Last updated: September 2026.
Naples gets a mixed press, but I think a lot of it is unfair. It’s chaotic, noisy and not particularly easy with a pram, but it’s also one of the most characterful cities we’ve visited in Italy, with extraordinary food and enough to fill a brilliant couple of days before heading to Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast.
We spent two nights here at the start of our Campania trip while I was pregnant with R. I wouldn’t make Naples the longest stop on a family holiday, but I would absolutely include it: eat the pizza, wander Spaccanapoli, walk the waterfront and use the city as your base for Pompeii.
Below is the 2-day itinerary I’d follow, what I’d change with a baby or toddler and where I’d stay for the easiest family city break. If you’re combining the two, read on for how I’d join Naples to the Amalfi Coast, or head straight to my Amalfi Coast with kids guide for the rest of the trip.
Is Naples good with kids?
Yes, if you go expecting a busy Italian city rather than an easy resort break. The historic centre has cobbles, scooters and uneven pavements, so a carrier is more useful than a pram in places. But the city also has a long waterfront for easier walks, castles, pizza that requires no persuasion with most children and Pompeii within easy reach.
For us, two nights is enough as part of a wider trip. I’d stay somewhere central, keep the sightseeing fairly loose and make food part of the itinerary rather than trying to tick off every museum.
Our 2-day Naples itinerary
| Day | Morning | Afternoon / evening |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Historic Naples | Spaccanapoli, Duomo and historic centre | Food tour or pizza stop, Spanish Quarter, Castel Nuovo and waterfront |
| 2: Pompeii | Early train or taxi to Pompeii; carrier if travelling with a baby or toddler | Return to Naples; National Archaeological Museum if energy allows, then final pizza dinner |
Things to do in Naples with kids:
- Eat the pizza. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele on Via Cesare Sersale is the most famous so expect a queue. Sorbillo on Via dei Tribunali is another institution. Order the Margherita, it’s all you need. We did a food tour and really enjoyed it (we’ve done similar when R was a baby and it was better than expected, just be prepared for one parent to wander round the corner or leave early if they get aggy). If you want a sweet treat, Antico Forno near the central station is one of the best spots in the city for pastries at breakfast.
- The Duomo Cathedral. Often skipped in favour of the more famous sights but well worth a stroll around. The cathedral has an extraordinarily beautiful painted domed ceiling and houses the Basilica di Santa Restituta inside, one of the oldest churches in Western Europe, built in the 4th century.
- Castel Nuovo and the waterfront. The hulking Angevin castle on Piazza Municipio is dramatic and the seafront promenade (Lungomare) is great for a pram walk and has beautiful views across the bay to Vesuvius.
- The Spanish Quarter and Spaccanapoli. The Spanish Quarter is a dense grid of narrow streets. Spaccanapoli, the long straight street cutting through the old city, runs parallel to the east. Both are better with a carrier than a pram, but together they give you the real Naples experience, though expect it to feel a little more hectic.
- National Archaeological Museum. If you’re planning to visit Pompeii, come here the afternoon after your visit rather than before, the artefacts from the site make far more sense once you’ve walked the streets yourself. The plaster cast collection and the House of the Faun mosaics are extraordinary.
The Naples food tour: worth it
We did a street food tour of Naples and it was one of the highlights of the whole trip. Naples has one of the most distinctive and genuinely delicious street food cultures in Italy, this isn’t tourist food, it’s what Neapolitans have been eating for centuries, and doing it with a guide who takes you to the right spots in the right order makes the whole experience click.
Tours run morning and evening and typically last around 3 hours. We’d recommend booking in advance and looking for ones that cover the Spanish Quarter and the historic centre rather than generic tourist-area routes. With kids, morning tours tend to be easier, cooler, less crowded, and you finish in time for a nap.
Pompeii with kids: what we thought
We did Pompeii as a day trip from Naples and it’s certainly an experience that stays with you. The scale of the preserved city is extraordinary, you’re walking down actual Roman streets, past actual Roman houses, and the sense of daily life is unlike anything a museum can convey.
