Visiting The Ancient Roman Town of Herculaneum

Baked in the same Mediterranean sun as her sister city Pompeii, the ruins of the small ancient Roman town of Herculaneum (modern name Ercolano) is one of Campania’s archaeological gems.

While Pompeii is the most famous of the towns destroyed by the massive eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79, visitors to Campania often don’t realize that this same violent eruption covered many of the Roman towns and villas surrounding the volcano in lava, mud and volcanic debris. The town of Herculaneum lies closer to the base of Vesuvius than Pompeii, and during the eruption was buried under 16 meters (52 feet) of mud.

Meanwhile, nearby Pompeii was covered by volcanic ash making the excavation of the city much less challenging than uncovering Herculaneum from the hardened mud and rock. These differences have meant that Herculaneum was preserved in a more complete state than Pompeii. The mud covering Herculaneum also allowed for the rare conservation of wood, which you can see in the Roman architecture and in decorations throughout the town.

Herculaneum was once a resort town filled with wealthy Romans. A quiet and peaceful place to live filled with all types of Roman dwellings, from lavish holiday villas to the modest homes of local fishermen. In both size and population, Herculaneum is estimated to have been about one third the size of nearby Pompeii, and this smaller and more intimate scale really allows visitors to feel like they are walking through an ancient Roman town.

Herculaneum is laid out in a grid pattern and can easily be visited in a morning. While exploring the ancient town, don’t miss the House of the Mosaic Atrium, with its remarkable mosaics, the City Baths, the beautiful mosaic decorations in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, the two-storey Trellis House, the elaborate and beautiful House of the Stags, the Gymnasium and the Thermopolium, where the ordinary citizens of Herculaneum ate.

One of Herculaneum’s most impressive sites, the stunning and lavish Villa dei Papirii where excavators uncovered 1,800 Roman papyrus scrolls, is currently undergoing restoration and closed to visitors.

While you are exploring Campania’s rich in archaeological treasures, be sure to visit Herculaneum, as there are few better glimpses into beauty of Roman life in southern Italy.

How to Get There
Herculaneum is an easy half- day trip from Naples, Sorrento, Salerno or the Amalfi Coast. The ruins are located southeast of Naples , and can be reached easily by public transportation.
By Car: Travelling by car from Naples or Salerno, follow the A3 Autostrada and exit at “Ercolano Portico.” Follow the signs for the excavation site to the entrance, where you will find car parks nearby.
By Rail: Herculaneum is easily reached on the Circumvesuviana railway line that runs about every half hour throughout the day. From Naples, trains depart from the Stazione Circumvesuviana near Piazza Garibaldi and the trip takes about 30 minutes. Get off at the Ercolano-Scavi station, which is about a ten minute walk from the main entrance. From Sorrento the trip takes approximately 45 minutes on the Circumvesuviana train.