Ancient Pompeii Private Tour: Skip the Line & Kid-Friendly Option
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Pompeii, Italy
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Pompeii is a fascinating site, but its sprawling size and lack of posted information can make visiting on your own a chore, especially with kids. On this guided tour, delve into the fascinating history of the ruins with engaging narration customized to the interests and ages of your group. Meet your local guide and head directly inside the ancient archaeological site with skip-the-line tickets to take in highlights in just hours. The family tour option incorporates puzzles and maps to engage little ones.
- Make the most of your time with skip-the-line tickets included
- Gain a better understanding of Pompeii's ruins with a guided tour
- Choose the family tour option, with a kid-friendly map, games, and clues
- Enjoy the undivided attention and flexible pace of a private guide
What's Included
- Blue Badge private guide
- Admission Fee - Admission fee
- If the family option is selected: Pompeii4kids kit with map, stickers, activites and activity-book
- Pick up and Drop off not included
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via Villa dei Misteri, 2, 80045 Pompei NA, Italy
In front of Cafè Hortus Pompeii, Piazza Porta Marina Superiore 1, Pompei. Your guide will hold a sign with your name written on it. Please be aware there are different entrances away from each other. Our gate is called "Porta Marina Superiore"
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
On August 24 in the year AD 79—nearly 2,000 years ago—the volcano Mt. Vesuvius began erupting. It blanked the nearby town of Pompeii, freezing the 20,000 denizens with its ash and molten lava, thus perfectly preserving this ancient Roman city. On this guided walking tour, you can see the best that the archaeological site has to offer.
Meet your guide and prepare to be dazzled by this UNESCO World Heritage Site. If there’s something in particular you’d like to see, tell your guide so he or she can tailor the tour to your liking. If not, there’s plenty of things to be wowed by.
See the city walls and the Porta Marina gate that was once the entryway to the harbor of Pompeii. Explore the ancient theater where performances were regularly given. Gawk at what once was a Roman version of a ‘fast food’ restaurant, where vast vases still stand that were used for storing food. Stop at the Forum and learn about the political system in Pompeii and what the Forum was used for. Walk down the basalt-laden streets and squares of the city.
See the blocks that provided stepping-stones across the often-flooded and sewage-filled streets; and view must-sees such as the Temple of Apollo, the Macellum market, and the public weighing scales.
And, intriguingly, see the casts of victims who were immediately frozen by the volcanic eruption. Stop by the thermal baths, a popular pastime in ancient Roman times. And even visit an old brothel, also a much-enjoyed proclivity among Roman men.
Your tour ends at the original starting point, when you say goodbye to your guide.
Family Tour: Have kids in tow? Opt for the family tour, which intrigues children, thanks to games, puzzles and a map designed specifically for children. Your guide also tailors the route in a way that is geared towards youngsters. It’s a truly engaging way for them to discover the city and learn about life here long ago. The family tour ends at the starting point when you bid farewell to your guide.
Meet your guide and prepare to be dazzled by this UNESCO World Heritage Site. If there’s something in particular you’d like to see, tell your guide so he or she can tailor the tour to your liking. If not, there’s plenty of things to be wowed by.
See the city walls and the Porta Marina gate that was once the entryway to the harbor of Pompeii. Explore the ancient theater where performances were regularly given. Gawk at what once was a Roman version of a ‘fast food’ restaurant, where vast vases still stand that were used for storing food. Stop at the Forum and learn about the political system in Pompeii and what the Forum was used for. Walk down the basalt-laden streets and squares of the city.
See the blocks that provided stepping-stones across the often-flooded and sewage-filled streets; and view must-sees such as the Temple of Apollo, the Macellum market, and the public weighing scales.
And, intriguingly, see the casts of victims who were immediately frozen by the volcanic eruption. Stop by the thermal baths, a popular pastime in ancient Roman times. And even visit an old brothel, also a much-enjoyed proclivity among Roman men.
Your tour ends at the original starting point, when you say goodbye to your guide.
Family Tour: Have kids in tow? Opt for the family tour, which intrigues children, thanks to games, puzzles and a map designed specifically for children. Your guide also tailors the route in a way that is geared towards youngsters. It’s a truly engaging way for them to discover the city and learn about life here long ago. The family tour ends at the starting point when you bid farewell to your guide.
