You can discover life in ancient Rome by taking a day trip to Ercolano Scavi. The ancient city of Herculaneum shared the same tragic faith as Pompeii, though it is less famous these days. This might be an advantage if you have a single day to visit the area. You will avoid the crowds and still have a look into the past visiting the excavations here, at Ercolano Scavi.
About Herculaneum
The Roman city of Herculaneum used to be a popular vacation resort for the patricians of Rome until Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and completely buried the settlements on its slopes. The city was rediscovered by accident almost 17 centuries later under the modern Italian city Ercolano.
How to get to Ercolano Scavi
Circumvesuviana train line surrounds Mt. Vesuvius and unites the cities at its base, from Naples to Sorrento. The trains don’t look very good, but they are fast and more reliable than other transport options in the area.
Ercolano Scavi From Naples
The Circumvesuviana station in Naples (Porta Nolana) is on the right side of the main train station. You can buy your tickets inside the station. A ticket to Ercolano costs 2.50€. A train leaves roughly every 30 minutes, so it’s relatively easy to plan your trip. You have to board the train for Sorrento and get off at Ercolano Scavi station. It’s a less than 20 minutes journey.
Ercolano Scavi From Sorrento
The journey from Sorrento to Ercolano Scavi is a little longer, about 50 minutes. From the station go directly ahead, towards the sea. Though it isn’t well marked, you can’t miss the entrance.
The Ruins of Herculaneum
The volcano buried Herculaneum in a flow of lava during the eruption, so the city was practically sealed for 17 centuries. There is no other place in the world preserved quite as well as the ruins of Herculaneum, not even Pompeii. You’ll discover two-story houses, mosaics and statues, even wooden structures and organic materials.
The site is not as large as Pompeii, so a few hours should be enough for your visit. It is open daily from 8:30 to 19:30 from April to October. In the off-season, the archaeological park closes at 17:00. Last admissions are 90 minutes before closing. The admission fee is 11€, and you will get a discount if you have a Campania Arte Card.
You will see patrician houses, baths (thermae), an inn, each one with a description. Not all of them will be open, so the small map of Herculaneum that you can find in the ticket office comes in handy to make an itinerary.
I was amazed, looking at the ruins of Herculaneum, as well as in Pompeii or Ostia Antica, at the quality of life that (rich) Romans had 2000 years ago. They had public baths, heating installations, sewage, a theater, and a gym (palestra). Just think about the living conditions in many parts of the world today!
Where to eat in close to Ercolano Scavi
Naples is the place where they invented pizza, but I found my favorite one here, in this small and often ignored town. As you walk from the station to the entrance to the excavations, you will cross through a small pizzeria on the right side of the street, called Luna Caprese. I’ve been there three times in different years, and it never let me down. They have great vegetarian options too.
What else
For the afternoon of your day trip to Ercolano, I have two options:
The Virtual Archaeological Museum (MAV) in Ercolano
The Museum has a lot of multimedia displays that recreate the city of Herculaneum as it was before the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. It is the best way to see the ruins of Herculaneum brought to life.
The entrance fee is 10€, and it includes a 3D movie projection of the eruption that destroyed ancient Herculaneum and Pompeii.
A trip to the crater of Mt.Vesuvius
You can visit the crater at approximately 1280 m, both from Ercolano and from Pompeii. Read all details in my post about Mt. Vesuvius.
And while you’re in the area, check out my list of things I want to see in Napoli.
Disclosure
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Have you visited the ruins of Herculaneum or Pompeii? Tell me all about it in the comments below.
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Ercolano Scavi looks fantastic! Hopefully one day…
Sadly I’m guilty of ignoring it too in favour of Pompeii. I didn’t know the ruins were in better condition than in Pompeii. That’s giving me thought to reconsider it for my trip next year:
I didn’t go to Herculaneum when I visited Pompeii and I regret it! So incredible. But glad I got to see some through your post!