Pompeii is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it. And the best part is your kids can run all over the place. Its big, open and already wreck. You should do you. Its amazing!

wow. times just rushes past us…and all we have to show are memories and a few added grey hairs. hah!
What a great photo…and I wish I had recommends for you, but, sadly, I’ve never been to Rome. Someday, someday 🙂 Enjoy and be safe!

Giolitti for gelato!!! When the Obamas were in Rome for a quick trip, they made sure to stop here. (It’s SO worth it).

Also, not sure if you’re traveling throughout Italy, but if you head to Florence, you might like this: http://celesteswanderlust.blogspot.com/2011/10/wanderlust-guide-to-florence-italy.html

The best gelateria in Rome is Giolitti’s (near the Pantheon). 2nd best is Fossi’s (which is just a few blocks away from Termini, the big train station). The best restaurants are usually those not next door to one of the major sights (at least that’s what I’ve found). It’s a city filled with stories – you’ll love it!

I would say Pompeii depends on how long you’re there for—Rome to Naples is 1+ hrs on the train, plus another half hour to Pompeii. (Might be quicker driving?) So it’s easily a full day trip. That said, it would probably be awesome, though exhausting, for kids. Kid-friendly Rome isn’t something I can speak to personally, but it looked like there were lots of families having fun in the Borghese Gardens (you can rent these 4-seater bicycle things that were adorbs), and if you’re animal lovers, the Torre Argentina cat sanctuary is fun (cats live among the ruins – http://www.romancats.com).

OK, my geography is pretty bad, but isnt Pompeii closer to Naples? Not sure I’d take kids though, but they are probably too young to be traumatized by seeing “preserved” bodies of children, but then again, they wouldnt really “get” what they are seeing. I loved it (as an adult) my cousin thought it was “creepy”,…but she is wrong.

Go grab an inexpensive but to-die-for piece of pizza at Forno de Campo di Fiori! And visit, closeby, Roscioli (the restaurant & delicatessen as well as the bakery). More of my favorites here: http://bit.ly/vVIbU4 – have a great trip!!

PS Check out Google images, so you know what you are getting in to.

If you want to see St. Peter’s Basilica, go early in the morning. You’re going the best time of year (my husband and I honeymooned there last Christmas), but there are still long lines. Luckily, the Romans don’t know how to queue early like we Americans do, so if you go 30-40 minutes before they open you’ll get the entire Basilica to yourself. We heard priests chanting and praying and you could really feel the size of it all being alone in there.

For any site you see, it’s good to go in the morning because Rome doesn’t really wake up until before 9am, and you wont have to wait in super long lines. Palantino was good too, especially for kids because they can run around like crazy. Just don’t try to eat the oranges, they are purely decorative -trust me.

enjoy!

I studied abroad in Rome for 4 months and you must eat at Gusto: http://www.gusto.it/ They have a great wine bar and very nice restaurant. Make reservations!
Pistachio gelato is the best! I also loved a scoop each of banana and chocolate. Be sure to eat gelato at least once a day. 🙂
I’m so jealous!!

So excited that you are coming to Rome! My husband and I have lived in Rome for about a year and a half now, and still haven’t seen so much of the city. I would recommend taking it easy, seeing some sites, but most of all just enjoying the beauty of Italian lifestyle. I have not been to pompeii yet, but theres so much to see and do in Rome that could keep you busy. My best friend in Rome made a great Rome city guide that I recommend highly: http://www.simplysemplicita.com/p/rome-city-guide.html

Enjoy la Bella vita 🙂

again ditto on pompeii – worth it (but herculaneum and paestum are better – close to there and less crowded, more exploration for the kids) but really it’s a separate trip. Rome is full of treasures all on its own.

Gelato for sure, the thick italian hot chocolates as well, have the kids run all the way up the spanish steps, and don’t forget to throw a coin the the trevi fountain so that you come back.

the best restaurant in rome is der pallaro. run by an elderly couple. the wife cooks with a tea towel wrapped around her head making guest appearances at each table to give kisses and take compliments. the husband is the host and makes sure everyone is eating in the proper italian style (demonstrating how to dip and sip!). absolutely unforgettable!

there is so much to do in rome itself, that you could probably fill a couple of months going to the sites there without needing to leave. but if you want to get out of the city, you might want to try ostia antica, which was the main port of rome. we went to ostia antica one day the last time we were in rome–it is pretty close to the city and it was deserted the day we went. it might be easier than pompeii because it is so much closer and you won’t have to deal with as many crowds.

skip pompeii, especially with the kiddos. its only worth it if you spend a full day there with a tour guide, but its gonna take awhile to get there.

in rome, get gelato from a place called OLD BRIDGE, its near st peters and its the best! there are always locals spilling out the door. its open really late too. there are really cute cafes and stationary shops across the street from the cat sanctuary. have a blast!

