I'd heard it was better than Pompeii because the ruins were more complete. Kind of a difficult place to access on narrow streets. My travel partner's iPhone GPS took us to the back side of the property. We had to drive around to the front side through street flea markets in what appeared to be a very rough section of town. Finally made it. A very nice gentleman assisted me with parking. We were about to park in an illegal spot and get a ticket. Some of the more attractive exhibits were closed due to renovation. Guide books in English were out of stock so I had to take one in Italian. My internet didn't work very well so it was difficult to use online access to descriptive information. The place gives great insight into first century A.D. Roman life. I especially liked seeing homes with the atria, mosaics and frescoes. To fully appreciate and explore it I would recommend allowing at least 3 to 4 hours or more. We didn't have that much time.

I only found out this place existed while searching for Pompeii tickets. Herculaneum (Ercolano) was actually hit with ash before Pompeii and at a much higher temperature (500°C as opposed to 250°C in Pompeii). It is a lot less crowded than Pompeii and I would say a lot of things are better preserved. It is also much smaller so you don’t have to spend as much time exploring and it’s easy to not miss anything (unlike Pompeii). There are no restaurants or cafes inside however there are plenty choose from in the surrounding area. I highly recommend Pappamonte!

I visited Pompeii years ago, and I wanted to see Herculaneum this time. I was not disappointed. 14€ admission plus 10€ for audio guide. Takes about 2 hours. Free, clean bathrooms at entrance. If you have to choose between the two, choose Pompeii. Easy walk from train station. If coming from Sorrento or Pompeii, you need to change trains 2 stops north of Pompeii. No need for reservations. No wait at 11 a.m. on Friday late October.

I didn't feel too enthralled when we arrived in the car park, partly due to the torrential rain. However once we started walking around it was really interesting. Some of the information boards could do with refurbishing but I was pleased to find that some of the information was written in English. We had a very good guide who really brought the place to life. I was amazed by how well some of the murals and mosaics are preserved, and so colourful. Also fantastic that we could get so close to these ancient remains, and even walking on some of the mosaic floors. Definitely worth a visit and friends who have been to Pompeii said that they prefer Herculaneum even though its smaller.

Great alternative to Pompeii with a different perspective. Really enjoyed the site and the area. The little museum on site is also a great see as well as the boat. If you can get a tour as it will give you a deeper understanding of the site. We also had a cuddle with the ginger tabby cat before we went in which was a lovely added extra. Easy to get too and from with the train from Napoli Station.

We visited Herculaneum the day after we had a fantastic guided tour of Pompeii. We had learned so much during that tour that we felt it was unnecessary to do another guided tour. Therefore , we did Herculaneum in our own pace and we had an amazing day in this once so fabulous holiday resort by the sea. The buildings are better preserved than in Pompeii and you find lots of places with 2000 year old wooden planks. We spent about 3 hours wandering around the ancient city. It is much smaller than Pompeii, but there is so much amazing to see.

This place is fantastic. In my view much better than Pompeii: a fantastic, detailed little pamphlet (in various languages including English) is given with the entrance, so no need for a guide. Plus great views from on high before you descent into the site. The site is FAR less crowded than Pompeii, and much smaller. Regardless was there for about 2.5 hours. The ruins are in much better condition and there are some beautiful mosaics remaining. Lovely, well-fed cats walk around as well. Well-worth the entrance cost of about 13 euros. Easy and cheap train ride from Naples centre as well.

Far less crowded than Pompeii but probably more stunning. Only the residential and shopping areas have been excavated, as the municipal buildings are under the modern town so can’t be excavated. But the quality of artifacts are amazing. The colours of the murals; carbonised staircases and roof beams; not to mention 400 skeletons of the unfortunate souls waiting for a boat that didn’t come. You really get a sense of perspective of the amount of volcanic debris, since the current city is right against the excavation site. A must-see experience. And make sure you have a guided tour!

