Ozziez

We are a family of 5 (Mum, Dad, and 3 children) who want to visit Pompeii in early December 2008 and spend the entire day viewing the ruins. We have thought of two ways we could do this:
a) Stay in Rome and do Pompeii as a day trip by taking an early morning train to Pompeii and returning to Rome in the early evening (We are going to Rome anyway)
b) Staying in Pompeii overnight. We have heard alarming reports of the rampant crime in Pompeii, the crowds and noise, and the lack of decent accommodation, so if anyone could recommend somewhere we could stay that would be great!

We would also appreciate advice as to whether we should hire a car and drive to Pompeii, or stick with our idea of using trains.

Any other suggestions as to how we could manage a trip to Pompeii would be wonderful.

zeppole

I don't know where you heard these reports, but they wildly exaggerate situations you can easily protect yourself against.

Ordinarily I recommend spending the night in Pompeii, but since you are only going to do one day of touring, and you have 3 children in tow, I think you should just stay put in Roma.

I wouldn't rent a car.

Try to get the earliest train practicable because days are short in December. Also remember to bring snacks and water for the kids because there are very few places to buy food and water inside the site.

Have a great time!

zeppole

In case it wasn't clear, when I said "stay put in Roma" I meant "don't switch hotels -- just do the day trip from Roma."

Fra_Diavolo

If you want to spend a full day in Pompeii, you will have to spend at least one night away from Rome, or get up very early and return very late.

However, there is no need to stay in the dismal little town of modern Pompeii when you have Naples and Sorrento as alternatives. Personally I'd choose Naples, to easily add a visit to the National Archaeological Museum which has extensive holdings from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii Scavi is easily reached via the Circumvesuviana light rail leaving from the train station. (The end of the line is Sorrento, where you might also consider staying, if you'd prefer a smaller, quieter town than Naples.)

RJD

If you do stay in the vicinity I would definitely recommend Sorrento, which is much nicer that Naples, much quieter and more pleasant overall. If you have the time a few days there would be a well spent break from Rome, which can be a rather intense experience. Pompeii is 40 minutes away from Sorrento on the Circumvesuvia, and the trains rum frequently.

zeppole

I'm going to respectfully disagree with Fra Diavolo because I think a family with three children who are already alarmed by reports of crime, noise and crowds are not going to be happy traversing Napoli and its traffic (you don't went to bed down near the train station) and won't want to be hauling all your luggage and valuables through the Napoli train to Sorrento.

I am a huge fan and promoter of Napoli, and will be returning myself for a week in October, but under the circumstances, an early train from Roma that has the family arriving, unburdened by luggage, shortly after the site opens and staying until it gets dark to go home results in an experience that can't be much improved by spending a night in Napoli or Sorrento in December.

Ozziez,

I agree with Fra Diavolo to the exten that the town of Pompeii is merely dismal, not dangerous. I don't know how much you and your family want to add the archeological museum, which holds many of the treasures of Pompeii. If you do, then I would agree you should spend the night outside of Roma, and given your concerns, Sorrento is where you'd probably be most comfortable.

kybourbon

Spend a night in Sorrento. It will be a nice change from Rome and you will love the coast views.

You might consider arranging to leave your luggage with your hotel in Rome if you are going back to the same hotel. Just take an overnight bag. Pompeii has free luggage storage at the entrance.

zeppole

I'm not sure I'd want to take that much time from Rome to see the view.

During the first weeks of December, the sun sets at approximately 4:30pm in Sorrento -- meaning, one would need to leave Roma by 1pm at the very latest to arrive in Sorrento in time to see anything in daylight. And I would expect seaside Sorrento to be chilly enough at night to want to limit sightseeing with three kids.

The sun rises in Sorrento at 7am in December, and the Pompeii site opens at 8:30 am. Taking time for breakfast and checking out of the hotel doesn't leave a lot of time to do more than eyeball the sea.

For a one-day tour in December, I'd rather be on a 7am train out of Roma, eat a picnic breakfast on the train, spend the day at Pompeii and that's it.

adrienne

I think what you do depends on the ages of your children. You're looking at approximately a 3 hour each way commute from Rome to Pompeii. You mention taking "a train." But you need 2 trains; you switch in Naples, go down the stairs to the local commuter train called the Circumvesuviana. Make sure you take the train marked Pompeii Scavi as the other Pompeii train goes to the town of Pompeii, not to the ruins. Are your children up to 6 hours of traveling and then the day at the ruins?

