Herculaneum, near Naples

History of Herculaneum

Herculaneum was a small seaside town on the slopes of Vesuvius where wealthy Romans came to relax. Unlike commercial Pompeii, it had elegant houses overlooking the bay, baths and public halls.

In the eruption of AD 79, Herculaneum was buried far deeper than Pompeii, in places under twenty metres of volcanic material. That layer set like rock and preserved what usually vanishes over the centuries: wooden ceilings, doors, furniture, upper floors and even food in the shops.

Excavation began in 1738 with tunnels dug to find statues for royal collections. Open-air digging started only in 1927, led by the archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri. Most of the ancient town still lies under modern Ercolano.

What to see in Herculaneum

The town is compact: a few straight streets lined with houses. The House of the Deer has marble deer statues and a garden that once looked out to sea. The House of Neptune and Amphitrite has a glittering glass-paste mosaic of the sea gods, with a shop next door still holding its wooden shelves.

The Central and Suburban Baths are among the best-preserved Roman baths anywhere, with marble pools, painted vaults, changing-room benches and heated floors. The Samnite House has a colonnaded gallery on its upper floor, and the College of the Augustales has frescoes of the labours of Hercules, the town's patron.

In the modern town, the MAV virtual museum shows reconstructions. The famous Villa of the Papyri, where the only surviving library of the ancient world was found, is closed to visitors.

Herculaneum highlights

• House of the Deer — statues and a garden with a view.
• House of Neptune and Amphitrite — a glass-paste mosaic.
• Central Baths — men's and women's baths.
• Suburban Baths — painted vaults and a pool.
• Samnite House — an upper-floor gallery.
• College of the Augustales — Hercules frescoes.
• Shops and taverns — wooden shelves and counters.

Tickets and tips

Buy tickets on the park's official site or at the gate; entry is free on the first Sunday of the month. The park closes one day a week, so check before you go.

The ruins sit in a pit below street level: a gentle ramp leads down from the entrance, and the upper walkway gives a view over the whole ancient town. It's far less crowded than Pompeii, with more shade. Children enjoy peering into houses with surviving stairs and balconies.

Combining it with Vesuvius

Ercolano is the main starting point for Vesuvius: buses run from Ercolano Scavi station to the car park near the crater, then it's about half an hour on foot to the rim. Climb the volcano in the morning while it's cool, then head down to the ruins after lunch.

Another full-day option is Herculaneum and Pompeii on a combined ticket, about 20 minutes apart by train, returning to Naples on the same line in the evening.

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How to do it right

• 20 minutes by train from Naples.
• Two hours is enough.
• Check the park's closing day.
• Buses to Vesuvius leave from here.

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