KBD

Have booked 13 nites in Rome for Christmas and New Years. I'm now wondering if we should shorten our Rome stay, take the 3 nites Dec. 29,30 & 31, 2016 and find accommodation on the Amalfi coast and plan Dec. 30th for tour of Pompeii, but will everyplace on the Amalfi coast be boarded up and dead for New Years? Naples would be close to Pompeii, but I've heard it's not an attractive option. Another idea is to take those 3 nights and try to get a booking in Orvieto for the Jazz Festival. Orvieto will be lively, but they may want to require 5 nite bookings since the Jazz Festival lasts for 5 nights. I'm not sure if my daughter will return to her home a few days after Christmas, or will stay on til New Years. She has 4 children in the age range of 7yrs. to 15 yrs. Do children go to the Jazz Festival or is their attendance not appropriate? The 2 oldest play instruments themselves and one of the younger ones had a major role in a summer musical. So I know music is of interest to them. It might be a great experience for them and yet if it is more like New Orleans for Mardi Gras with questionable adult behavior then children should not attend. What would you do? Stay in Rome for New Years? If we were to leave Rome, then we waste time with checking out, hauling luggage, checking in and then returning to Rome a night before flying out on Jan. 2nd because all the flights I've seen are early morning departure to the US. Sounds like I'm convincing myself to keep the entire stay in Rome. We could still see Pompeii as a day trip. Would that be miserable in December anyway? Honest opinions are welcome.

tuscanlifeedit

I think Pompeii is miserable for many months of the year, but NOT December. To me, if you really want to see Pompeii, that is about the best time to go.

But short days can make a day trip from Rome difficult.

Since this is December, and Naples is so well known for Nativity Scenes, and has Christmas Markets, and some great museums, and Vesuvius, I think I would choose Naples.

I didn't love Naples, but of all the places you mention, combined with your interest in Pompeii, Naples would be my clear choice for a few nights.

Also consider that the AC is great for scenery and scenery stays open all year around. If the weather were great, you could make a quick trip from Naples to see some AC scenery.

Plenty of people here do love Naples, and given the right set of circumstances, even I would go back.

Blueeyedcod

<will everyplace on the Amalfi coast be boarded up and dead for New Years? >

Pretty much. If you're expecting Times Square then it will disappoint. There are some lacklustre fireworks in Amalfi but mostly people spend time with their families.



<Naples would be close to Pompeii, but I've heard it's not an attractive option. >

You heard wrong. The fireworks for NYE in Naples are all over the bay and there is a wonderful party atmosphere in Villa Communale and the Lungomare (a pedestrian zone).

Pompeii could be miserable - or not. Depends on the weather. Remember in December the daylight hours are short and last admission to Pompeii is at 3pm. This would make a day trip from Rome less feasible than in the summer.

sandralist

You are not going to get questionable adult behavior in Orvieto. Nobody will mind if the kids are there if they are appreciating the music and behaving appropriately themselves. I tend to doubt 5-night bookings are required (except maybe for apartments).

Pompei is a great destination in on a dry winter's day. It is rarely so cold in that area that you need to really bundle up (Orvieto is much colder, especially at night).

You didn't hear wrong about Naples. Many, many people find it unattractive, even over the holidays, although loads of us find it just the opposite. I enjoy the city very much. However, I would not want to be navigating Naples with kids during NYE festivities (although in recent years, actual injuries to partygoers has dropped). You could probably find hotel accommodations in areas with a panoramic view of the fireworks in various hotels along the bayside, but I would expect them to be priced accordingly, with competition for them steep.

I wouldn't want to be in Rome's party spots for Dec 31 either, so given how you've stated your wishes, Orvieto for a few nights sounds like fun if the kids sign on.

sandralist

Here is some info and pictures of the Orvieto Jazz Festival. You can see that people are there with kids, even small kids:

http://www.amoitaly.com/orvieto/umbriajazz.html

http://vinoconvistablog.me/0201/01/0...ven-and-earth/

(I should probably add that almost all injuries in the larger cities on NYE are due to people throwing illegal homemade firecrackers, and the police have been cracking down strongly in recent years, reducing the numbers dramatically.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oukoe-...80009220120101

sandralist

Also, I don't think you would have a problem doing a day trip from Rome to Napoli. Presumably you would get there in the morning, so the "last admission" being 3pm won't make any difference. You'll already be there and can stay until closing time -- if you haven't left already on your own. Most people do not spend 8 straight hours at Pompeii with kids.

Advantage of seeing Pompeii as a day trip from Rome is that you can wait to see what the weather is and only go on a nice day. Disadvantage is that It's about 90 minutes from Rome using the trains, but most people are perfectly ok with it.

Blueeyedcod

<However, I would not want to be navigating Naples with kids during NYE festivities (although in recent years, actual injuries to partygoers has dropped). >

As usual another absurd and unfounded comment from someone who knows zip about Naples and will probably back up her ridiculous claims with some link from 2005.

There are *plenty* of families on the waterfront with their children, loads of people enjoying the fireworks, not cowering in their homes fearful of ....what exactly? The police presence is enormous. I have actually been to the Lungomare on New Years' Eve - with extended family and kids of all ages. Have you, Sandralist? I would be more likely to take a family to Naples for NYE than have them in London with all the drunks in Trafalgar Square or Cologne in view of what happened last NYE for example.

As for Pompeii, it takes a lot longer than 90 minutes to get there from Rome. It's 1 hour 10 on the train if you use the Frecciarossa (fast rail), then you need to wait for a connection - trains run every half hour - and then board the lumbering service to Pompeii - which takes 50 minutes. Add time to get to the ticket office, join the long lines and purchase your tickets. I would allow 2.5 hours to get to Pompeii's doorstep with these variables.