Eat Pizza at da Baffetto. Walk around the Piazza Navona. Find the church of Santa Maria with the Bocca della Verita in the portico and snap pictures of your kids sticking their hands in it. Walk thru the Campo di Fiori. Borghese gardens. Walk walk walk. Trevi Fountain. Pantheon. Spanish Steps. The kids will have a wonderful time. We took our five to Rome for Christmas three years ago, ages 3-9 at the time. It was magical.

One of my favorite places during my last Roman holiday was visiting Palatine Hill. You get free admission if you visit the Colosseum and was one of my favorite places to take a breather from the business of the city. It’s got an incredible view of Rome, isn’t too crowded, and perfect for kids to romp around for a bit. Highly recommend bringing a carafe of coffee, some pastries, and a book or postcards to write. Very serene.

Hi Jordan! I have not been to Pompeii (or Rome, for that matter) but my parents said they were a little disappointed because most of the relics, etc. are in the museum in Naples, not at the site itself. I do think Naples and the Amalfi Coast are a good trip to do together (along with Pompeii) but not sure it’s really worth it to go out there from Rome.

Enjoy!!

We did Pompeii and it was very worth it even just as a very beautiful stroll and then the ruins are remarkable and one in particular quite touching. If you are relaxed and don’t try to do the whole entire thing it is very pleasant. Also if you are there we LOVED taking the ferry over to Capri. You take the Funicular up to the top of the island and there is a beautiful view of the ocean and the whole island. Get some pancetta and buffalo mozzarella from the local meat store and some bread from the bakery right around the corner for lunch. When we were there some lovely pink flowers were in bloom and lemons were on the trees and the whole island smelled amazing. Also, in Naples Da Michaeles for pizza – YUM!

You must must must go to da Baffetto for pizza. Perfect for the kids too.

I’m making a return to blog reading this week after a long, over-worked hiatus and I am so glad! Naturally, I am starting back with you and am thrilled to see that you are still in Paris… Stay! Stay! We should never have left. We’re going for a week in January for Maison et Objet, and although I won’t be able to get away from the show very much, I still can’t wait!

Pompei is so amazing and the kids love it because it is creepy ( please do not ever let them run around it is so precious and fragile) but it is far away, and I suggest you to plan another weekend in Naples+Pompei+Ercolano+Costiera Amalfitana.
You may want to go to Tivoli, instead, where you can visit the amazing Villa Adriana and the beautifully kitsch Villa d’Este.
I am Italian and a huge foodie, here are my tips for eating in rome: for a real treat try il Pagliaccio o il San Lorenzo (fish), for a sunday hip and informal brunch Angelina at the Testaccio district, ot the Cafateria in the Galleria Nazionale di Arte Moderna in the Villa Borghese, for the best pizza ever (when not in naples) go to Pizzarium in S. Ottaviano Near the vatican (no seats, pizza la taglio), informal trattorie I love are La Matricianella near S. Lorenzo in Lucina, lovely shops around as well, and Roscioli, unmissable. A classical restaurant is Il Moro, I could die for their Zabaglione with hot chocolate.
The most beautiful park to take a walk with the kids is the Gianicolo Hill, with the most amazing wiews.
For shopping I suggest the Rione Monti district (via dei Serpenti, etc) and the streets around Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori. Have a nice one!

Have an amazing time! Here are some tips on Rome and the Amalfi Coast from my travel blog : http://www.vuelo-directo.blogspot.com/search/label/Italia. Don’t forget to use the Google translating tool on the top left corner! Hope they help you :)!

Lovely photo!

This is probably too late to be helpful, but a great alternative to Pompeii (if it seems too overwhelming an undertaking) is Ostia Antica…Ostia was the port of ancient Rome, and was covered by centuries of rivermud. Because it’s not as famous as Pompeii, it was excavated more slowly, and thus was better preserved. It’s really pretty fabulous, and only about 30 minutes from Rome by train…you still get the amazing Roman ruins, and a glimpse of what life was like then. I recommend this to my clients fairly often, and they always love it. Hope this helps!