Secure walking in Pompeii

My wife has a bum knee and she had difficulty staying up with the group. Not many places to sit down. She could barely walk across the street the next day and two days later needed wheelchair assist at the airports on the way home

I visited Pompeii in 2022.

Once you go through the turnstiles, you will proceed to the ancient city by walking down a medium-length path and next going up a gentle incline. if your party member has minor mobility issues and proceeds slowly and carefully, there should be no problem. (You'll take the incline down on the way out.)

Once inside, it's mostly even surfaces. However, the ancient city has a lot of large stones in its streets used as stepping stones and crosswalks that allowed pedestrians to cross without stepping into water and mud. (If it's dry, you don't need to worry about the water and mud.) The sidewalks are flat, but they're composed of ancient stones that aren't uniformly flat like laid concrete. Pompeii has an ancient amphitheater that would take time for your party member to climb if he/she wants to see it.

There are some stairs to optional sites, such as one I remember within the city that provides a nice panorama. I recall climbing about 20-30 stairs. Again, that's an optional site.

While there are no extensive rest areas in ancient Pompeii, visitors find some benches, the on-site cafe, and taverns. You could bring a portable seat.

Not mentioned yet, there is a route, just over 3 km long, that is specifically designed for people with low mobility. However, you need to go to the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance, rather than the Porto Mariria entrance, which is the main entrance by the Pompeii Scavi train station most people arrive at.

Look at the site website for details.

While parts of Pompeii are wheelchair-accessible, that doesn't mean the site is easy to navigate on foot if you are mobility-challenged. That's because the streets are often cobbled with by far the largest cobblestones I've seen in my life. It takes extra energy to keep your balance as you walk on them, and it's likely to be harder for people with small feet. To complicate matters, the sidewalks (often quite narrow) are sometimes way higher than the street, not standard curb height. When you want to cross a street (as at an intersection), you may have to practically jump down and then climb back up. This will be harder for folks with short legs. At one point a man walking on the sidewalk had to lend me his hand so I could climb up; I'm 5'2" and far from a mountain goat. I was 72 at the time.

Here's what I found by searching for "photos Pompeii cobblestones": https://www.bing.com/search?q=photos%20pompeii%20cobblestones&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&ghc=1&lq=0&pq=photos%20pompeii%20cobblestones&sc=6-27&sk=&cvid=91E1DC0FBAA94F07BD6A9CA91B796C29

There's little if any shade, and I don't recall many places to sit down. Probably no traditional benches/seats except at the place where they sell food, but I think were stones one might be able to sit on in a few open areas.

Agree with acraven.

Good points about being able to step down off of the sidewalks. The curbs are quite high. Also agree that when we did our guided tour there were very few places to sit down. There are cafes and taverns outside of the entrance into Pompeii, but nothing once you go inside.

the photos linked to by acraven are exactly how I remember Pompeii
Brad

I love Pompeii, but I would strongly recommend that a person with limited mobility skip it. It s very challenging for those with mobility issues. Perhaps on their website you could see if they offer a special tour or have a map that shows how to navigate through the city for those with mobility challenges

There are cafes and taverns outside of the entrance into Pompeii, but
nothing once you go inside.

There is indeed a cafe/restaurant inside the walls: find it located in the lower left of area IX on the official website's map. That map is useful for finding restrooms as well.
https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/Pompeiweb2023.pdf

Here as well is an extensive guide in English:
https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Guide-to-the-Pompeii-Excavations-2.pdf

And finally, their self-guided routes for persons with mobility impairments, wheelchairs or infant strollers. Those are marked on this downloadable map:
https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/PIANTA_SCAVI_POMPEI_per-tutti_sito-1.pdf
https://pompeiisites.org/en/visiting-info/pompeii-for-all/

You could start with one of the suggested routes and see how you do? Yes, some of the surfaces are uneven but with a cane or other device for stability + moving carefully, it's possible to explore beyond these suggested routes, IMHO. As others have mentioned, benches are rare; you'll probably end up sitting on a random high curb, step or other bit of antiquity (that isn't roped off or otherwise labeled not to be touched) if necessary.

It seemed to me that Oplontis (much, much smaller) might be good for someone with disabilities, although if you can't handle wide, modern steps down to the excavation, you are dependent on a wheelchair lift working and being staffed that day. Easy walk from the Circumvesuviana.

Paving stones in Herculaneum are a bit better, and so little of the city has been excavated that you have the pleasant illusion of seeing everything. Long ramp entrance, but 15 minutes downhill walk from the Circumvesuviana.

Heat and sun can be major issues in Pompeii. No food inside Herculaneum. No same day re-entry at either.