Pompeii day trip from Rome itinerary advice

Painfully short visit to a massive site. I recommend two more independent hours. Make sure your pizzeria is open off-season. Likely little line in Feb. We waited an hour (Gino Sorbillo) in May for lunch. Add in Naples walk/taxi time. Archaeology Museum?

Advance discount train tickets non-changeable.

I spent a chunk of time in Rome and Naples in February and March 2023. I was quite lucky with the weather, but even so, it didn't usually get up to 40F until around noon. It could be very chilly early in the morning at Pompeii. Plan to wear layers and have a backpack or two so you can peel the outer layers off as it warms up.

I don't know what sort of line you'll run into at the pizzeria you're targeting. Naples doesn't get the massive tourist crowds you'll encounter in Rome, but Neapolitans don't stop eating in the winter. It's not a wealthy city, and pizza is a low-cost food option. I think it's prudent to recognize you might run into a line.

We did a daytrip very similar to this last November. It was cool, rained off-and-on and there were absolutely no crowds. It was a great day, but long. And we didn't have a 9 and 14 year-old with us. Thinking of my own daughter at that age, I would say two hours at Pompeii with a guide -- a REALLY animated guide who can bring the place to life -- would be plenty for them. Think of it as a taster: if you love it, you'll be back someday. Then go to Naples for some fabulous pizza. We bought train tickets in advance to get a better price...went to Naples at 740 and back at 17:55. If we did it again we'd probably shave an hour off each end.
Have a great trip!

Thanks for all of the responses.

I am thinking we get the early start on the 7am train and allow at least another hour or 2 after the tour to wander on our own. Then head back to Naples for pizza and then a train back to Rome around 4pm.

I reached out to Antonio Somma who is a guide that Rick recommends in his books for guided tours of the Pompeii site.

He quoted me 200 euro for a 2 hour tour. This seems high, no? Should I go back and see if he can reduce it? Should I go with it? Or should I take my chances outside of the site with the touts looking to sell tours? Not sure what they generally charge though...

I'll be contrary as to the need for hours and hours at the site.

I have been to the Pompeii site a couple of times. If you have a deep interest in Pompeii, history in general, then yes, I suppose you could spend days there. But honestly, for the typical person with a good interest in history, and a guided tour, 3-4 hours is more than enough time. After 2 hours, most people just begin to see more streets, more houses, another mural, your mind goes into overload, similar to spending 8 hours in the Louvre. At least in February you will not be battling the heat, but it could be cool, and a chance of rain.

I think your plan is good, head in, get some pizza, and relax a bit. If you feel experiencing more of Pompeii is important, then I would head to the Archeological Museum in Naples, and see all of the good things they found at the site, probably a better use of your time than additional hours at the site.

We just got back from two weeks in Italy and actually based in Pompei for a few days. The weather was nice, highs 55-60 F and lows about 40. So plan to unzip the jacket or tie it around your waist as it warms up. I think either of your plans sounds good. Two hours at the ruins with a guide will be plenty for your kids; we spent about 3 hours walking around (not including lunch) without a guide and that was enough for that visit. If your family doesn’t mind getting up early then do the earlier schedule so you maximize the opportunity for pizza. Also, don’t freak out when you see Naples - the place is literally covered in graffiti but it’s not all that bad. I guess if they cleaned it then people would just spray more, right?