Many children will be too young to understand it, so you’ll need to work out if it’s right for your family. If it’s hot, I’d suggest you skip it or one parent goes solo, although we did see some parents there with little ones. Things to know about Pompeii:
- Tickets cost around €16-18 for adults; under-18s get in free. Book in advance on the official Pompeii site to avoid the queues that form at the entrance. Recheck current prices before you go, these do change.
- It’s huge and very exposed. The site covers around 66 hectares and there is almost no shade. In summer heat this is brutal, go as early as you possibly can (gates open at 9am), plan to be done by midday, and bring significantly more water than you think you need. The queues for the cafe and toilets were pretty long.
- The ground is uneven cobbled stone throughout. A lightweight buggy is manageable on the main Via dell’Abbondanza but many of the side streets have raised stepping stones (designed to keep Roman feet dry), so a carrier is better for exploring properly.
- Getting there. The Circumvesuviana train from Naples Centrale to Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri takes around 40 minutes and costs around €6 return. It drops you right at the main entrance but be prepared to be squished like sardines on the train, I was lucky to be obviously pregnant and wrangle a seat. You can get a taxi of course, or another option is going via Pompeii Centrale station, which is a walk away but supposedly less crowded.
- Guided vs self-guided. The site is vast and without context you’re essentially just wandering ancient rubble. The official app has a good family route but with children old enough to engage, a family guided tour makes the whole experience significantly more powerful, guides bring the daily life detail alive in a way a map simply can’t.
Naples with a baby or toddler: what I’d do differently
The biggest change I’d make with a baby or toddler is the pace. I wouldn’t plan several indoor attractions in one day or rely on a buggy for the historic centre. I’d take a lightweight carrier, use the waterfront for easier nap walks and make lunch or a food tour one of the day’s main activities.
Pompeii is the outing I’d plan most carefully. Go early, expect uneven ground and treat it as a half-day with a small child rather than trying to cover the entire archaeological site. Back in Naples, leave the afternoon flexible enough to abandon the museum plan if everyone has had enough.
How many days do you need in Naples with kids?
Two nights is enough if Naples is the start of a longer Campania trip. That gives you one day in the city and one morning or half-day at Pompeii without using too much of the holiday on a busy city break. If Naples is your main destination, add a third night so you can slow the pace down and avoid squeezing Pompeii and the city into the same day.
Where to stay in Naples with kids
For a short family stay, I’d prioritise location over a huge hotel facilities list. We stayed at the Mercure Napoli Centro Angioino on Piazza Municipio, which put us close to the waterfront, Castel Nuovo, the port and the historic centre without needing to spend much time on public transport.
If I were booking with R, I’d also look around Chiaia and the Lungomare. They feel calmer than the busiest lanes of the historic centre and give you easier pram walks along the seafront. The trade-off is that you’ll be a little further from some of the classic food stops around Spaccanapoli.
For a two-night trip, I wouldn’t stay near the airport simply for convenience. Being able to walk out for dinner and sightseeing is far more useful.
Naples or the Amalfi Coast with kids?
I wouldn’t really choose between them because they work well together. Naples gives you food, history and Pompeii; the Amalfi Coast gives you the scenery, beaches, ferries and slower holiday days. If you have a week or more, I’d start with two nights in Naples and then move south.
If you only have a long weekend with a baby or toddler, Naples is simpler logistically because you can fly in, stay in one place and avoid coastal transfers. For a longer summer holiday, I’d spend far more of the trip around Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Read my Amalfi Coast with kids guide for that part of the trip, including where we’d base ourselves and which towns we’d skip.
Allie, Jack & R x
Naples with kids: frequently asked questions
Not especially in the historic centre. Cobbles, uneven pavements and busy streets make a carrier useful with a baby, although the Lungomare is much easier for a pram walk.
We felt comfortable during our stay, but it is a busy city and I’d use the same normal precautions I would in any major European destination, particularly around crowded transport and tourist areas.
Yes, but I’d treat it as a half-day, arrive early and use a carrier for a baby or young toddler because the ancient streets are extremely uneven.
For a first short visit, I’d choose the Piazza Municipio / waterfront area or calmer Chiaia and Lungomare rather than staying far outside the centre.
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