Ordinarily I would say stay in Sorrento but I think Naples is a better bet in December. Also you're going another half hour farther if you stay in Sorrento which means an hour back to Naples then 2 hours (?) back to Rome plus connection time.

I agree that you should try to see the Archeological Museum in Naples.

You might want to think about an outing to Ostia Antica which is just outside Rome. Different from Pompeii but you'd get the flavor of a ruined city in a half day trip.

Woody

We stayed one week in Rome, and went on a day trip by train to Pompeii and Naples.

It was a long day, but we would have lost half a day if we had to check out of one hotel and check in at another.

I recommend a day trip.

Woody

kybourbon

zeppole - The OP didn't say how much time they had in Rome. For all we know it could be a month.

FWIW - The train between Rome/Naples is 90 minutes. The train between Naples/Pompeii Scavi is about 30 minutes.

There is also the bus option (Marozzi/Curreri). The Marozzi leaves Rome Tiburtina at 3:00 pm and arrives Sorrento at 7 pm. Cost is 17.5€. You would be there in time for dinner and you could tour Pompeii the next day.

adrienne

It depends on what train you take. The trip is between an hour and a half to two hours and 45 minutes from Rome Termini to Naples Centrale.

zeppole

Right, ky. But I just think going down for dinner is not all that important. There's just so little daylight at that time of year, unless you're going to stay two full days to really see the site and the archeological museum -- if that's what you're suggesting, yes, I could see that. But to go down at night, see the site, and go back the next nite, I don't see the point of getting another hotel and trying to find your way around a new place.

LJ

Well, you've got a lot of advice already and I will just add one small note of experience. Having taken a busfull of kids aged, 14-20, on a guided tour of Pompeii,on both a blazing hot day and a very rainy one, I would say that shorter is better. Unless your offspring are really gifted at seeing the fascinating history beyond the ruins (and some are), a half day trip will be plenty.

And Sorrento is infinitely dreary in early December.

Take a train from Rome. And be prepared for Pompeii-fatigue about 2 hours in, 1 hour if it is truly cold and rainy.

cathies

I agree that the entire day is probably more than the 3 kids will want to spend at Pompeii. I feel that the kids may get a bit bored after about 3-4 hours. If you have ipods it is possible to download a Rick Steve podcast about Pompeii which they can listen to on the train from Rome. (Also the Colesseum, Roman Forum etc).

I think a day trip is fine, unless you have enough time to stay in Sorrento and explore it properly, allowing for the early sunsets.

Ozziez

Hi Zeppole, Fra_Diavolo, RJD, Kybourbon, Adrienne, Woody, LJ and Cathies

Thank you very much for all the wonderful advice! It is really appreciated. After weighing it all up, I think we will go with the day trip option from Rome (taking 2 trains)and also try to go to the archaeological museum. I missed out on seeing Pompeii many years ago as a teenager because of strikes and we went to Ostia instead, which I agree is also fascinating.

I'll let you know how it all went!

daveesl

Oh Gee, let me throw in another twist...

Rent a car outside of Rome, drive the coast road down to Paestum (an hour south of Pompeii). Spend a couple of hours in the fabulous Greek ruins.

Spend the night in Paestum, a great B&B is Casale Gianceasare.

Next morning, early, get up and drive up to Pompeii. Get there about 9am and you'll beat most of the tour buses and tour crowds from Rome. They get there around noon.

Drive back to Rome on the autostrada. Keep your same room in Rome for the entire time.

Just a thought, and the kids will love the huge GREEK temples at Paestum, considered the most pristine doric temples in the world.

dave

Lavradio

When I was in Rome, I took a day trip to Pompei (you will love it). I rented a car, but i think it will be wiser to take the train. The stop is right at the entrance of Pompei site anyway, which is very nice! In rome, if you haven't found a place to stay yet, we stayed in this place in front of the vatican walls http://www.thekeytoitaly.com/Apartme...orgimento.html For a family of five it seems great for you. It suited up nicely.

sandy75

Pompei is an all day thing. VERY VERY
much walking etc. Beware of very
graphic drawings in the brothel areas (your children )

Pompei is not crime rampant.
DO NOT rent a car........a day tour is
good but you will not be able to
really get thru all of pompei before they try to get you to return.

In sorrento (pompei area) it is beautiful and there are lots of hotels. I'd stay overnite if you really want to see and absorb pompeii

Sassafrass

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