As the other reviews have noted, this site is the companion to Pompeii. In my opinion, it's not better nor worse than Pompeii, but different and complementary. Because a city was built around and on top of the original city, the site is smaller, in a pit, surrounded by the current city of Herculaneum. But, the preservation of organic material, and the skeletons visible in what were the docks are striking. Practical things to note: 1. The site is about 30 minutes outside Naples. 2. Tickets can be purchased on site. 3. Easy to navigate the site, but suggest an audio tour. Otherwise, you won't really know what you're looking at. 4. There are toilets and vending machines in the park. Bring change for the vending machines. 5. There is a little set of vendor booths outside the park with snacks and some souvenirs. These take cash and cards (though I think they prefer cash). 6. It's an archeological site: There are almost no even surfaces. Cobblestones, stepping up and down, etc.

Phenomenal experience! Absolutely stunning frescoes and well preserved buildings give a look back into earlier life. If you are in a hurry, do the tour with a guide. The streets are winding and you may not exit on your first try. Audio guide is good if you have time to wander.

This is truly a gem you cannot miss. Similar to Pompeii, but better preserved, cheaper and with less people around. I also liked there are good facilities inside - it's not just the ruins, but you can also buy drinks and snacks there and sit with a view of the park. We truly enjoyed the few hours we spent there.

Amazing ruins!! There is an online guide that explains the background to the marked ruins and takes you round in order. The highlight for me were the mosaics in the baths. Tickets were €26 for a group of two which can be bought from the ticket office near the entrance. There is also parking nearby. Definitely worth a visit!

We decided to go here after speaking to a lot of people in Sorrento about Pompei and how much quieter this was. Can't compare as I haven't been to both but this was amazing. Definitely recommend it. We came be express train. Air conditioned trains and not to busy. €15/way/person

Amazing experience however if I were to go again I would choose a cooler season. There's a lot of walking involved and not much shade to be found. The site has a few water fountains so make sure you carry a bottle. Also if you go in the summer a hat and any sort of fan is a must. Happy exploring.

Much smaller and easier to get around than Pompeii. Probably 2/3 hours is enough. Unfortunately there were a few areas closed including the baths which was disappointing but I suppose they've got to maintain these areas sometime. However, gives a good insight into the past. Didn't buy tickets in advance but a very little wait, not sure if it's like that all the time.

Remarkable heritage of the historical village destroyed by in 79. All the remaining building s and living areas inspired us that the life in ancient Roman was even more convenient and highly developed than today.

Overshadowed by Pompeii often but just as important to visit. Many of the ruins are more preserved than Pompeii. Much smaller site. We visited end of January and a dream, no crowds. Probably only 2 - 3 hours needed to do it all. A must visit!

If you’re doing Pompeii, there will be a lot of similarities between what you see there and what you see here. There aren’t too many information boards around so I’d recommend you get an audio guide or a tour if you want to spend a bit longer here and understand it. It’s a lot quieter than Pompeii, but a lot smaller too.

Incredible ruins from the mount Vesuvius eruption of 79AD. Not as well know as Pompeii, but absolutely worth a visit. The part of the city you can visit is much smaller than Pompeii, but the buildings are more intact, and the remaining mosaic tile, painted artwork, and structures are amazing. Absolutely glad we added this to our visit around Naples and would recommend it to anyone. We also had a guided tour from an archeologist who made the trip even more educational, with a twist of humor. (Raphael and Giovanni from Askos tours)

It's an unbelievable experience, don' t miss visiting this archeological site. The area is not too big, you can easily walk around in 2- 3 hours. The ruins are better preserved than in Pompei. In March the port stores with the skeletons are closed. The most unbelievable for me was that the visitors could walk on the more than 2000 year old mosaic floors.

Well, astonishing to say the least. Civilised, modern living community, with hot drink and fast food outlets....even surplus cash to have a 'shocking' sculpture done to grab attention and raise a laugh....until the volcano ash came done that is! Well worth a visit.

I visited the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum and it was really cool. The ancient ruins were fascinating to explore and I learned a lot about the history of the place. The preserved buildings and artifacts were impressive, and it was interesting to see how people lived back then. The park was well-maintained. Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend checking it out if you're into history and ancient civilizations.

Went in the late fall in 2023. Beautiful and quiet, almost no crowds at all which allowed us to take our time and look around. There was an eery quietness to the day, with Mt Vesuvius overlooking the ruins. There were plenty of places to sit throughout, and a clean bathroom. There wasn't any real place to eat in the park, so either bring your own or stop at one of the places nearby just outside the park. The mini museum has some fantastic things to see, it is quiet and clean. If you have problems walking over rough terrain, or up and down hills you may have problems with this site. It's much smaller than Pompeii but still quite vast, and some very up and down areas. Rocky areas can be tricky and some areas are narrow going into.

