See the ruins of Herculaneum, the smaller, but no less impressive, sister of Pompeii, frozen in time by the same devastating volcanic eruption of August 24th 79 AD. Left buried under the rubble of ash until the 1700s, its discovery stunned the world.
All of the ancient town lies at the bottom of an archaeological hole, about 75 feet deep. Getting closer, see the area of the marina where 300 human skeletons were found along with a boat (on display at weekends).
Discover the garden of the “House of the Albergo”, where quince trees have been replanted following evidence of carbonized roots of the ancient fruit tree. Your next stop is the Council Hall of the Augustali, where beautiful frescoes depict Hercules.
Visit the mosaics in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, and the neighboring store where food and wine containers, carbonised by the volcano, still hang on the walls! Go to the ancient spa, still covered with mosaics from the Roman saunas, gyms, hot rooms, and cold tubs.
Finally, see the most spectacular villa of Herculaneum at Villa Dei Cervi, with its luxurious mosaics, frescoes, and statues.
Enjoy a 2-hour walking tour of Pompeii and experience life in an everyday Roman town, with your own personal guide. Tours can be tailored to your own interests and physical abilities, but aim to take in at least one site from each type of building.
Start at Porta Marina, one of the best preserved city gates. Walk along the original basalt road of volcanic rocks, looking down at hundreds of little white travertine spots used to reflect torch light. See big blocks of basalt emerging from the road, used by pedestrians to avoid getting wet when it rained.
Explore the buildings of the Forum, such as the Temple of Apollo, Temple of the Emperor, and Macellum market. You will also see a display of human casts of the Pompeii residents caught by the volcano in the exact pose that they died.
Discover the Roman equivalent of today’s fast-food restaurants, and see the bakeries of Pompeii, where carbonized loaves of bread where found during the excavations.
Continue to the former Red Light District to see Roman frescoes of erotic images. And visit one of the city’s 3 theaters, either at the outdoor arena for public performances, the indoor theater for mime and poetry, and the outdoor theater for tragedies and comedies.