How to visit and what to see in Herculaneum: schedules, ticket prices

To complete your essential Pompeii visitNear Nápoles, Southern ItalyI assure you that it is also worth visiting the Herculaneum excavations.

There you will see the surprisingly good condition of the houses of this ancient Roman city, which you will find better preserved than those of the most famous Pompeii.

In an excavation site with a much smaller area than Pompeii, walk through Herculaneum It will be a very comfortable visit to carry out and very rewarding due to the interesting corners that you will discover.

As prior information to your visit of Herculaneum, below you have some historical data and curiosities of Herculaneum and its excavations.

Curiosities of the history of Herculaneum

Although tradition says that Heraclesthat is, the Hercules of the Romans, he was the one who founded Herculaneum upon returning from Iberian PeninsulaAs you can imagine, it is obvious that this was not the case.

Origins of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum

The true ones origins of Herculaneum They date back to the 4th century BC, and after belonging to different cultures, such as the optical or etruscans, became a Roman municipality in 89 BC

small walled city of Herculaneum rested on the slope of the Vesuvius, and as was the case with Pompeii, it faced directly the sea.

When you visit it, you can see the pier pier…which you will be surprised to see that it is currently located about three kilometers from the seashore.

Herculaneum suffered the same earthquake devastating than Pompeii, in the year 62 BC, which forced the reconstruction of some of its most important buildings, such as the so-called Basilica.

But the effects of the eruption of Vesuvius It suffered them 12 hours after Pompeii, with the arrival at 100 kilometers per hour of a sudden ball of ash, rocks and volcanic gas that “froze” all of Herculaneum.

It is estimated that the walled area of ​​Herculaneum It occupied about 20 hectares, but when you now visit the excavations of the ancient roman city, you will find only 4,5 hectares in surface area.

Therefore, I can tell you that it will be a very easy visit to make, compared to the enormous dimensions of nearby Pompeii.

Archaeological excavations of Herculaneum

The Herculaneum archaeological excavations They started when those of Pompeii, in 1738, and were made with the technique of underground galleries and ascent and descent wells.

It was in 1828 when “open sky” excavations were authorized, which were carried out until 1875.

The excavations of Herculaneum They were restarted in 1927, with work until 1961.

You will be curious to know that there is a lot of surface Herculaneum excavated by galleries, with places that are not visited, like the aforementioned Basilica.

And something very important: the reasons why it is totally worth visiting Herculaneum even if you have already seen Pompeii.

Eruption of Vesuvius that buried Herculaneum

La eruption that buried Herculaneum under rivers pyroplastics that solidified up to an average height of 16 meters, favored a totally original conservation, which did not occur in the case of Pompeii.

In this way, in Herculaneum Organic remains have been recovered, such as vegetables, fabrics...

And wooden structures of buildings have been brought to light (including a boat discovered in 1982), so that in Herculaneum you can see the original upper floors of numerous buildings.

How to get to Herculaneum from Naples

To visit Herculaneum, if you go drive, from Naples The excavations are only 14 kilometers away, which will take you about 20 minutes to drive.

Tour to Herculaneum in Spanish

You can also sign up for a excursion to Herculaneum in Spanish lasting four hours, in which they will pick you up at your hotel in Naples, where they will drop you off after the visit.

In high season this visit is done with the company of a guide in spanish, and in low season, with audio guide in spanish (the price of the excursion does not include admission).

How to go by train to Herculaneum from Naples

If you prefer go on your owna, you have the option of go on the Circumvesuviana commuter train which leaves Naples station every 20 minutes.

You must get off at the station Ercolano Scavi, which this suburban train takes 20 minutes to reach.

Once you are at the station, to walk to the excavation site You must take a downhill street that leads you to them, which are one kilometer away, and it will take about 15 minutes.

If it's too hot, or you don't feel like walking that route (especially on the way back, which is uphill...), to the left of the station exit you will see some vans that offer the shuttle service to the excavations.

They will charge you 3 euros for a round trip, as they will pick you up again after a two-hour stay visiting the Herculaneum excavations.

For your trip, here you have useful information tips for visiting Herculaneum, highlighting the best places you should see during your tour through the excavation site.

Herculaneum visiting hours

The Visiting hours of the Herculaneum excavations They are, from April 15 to October 15, every day of the week, except Wednesdays when they are closed, from 9,30:19,30 a.m. to 18:XNUMX p.m., with last access at XNUMX p.m.

In autumn and winter, specifically, from October 16 to March 14, the closing time is 17 p.m., with last entry at 15,30:XNUMX p.m.

Herculaneum ticket prices

The ticket prices to visit Herculaneum It is 13 euros for the general public, with an additional fee for online purchases.

There is also a reduced rate 2 euros for young people between 18 and 24 years old, and free entry for those under 18 years old.

You can also visit Herculaneum for free if your visit coincides with the first Sunday of each month in the period from October to March.

Guided tour of Herculaneum with an archaeologist

You also have the option of signing up for a guided tour of Herculaneum with an archaeologist in English lasting two hours and whose price already includes admission.

Here you have another option to buy the guided tour of Herculaneum.

Map: where is Herculaneum

The excavations of the Roman city that disappeared after the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79 AD you find them in the Herculaneum town, on the coast, southwest of Naples.