The museum in itself was cool, with interesting projections and such. The staff was, sadly, really rude, and made it clear they wouldn’t be taking any questions, so it took me some time to figure out how everything worked. I think I’d have to go back to enjoy it more as I missed out on a lot of things. The 4D film at the end was really well made but definitely not 4D. Overall something enjoyable if you’re given the time to see it, and definitely something I’d recommend for children.

A good place to visit to complement your tour of the excavation. We really enjoyed seeing 3D rendering of remains of rooms we had visited just an hour before, giving us good ideas on how they actually were 2000 years ago. Unfortunately, the technology used is already dated. The video projectors are no longer performing well, are misaligned and out of focus. Some exhibitions are no longer working. With some renovation and modernization, this exhibitions would have huge potential and be 5 stars

Sadly not worth the time and way better alternatives. A lot of the technology they are using is rather old so nothing really left a lasting impression. A lot of the stations also didn't work, we couldn't figure out a way to activate them. The staff wasn't friendly at all and just wanted to go home, they told us a couple of times to hurry up so we wouldn't miss out on the "4D" movie, which wasn't worth all the hype at all. Guess it was an amazing experience years ago but nowadays this is majorly outdated...

I visited the Museo Archeologico Virtuale back in 2019. It's a fantastic concept, providing an interactive experience of what Herculaneum would’ve been like just before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Much of the exhibition are video experiences of the buildings showing what they would’ve looked like before the eruption, as well as on some of the archaeological artefacts. The experience ends with an all round cinematic experience of life in Herculaneum

The app was working for us, the visuals weren't all working. Buy the ticket at Ercolano for discount. Don't expect help from the staff, who's English proficiency is probably the reason. We enjoyed it nevertheless because it visualized what you've just witnessed in full colour.

I can not give it less than one star which it truly deserves. We felt like we were robbed of the 20 euros we paid and to top it off the girl at the desk robbing our money Carla was so disrespectful it was unbelievable. She threw my credit card and the fob to operate the displays at me across the counter and smirked when she did it. Definitely has a problem with people skills!!!!!

The museum tells the sorry of Pompeii and Ercelano. It is an interactive museum however the exhibits are not very well maintained with some not working or half working. There is a 3d movie at the end which is nice but not very impressive. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It is a good option for an activity on a rainy day.

Interesting, especially appealing to kids (possibly except the lupanar :) Tip: getting the MAV tickets at the real archaeological site close-by (Ercolano Scavi, info desk at the entrance) gets you a small discount (8€ instead of 10€ at the MAV ticket office directly).

The idea is very good with films that show not only reconstructions from Herculanum, but also from Pompeii. I don't really understand why the watch-like thing one is given is necessary, as it is only used three times. There are additional texts in several places and some texts only in Italian. Some of the films felt a bit like: see what we can do with a computer. And please, let somebody translate the English texts again. Some of them were so bad, that they were meaningless. Go there before you visit the excavation.

Modern museum full of interesting Herculaneum history. The lady at the front desk was very matter of fact but very helpful too. 3D cinema, VR experience, virtual drone flying along with the historical pieces within, this museum was a great experience, certainly worth doing whilst in Herculaneum

Was quirky! I Learnt a lot, and I was the only one there as I went early. The staff were lovely and helpful

We were disapointed. They are talking about the food taste, smell taste,.. nothing happened..

The exhibit was not very efficient in explaining what happened in Ercolano and Pompeii+not well maintained and very boring. Movie at the end was somewhat nice

(Translated by Google) Exciting and exciting leap into the ancient Herculaneum and the ancient culture of the powerful civilization of Rome on the slopes of Vesuvius which suffered the fury of the volcano. Its relentless eruption has left posterity a perfect snapshot of the daily life of the time. The bicentenary house reopens to the public from October 2019 (Original) Entusiasmante ed emozionante salto nell’antica Herculaneum e nella cultura antica della potente civiltà di Roma alle pendici del Vesuvio che subì la furia del vulcano. La sua implacabile eruzione ha lasciato ai posteri una perfetta fotografia della vita quotidiana dell’epoca. La casa del bicentenario riapre al pubblico da ottobre 2019

(Translated by Google) Very beautiful house in Herculaneum. The mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite is superb with its blue, green, red and yellow colors. One of the most beautiful places to visit with terms during your visit. (Original) Très belle maison d'Herculanum. La mosaïque de Neptune et d'Amphitrite est superbe avec ses couleurs bleues, vertes, rouges et jaunes. L'un des plus beaux lieux à visiter avec les termes lors de votre visite.