1
Archaeological Park of Pompeii
1 minute • Admission Ticket Included
2
Forum of Pompeii
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Via dell’Abbondanza
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Terme del Foro
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Temple of Apollo
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
6
Basilica
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
7
Casa dei Vettii
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
8
Teatro Grande
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
9
Antiquarium di Pompei
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Good walking shoes recommended
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel for children under 18 years
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 173 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
We booked Sabrina for a private family tour of Pompeii with our two young children, and she was brilliant from start to finish. She struck exactly the right balance for young kids…bringing the ruins to life through stories about everyday Roman life, food, and how people actually lived, rather than just reciting dates and facts, which kept both children genuinely engaged the whole way round. She was also great at pacing the tour to suit us, adjusting the route and tempo so the kids never got bored or overwhelmed by the July heat, while still giving us adults plenty of fascinating detail. Her warmth and patience with the children, combined with real depth of knowledge, made this one of the highlights of our trip to Sorrento. Highly recommend Sabrina for any family visiting Pompeii with young kids….she made ancient history genuinely fun for all of us!
Our guide was engaging and painted a picture of everyday life in ancient Pompeii. She kindly managed my grumpy, hot, and dusty children and taught the adults and children wonderful lessons.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Amber
Thank you very much for your kind review!
I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit to ancient Pompeii and that the tour helped bring everyday life in the ancient city to life for both the adults and the kids.
Traveling with children on a warm day at such a large archaeological site can be challenging, so I’m especially glad to know the experience was still enjoyable and engaging for the whole family.
Thank you again for choosing our Ancient Pompeii Private Tour, and I hope to welcome you back to Italy in the future!
Arrivederci a presto
Giuseppe
Booking the family option tour of Pompeii with Francesca was the one of best decisions we made in Italy! She was absolutely amazing and truly brought the ancient city to life for our family. Our three children, ages 9, 7, and 3, were completely captivated by her engaging storytelling and incredible preparation. My wife and I were just as enthralled! Francesca's expertise shone as she strategically navigated us through the site, expertly avoiding crowds to give us a surprisingly intimate experience, even on a very busy day. She is so smart, kind, and clearly passionate about Pompeii. She made our visit incredibly special and memorable.
Anna was very knowledgable. She was really patient and friendly with the kids (2 & 9) and everyone left happy! :)
Our guide Anna really engaged with the children and brought Pompeii alive for them. Thank you Anna.
The orientation of the buildings ensures a pleasant breeze down the Main Street, how clever they were back then!
“The route for everyone” enabled my grandson to fully enjoy the experience that is Pompeii 😎
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Hello Miriam,
thank you for taking the time to drop such a nice review. We will let Anna know!
all the best
Fabrizio
Natalia is the best ! Even the other tour guides agree if you are lucky and you can find her maybe you can hire Natalia her knowledge and the fact she has studied modern history is an amazing combination giving you a truly passionate tour guide
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Wow that is a glowing review,
thanks so much, we will let Natalia know.
Fabrizio
An amazing day trip to one of the wonders of the world. Our guide Giuseppe was magnificent, with an amazing depth of knowledge.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful, our tickets for entry wouldn’t show on the phone but he persuaded the ticket window lady that it was ok to hand them over. His knowledge of Pompeii was first rate, we had over our allotted time and he still sat down and told us where else to see
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Dear William and wife,
Thanks so much!
Fabrizio
Really great tour designed for kids but also very interesting for adults. Our son 5 years old enjoyed it very much.
We highly recommend!
Francesco was a great guide and there was no question he could not answer! Definitely worth it and recommend for everyone!
Francesca is great and awsome
Many thanks for her explanations about the history of Pompei and her disponibility
Francesca was amazing, very knowledgeable and detailed that you wouldnt receive on other tours. Definitely the highlight of our trip, strongly recommend!!!
Guide was very knowledgeable but was rushing us through the tour. She was running up ahead of the group and we were rushing to keep up. Some in our group had mobility issues which made things difficult.
The tour kept both kids and adults entertained. She had so much information to share it brought Pompeii to life.
