Pompeii Accessibility: Step-Free Routes and Tips

Pompeii has a facilitated route called "Pompei per tutti" (Pompeii for All), which the Park describes as over 3.5 km long, running from Piazza Anfiteatro to the Sanctuary of Venus, for visitors with reduced mobility, for parents with strollers, and for anyone who wants a more comfortable itinerary. It is not fully step-free: the Park itself reports ramps steeper than 8%, level changes under 5 cm and stretches of ancient paving that are not flat. Wheelchairs can be borrowed on reservation (Park communiqué of 25 June 2026), and entry is free for visitors with disabilities and, under conditions, a companion.

We are independent and not affiliated with the Park. We read its pages on 5 November 2026, and everything that can change is dated as of that day.

Our advice: the accessible route is a long loop, not a shortcut. Between Piazza Anfiteatro and the Forum the straight-line distance is under 900 m (our calculation from coordinates); the route is over 3.5 km. Plan for time, not for speed.

The itinerary has existed since December 2016, according to the Park's FAQ. The Park's current pages (updated 2024 to 2026) give a length of over 3.5 km, while its 2022 service charter said about 3 km; we use the more recent figure. Access is only from Piazza Anfiteatro. You can leave there or at Piazza Esedra, through the lift of the Antiquarium, according to the Park's accessibility page.

The Park lists what to expect underfoot: ramps sometimes above 8%, level changes below 5 cm, sections of ancient pavement that are not level, and stretches where two wheelchairs fit side by side only in places. The route runs through the ancient city, so some houses and shops along it can be closed on a given day. The Park publishes the list of open buildings, and so do we: pompeiisites.org/en/houses.

As of the Park's communiqué of 25 June 2026, the most recent notice we found on the subject, there are 24 chairs (18 new ones funded by the national recovery plan and 6 folding chairs in service since January 2024), available at Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro, on reservation, with an identity document left at pickup. Reserving is the rule, and the Park is the only reliable source on whether the service is running on your date, so write to [email protected] or call +39 081 8575347 before you travel. The Park's Italian accessibility page, which we read on 5 November 2026, still says the service is temporarily suspended; the notice of 10 June said the same. We follow the later communiqué, but confirm with the office before you travel.

Our advice: ask for a chair when you book the ticket slot, not on the day, and tell the office where you plan to enter. The chairs are manual; the Park does not mention electric ones.

Under the Ministry of Culture's concessions (Ministerial Decree 507 of 11 December 1997 and later amendments), entry is free for visitors with disabilities and for a family member or another companion who proves they belong to social-health assistance services. The companion is free only on that condition, so do not assume "a companion is always free". The same page lists free entry for licensed EU guides who show their license. The national rule applies to state sites including Pompeii, Herculaneum and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Tickets are named and staff can check ID at entry, so bring the paperwork that proves your status. Prices for everyone else are on our tickets page.

Article 9 of the regulation says the routes follow the ancient city almost exactly and have drops, variable heights and fairly significant irregularities and gaps, and that people with mobility or cardiovascular problems should show extreme prudence. The visit "requires significant physical effort". The Park's accessible route reduces the problem but does not remove it.

What we would do (advice): wear shoes with grip and a firm sole, take a companion who can push on slopes, and go in a quiet month, because the daily cap of 20,000 visitors makes narrow streets harder to share. Our crowd calendar shows which months are calmer. Pack for the weather too: what to wear and bring.

Toilets are at the entrances and at several points inside; the Park's 2024 guide notes some steps at the Casina dell'Aquila, where the restaurant is. We could not find a published count of accessible toilets. Guide dogs are admitted, with certification.

Herculaneum is smaller. The Park's "Ercolano per tutti" route is marked blue on the map. Its recommended path starts with a downhill ramp at the entrance and leaves through the bridge on the third cardo, and anyone who prefers not to use the ramp can use the bridge both ways. As of November 2026 the Park lends wheelchairs at the ticket office free of charge, while supplies last. Our comparison is on Pompeii or Herculaneum? and the tours are in the Herculaneum category.

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) keeps the finds from both towns. It has three entrances, and the third, the vehicle gate on the west side, can be used by disabled visitors and visitors with buggies. The museum says disabled visitors have priority entry and enter free, parking for disabled visitors is available on request, and the lifts serve only their own wing. As of November 2026 the museum's schedule page gives 9:00 to 19:30 with last entry at 18:30, while its services page says 19:00; follow the schedule page. Read more in Pompeii at the Naples Archaeological Museum.

The accessible route starts at Piazza Anfiteatro. The nearest rail stops are Pompei Santuario on the Naples to Poggiomarino line and the Trenitalia stop at Pompei; both are roughly 500 to 700 m from the entrance in a straight line (our estimate from map coordinates). We did not verify the lifts or platforms of those stations, and the Park shuttle has no disabled access, so ask the rail operator EAV before you travel. Transport is covered in Getting to Pompeii.

Before you go: reserve the wheelchair, confirm the entrance with the Park, pick a quiet month, and keep a flexible plan. A short visit on the accessible route beats an exhausting one on the original streets.

This is advice, not a Park itinerary. As of November 2026 the Park is open from 9:00 to 17:00 from 15 October to 15 March, with last entry at 15:30, and until 19:00 with last entry at 17:30 from 16 March to 14 October. Buy a ticket for the morning slot, because the second slot starts at 13:00 and leaves little time at the winter hours.

1. Reserve a wheelchair by email or phone, and ask which entrance will have it.
2. Arrive at Piazza Anfiteatro early; the Park's entrances have security checks.
3. Follow the route at your own pace, and rest at the toilet points the Park lists.
4. Leave at Piazza Anfiteatro, or at Piazza Esedra through the Antiquarium lift if the Park confirms it is working.
5. Do not plan a second site the same day. Herculaneum has its own ticket and its own rules, and a separate day suits it better.

For how long a standard visit takes and which sequences work, see our itineraries; the accessible route is longer than its distance suggests.