# Herculaneum, near Naples > Herculaneum is a small Roman seaside town that the eruption of Vesuvius buried under a thick layer of volcanic material, which is why it's better preserved than Pompeii: upper floors, wooden beams and doors, bright frescoes and mosaics survive. The excavations lie right inside the modern town of Ercolano, 20 minutes by train from Naples. Entry is paid; two hours is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/herculaneum - City: [Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples), Italy - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Paid; free on the first Sunday of the month - Opening hours: By day, one closing day a week - Getting there: Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano Scavi, ≈ 20 min - Highlights: Two-storey houses, mosaics, baths, wood - Time needed: About 2 hours - Location: Ercolano, 12 km from central Naples - Coordinates: 40.80611, 14.34750 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **AD 79** — Vesuvius buried the town, preserving wood and upper floors (source: English Wikipedia) - **1738** — tunnel excavations began (source: English Wikipedia) - **1927** — Amedeo Maiuri began open-air excavation (source: English Wikipedia) - **1997** — Herculaneum joined the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO, no. 829) - **Villa of the Papyri** — the only surviving library of the ancient world was found here (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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. > **Herculaneum or Pompeii?** With only half a day, choose to taste: Pompeii is a huge town to wander for hours; Herculaneum is small and calm but better preserved, and two hours is enough. A combined ticket lets you do both in a day: Herculaneum in the morning, then the train to Pompeii. ## 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. ## How to get to Herculaneum from Naples 1. The **Circumvesuviana** train from Napoli Garibaldi to **Ercolano Scavi**, about 20 minutes. 2. From the station, 10 minutes' walk downhill to the park entrance. 3. From Pompeii, the same train, about 20 minutes. 4. Buses to the Vesuvius crater leave from Ercolano Scavi station. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/pompeii) on a combined ticket, about 20 minutes apart by train, returning to Naples on the same line in the evening. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check the park's closing day - [ ] Buy a ticket, or a combined one with Pompeii - [ ] Take the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano Scavi - [ ] Find the mosaic in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite - [ ] Decide whether to climb Vesuvius ## Ancient sites around Naples: compare and choose Ancient sites in and around Naples rated by YesGo. - [Pompeii](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/pompeii) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 5 h · Paid - [Herculaneum](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/herculaneum) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid - [National Archaeological Museum of Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/naples-archaeological-museum) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid ## Vesuvius and Herculaneum The Vesuvius crater in the morning, the Herculaneum ruins after lunch. 1. [Mount Vesuvius](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/mount-vesuvius) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Paid, timed ticket 2. [Herculaneum](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/herculaneum) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid ## Don't mix it up Herculaneum is the ancient town; Ercolano is the modern town above it, and the station is Ercolano Scavi. Don't confuse it with Pompeii: they're neighbouring but separate sites. ## Tips - 20 minutes by train from Naples. - Two hours is enough. - Check the park's closing day. - Buses to Vesuvius leave from here. ## Questions ### How do I get from Naples to Herculaneum? By Circumvesuviana train from Napoli Garibaldi to Ercolano Scavi, about 20 minutes, then a 10-minute walk. ### Is Herculaneum better than Pompeii? Pompeii is bigger and more famous; Herculaneum is smaller but better preserved, with wood and upper floors. ### How long do you need at Herculaneum? About two hours. ### How much are Herculaneum tickets? Entry is paid and free on the first Sunday of the month. Prices are on the park's official site. ### Can you visit the Villa of the Papyri? No, it's closed to visitors; reconstructions are shown at the MAV virtual museum in Ercolano. ## How we checked History and sights from English Wikipedia and UNESCO. Prices and hours weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - UNESCO: Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata (no. 829) - English Wikipedia: Herculaneum and Villa of the Papyri - Official park site, ercolano.cultura.gov.it --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.