I am traveling to Italy with 2 adults and 2 children ( 10 and 11 yrs old) in late February and staying in Rome (not far from Termini station) for 7 days. We would like to make a day trip to Pompeii and we would also like to go to Florence.
What is the best method of transportation (given time and cost) to Pompeii..train or bus?
What is the best method of transportation to Florence? Is it worth staying overnight?
TYIA
Pompeii:
High speed train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale (70 min) then Circumvesuviana commuter train from Garibaldi station (connected to Centrale) to Pompeii (30 min).
Florence:
High speed train from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (92 min).
Florence deserves a couple of days at least.
Note that advance purchase, non-changeable, non-refundable train tickets can be much cheaper. Both of these are grueling as a daytrip, and Florence is almost un-doable by daytrip, it's so far. Many people do their first trip to Italy as 5 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Venice, and 2 or 3 nights in Florence. There are much closer daytrips to Rome that are excellent, like Villa d'Este in Tivoli.
At least in February the attraction lines may be short. It's normal to need advance tickets to places like the Uffizi Gallery. I think even the gallery with the David statue now has advance purchase.
Keep in mind that the train change in Naples will add travel time. Allowing for time to change trains and possible waiting time for the next train, your travel time could be 2.0-2.5 hours each way. It's faster and easier to day trip to Florence on the direct train, but you'll only have time to scratch the surface. Imo Florence deserves more time than a day trip allows.
We liked Enjoy Rome's bus to Pompeii, since the Circumvesuviana has a reputation for attracting pickpockets. However, that does not give you the opportunity to visit the Archeological Museum in Naples.
And this may not apply to you and your kids, since we love Renaissance art, but we've been to Italy 3 times and every time we increase the length of our stay in Florence. It is a very walkable place and most sights are concentrated in a small area, unlike Rome. The Science Museum in Florence is interesting-it has Galileo's finger!
Florence really is more than a day trip. If you like art, Florence is worth 2-3 days. I've done day trips to Pompeii from Rome. Once on a tour and twice on my own. With a good guide, you will understand far more than you will just wandering around. You can get a guide book and do it on your own just fine, though. February is the off season for a lot of pick pockets but you still need to be highly aware. The only problem I've had was on the return trip in the afternoon. The train was full of teenagers going home from school and smelled just like what it was - a train full of stinky teens. Certainly not a reason not to take the train. Just remember to keep your ticket if you decide on the train. You will need it to exit the station.