Viviana was an excellent tour guide for our family with two kid ages 7 and 11. She cheerfully and patiently answered the many questions of our 7 year old and showed us many interesting places in Pompeii. The 7 year old was given a colorful map of Pompeii and stickers of different characters who lived there (gladiator, actor, slave, politician, etc.). After visiting a building in Pompeii, the 7 year old was asked which character worked or lived in that building, and would place the character's sticker near the building on the map. We also played a couple of short games (adults and children) to learn new facts about Pompeii or reinforce information already explained. It was interesting for the adults and fun for the kids.
Fabrizio was so good with the kids and so knowledgeable with Pompeii! Thank you for an amazing tour!!
The explanation of each location was very professional. Assisted us when the weather turned to heavy rain.
Our guide Fabrizio was fantastic. He was very knowledgable, great at engaging the kids with fun quizes, stickers and overall we had a great tour. Highly recommend if you have young kids (mine were aged 9 - 15)
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Dear Lucy and family,
this is Fabrizio writing.
I am delighted to read your words.
You have a beautiful family!
Fabrizio
Tour was essential. Pompeii is so large, with so much to see, you can't possibly know the stories behind all the critical elements. Our guide was amazing and would do it again tomorrow if we could!
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hello Josh,
we thank you very much also on behalf of Laura your guide in Pompeii.
Grazie!
Fabrizio
Sabrina was lovely, informed and fantastic with our young children, aged 5 and 9. She made Pompeii come alive for our family. Thank you!
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hello Stacey,
we appreciate your words and time,
we will let Sabrina know,
grazie!
Fabrizio
The passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of our guide made us feel like we were in Pompili 2000 years ago. Others around us were trying to listen in.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Dear Susan,
thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
come back here some day!
Fabrizio
Highly recommend the family tour ask for Sabrina Cancello. She was outstanding kept the whole family captivated, all ages. She had games for the kids which they loved and had them really involved. Her knowledge was endless.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Grazie!
We will let Sabrina know.
We traveled with our 2 kids who are 7 and 9 years old. Our tour guide was so great that despite the sweltering heat our two kids were captivated by his stories. At the end, they thought our tour lasted only for half hour when in reality we were with our guide for over 3 hours!
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hello Donna,
thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
Fabrizio
Having a warm and knowledgeable guide who was great in engaging with 8,6,4 year olds.
Walking the streets of this wonderful place, learning about the lifestyles of the populations made it all very real and amazing at the same time.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hello Santo,
thanks so much!
Fabrizio
Viviana was a wonderful tour guide. Very knowledgeable and her English was perfect. Our experience viewing Pompeii will last us a lifetime. I highly recommend using Viator as we have in the past for 5 tours. Never disappointed.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks so much!
Fabrizio
The private tour was amazing. Our tour guide Alfredo was very attentive to us and was able to show us a lot. He described everything we saw and put us in the time zone of the history of Pompeii. I would recommend this tour if you are interested in history. Definitely request Alfredo! Having a private tour was very worth it.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks!
Fabrizio
We had children with us and the guide was fantastic to include them even if they did not understand English 👍
Our guides name was Viviana and she had all the time in the world answering our questions. Everybody was satisfied that day 🤗🤗
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi Rudi, yes Pompeii can be challenging during summer time... that is also what good guides are for...
thanks!
Fabrizio
A wonderful tour. Our guide, Nandor was on time, professional and knowledgeable. While showing and explaining all of the main sites, he also knew how to avoid the crowds
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Grazie!
Fabrizio
Our tour guide was amazing! Knowledgeable, funny, and very nice!
Pompei was exciting and fun! Great for all types of groups - family, couples, friends, solo, etc.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
That all sounds great Eliott, thanks!
Fabrizio
Our guide Natalia was amazing! She was waiting on time with our name displayed which was a great start.
The tour was just right for the kids, not too long. The activities she had included a map to stick things on at the right time so the kids loved it.
Natalia really brought Pompeii to life for us, giving us tips that you wouldn’t find unless you had a guide.
I would recommend going as early as you can, we went at 11am and by the end it was really hot, not a problem but if I went again I would book at 9:30.
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