The Pompeii tour is a fantastic private tour to show firsthand what is perhaps the most famous history lesson of Italy that kids learn in school.

https://kidstoursofrome.com/pompeii

Teddleshon · 17/04/2024 21:23

It’s not a brilliant choice for small children. The beaches are not hugely child friendly with lots of steps etc. Not a great destination for buggies. It is however astonishingly beautiful and a fab destination for older children / teenagers. We’ve been a few times and have stayed in Sorrento, Ravello and Positano. Ours loved Ponpeii as teenagers.

hangingonfordearlife1 · 17/04/2024 21:24

go in october. take a baby carrier and lots of water. don't take pushchair.

cozycat1 · 17/04/2024 22:35

Went at Easter hols just there,but with older child.Wouldn't take a pram that's for sure due to uneen ground,steps etc nd its a lot walking for a younger one.We went later on in the day arrived at 4 and left just before closing at 7pm.much quiter and cooler.the trains were packed first thing in the morning so that's why we avoided it.Kids get in free but you can't book a kids ticket online,you have to get from the booking office so would need to queue. Would avoid May to end of August. Only got the headset guide,would have been better with actual real life guide. I'd wanted to go for ages but to be honest I think I preferred watching the documentaries on TV better. I loved a trip we did up mount Vesuvius and day trip to Naples.

MinnieMountain · 18/04/2024 06:25

DS liked it aged 10 last October. I’m not sure if a 6yo would enjoy it.

We liked staying in Pompeii. Didn’t find it grotty or excessively touristy away from the street which has the entrance to the ruins.

We stayed here https://abnb.me/En9cDeD7SIb

Overthebow · 18/04/2024 06:28

Don’t go in summer, it’ll be way too hot there and there’s no shade. Go in October or Easter time. Also don’t take the pram, use a baby carrier instead. It may not be that interesting for the 6 year old so depends on wether you think they’d walk round nicely or not, if not then wait until they’re older.

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