(Translated by Google) It is worth it, it shows their lifestyle and what their houses were like. Essential place in Italy (Original) Merece la pena, muestra su estilo de vida y como eran sus casas. Lugar imprescindible en Italia

(Translated by Google) The most remarkable room is the summer triclinium decorated with a nymphaeum and mosaics! (Original) La pièce la plus remarquable est le triclinium d'été décorée d'un nymphée et des mosaiques !

(Translated by Google) The wonderful mosaic, depicting Neptune and Amphitrite, gave us a glimpse of the vibrant cultural life of the ancient city. (Original) Minunatul mozaic, reprezentându-i pe Neptun și Amphitrita, ne-a făcut să aruncăm o ocheadă la vița culturală trepidantă a orașului de odinioară.

(Translated by Google) Very nice visit. Do not miss. (Original) Très belle visite. A ne pas manquer.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful (Original) Bellisimo

Very beautiful villa. It was very quiet when we went - it's part tourist attraction and part offices. We explored around and sometimes accidentally wondered into someone's office! It was the perfect place to spend an hour before catching a flight from Naples. I would recommend getting a drink and snack and sitting in the beautiful surroundings to relax away from the bustle of the town.

Nice but not worth the money (5 euro entrance fee even when the exhibition was under construction)

Sunday 14:00 Gate closed and sign says they close at 13:00 on Sundays. The Website, google maps and tour guides all list it as opwn until 18:00 on Sundays.

Randomly found this after visiting Herculaneum. What a treasure! Very inexpensive (€5/person) entrance with secure parking. They had some modern art on display as a bonus. The view of the bay during a sunny day is breathtaking.

TL;DR Huge potential, but right now total rip off. Maybe for Italians this place can be wonderful and really joyfully. Foreigners in my opinion are not welcome here. Really helpful and cheerful, but none English speaking staff. It's sad that "Arte Card" don't work here either. From outside you will be thinking that this place is luxurious and well-preserved in comparison to surrounding. This is big mistake. On the ground floor you have nothing special. You will find a neglected garden and fountain. Little bit further, there are plenty of empty spaces inside of the villa. On the right side of the hall there are some other small neglected gardens. First experience was pretty awful. The only hope was higher levels and we spent 15 min looking for way to go there (behind small doors there is an elevator). On the first floor again there was almost nothing. Empty spaces, no signs, no informations. Only paintings on celling (pretty awesome) and few furnitures with some arts. We go even higher, but on second floor there are only offices. I really like the paintings and all building decorations. In my opinion this place has huge potential, but right now it's not worth such money.

We were not aware that there was a ticket visiting the place. And we were charged at the end. The entry was 5EUR, but nothing much to do, if you really are not sure on what you are doing.

Beautiful Villa and amazing location. currently (04/2016) undergoing renovation so be sure to check opening hours and visitable areas

nicely maintained sculptures

Great first stop in the Herculaneum site.

My dad was there in 1944.

Impressive

(Translated by Google) The square is dominated by the monument dedicated to one of the most important builders of the city. (Original) Piațeta este dominată de monumentul dedicat unuia dintre cei mai importanți constructori ai orașului.

(Translated by Google) On a marble esplanade stands the starue (copy) of one of the most influential citizens of Herculaneum, Nonius Balbus, erected by his fellow citizens after his death. (Original) Sur une esplanade en marbre se dresse la starue (copie) d'un des plus influents citoyens d'Herculanum, Nonius Balbus, érigée par ses concitoyens après sa mort.

(Translated by Google) Interesting archaeological composite, but not very usable due to many sites closed to the public, Pompeii is much more interesting with many more indications and open sites. (Original) Interessante composito archeologico ,ma poco fruibile per molti siti chiusi al pubblico,molto più interessante Pompei con molte più indicazioni e siti aperti.