Naples with kids

Pompeii's ticket page lists the €2 rate for EU citizens aged 18 to 24 but does not state an under-18 rule; check at the gate or when you buy online. Everything state-run is free on the first Sunday of the month, with bigger crowds.

Napoli Sotterranea, Piazza San Gaetano 68, is the family pick: tours every hour in English and Italian, no booking for small parties, and a Roman theater in a family flat at the end. Children of any age are allowed. The catch is physical: 136 steps down to about 40 m (131 feet) and back up (the FAQ also says 121), no lift, and strollers are left at the entrance. One candlelit passage is very narrow; it is optional, children are not given candles, and those who skip it wait about 10 minutes on benches. Wear a sweatshirt in summer.

Galleria Borbonica runs public tours only Friday to Sunday and on holidays, booked ahead. The Standard route is wide and suits children; the Adventure route, with a raft, is for ages 10 and up with an adult. Our Sotterranea or Borbonica page compares them.

The Catacombs have wide spaces and empty tombs; the skulls at San Gaudioso are more confronting. At Sansevero, decide before you go whether children see the two anatomical skeletons in the chamber downstairs. The Fontanelle Cemetery is a cave of skulls: step-free, booked, 40 minutes, and your call.

Castel Sant'Elmo is the best €5 in Naples for a parent and free for the child: ramparts with the whole bay below. Take the funicular up to Morghen and walk about 510 m (0.3 miles). Castel Nuovo has a glass floor over Roman remains; it is closed on Sundays. Castel dell'Ovo is still shut inside, but the causeway out to it is free.

The Lungomare walk is the stroller route: 2.7 km (1.7 miles) of flat seafront from Borgo Marinari to Mergellina, with the Villa Comunale gardens alongside, open during works, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. from September to February. For a cheap thrill, the Toledo metro station's blue mosaic shaft costs one €1.30 ticket.

The science center on the Bagnoli seafront, Via Coroglio 57/104, lost its original exhibition halls to an arson fire on March 4, 2013. What is open in 2026 is Corporea, an interactive museum of the human body, Insetti & Co, a planetarium with new shows from October 1, 2026, and temporary exhibitions. Tickets: €10 adults, €8 ages 3 to 17, free under 3; with a live planetarium show, €14 and €12.

From September 15, 2026 to February 21, 2027 it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays (with special Monday openings on December 7 and 28 and January 4). Getting there: Line 2 to Napoli Campi Flegrei, then bus R7 or C1; or a taxi, which Città della Scienza puts at a fixed €15 from the Lungomare and €23 from the Stazione Centrale.

With children, choose Herculaneum over Pompeii. It is compact, better preserved and open every day; two and a half to three hours covers it, under-18s go free, and children under 12 must be accompanied. Pompeii needs four hours for the essentials, has little shade and is paved in uneven basalt with high curbs. If you go, bring water and hats until late October; its accessible "Pompeii for all" route starts from the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance.

Vesuvius is a steep gravel path, capped at two hours out and back, and free for under-6s. Book it only for a clear morning; on a hazy day you pay for a walk into cloud.

Procida is the easiest: the shortest crossing, small harbors and beaches. Caremar carries children under 4 free and charges a reduced fare from 4 to 11; its rate page does not print the child amounts. On Capri, the Blue Grotto's €6 entry is free under 18 but the €12 rowboat is not, and under-14s must be with an adult; the Gardens of Augustus and Villa San Michele are free under 12. On Ischia, the Castello Aragonese charges €6 for ages 10 to 18 and has a lift. At Giardini Poseidon, ages 4 to 11 pay half and under-4s nothing, but under-12s are not allowed in the thermal area. Our island comparison has the fares.

Pizza is the easy win, and the Da Michele queue runs on numbered tickets, so arrive near 11 a.m. Add a frittatina for €2 and a sfogliatella for breakfast. A pizza-making class at €21 to €34 is fun and good value for families, even if it will not teach anyone to bake Naples pizza at home. Fine dining is mostly adult territory: George takes children from age 5.

• Stairs. The Pedamentina steps, the Posillipo and Gaiola walk and Napoli Sotterranea are not for strollers. Ride the funicular both ways to the Vomero.
• Lanes. In the Quartieri Spagnoli scooters use the same narrow lanes as you, and many lanes turn into steps: not a base with small children.
• Heat. Average highs at Naples airport are 30.4°C (86.7°F) in July and 31.0°C (87.8°F) in August, against 23.0°C (73.4°F) in October. Do ruins at opening and go underground at midday.
• New Year's Eve. At least 57 people were injured by fireworks in the province on the night into 2026. Not a night for small children.
• Kayaks. The Posillipo kayak tour takes ages 15 and up.

Naples: Naples Underground Entry Ticket and Guided Tour

€18, the same as the full price on napolisotterranea.org. Guided only; 121 steps and not wheelchair accessible. Meets at Piazza San Gaetano 62, while the association's site gives its entrance as number 69; neither page says the two sellers are the same.

1.5 to 2 hours

4.4★★★★★★★★★★(25,854 reviews)

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Rating as shown on GetYourGuide

Naples Official Pizza Making Class & Tiramisu with wood oven

Up to 12 people; under-18s need a parent. Not wheelchair accessible. The same company sells a similar class on Viator (162012P5) with a €39 from-price.

3 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(6,428 reviews)

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Rating as shown on GetYourGuide

Galleria Borbonica Entrance Ticket in Standard Route

Same €15 as the Galleria's own adult price. Entries at 10 am, noon, 3 pm and 5 pm from Vico del Grottone 4. The listing's child prices differ from the Galleria's own page, so check before booking children.

1 hour

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(2,849 reviews)

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Rating as shown on Viator

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