Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, A UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After visiting Pompeii during our trip to Naples, we knew we had to come back to the area to see Herculaneum.

Want to visit Pompeii too? Read our guide: The Ancient City of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.

Catch the train from the station in Sorrento. The journey took about 40 minutes and cost €4 each, with a return. The Circumvesuviana train can get very busy as it serves Herculaneum, Pompeii and the City of Naples. Take some water as it gets very warm and stuffy if packed full of people. Trains run every twenty minutes.

One thing to note here is that there are two stops, Ercolano and Ercolano Scavi. Depart at the latter and you are just a short walk from the archaeological site.

Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. — Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

THE ANCIENT TOWN OF HERCULANEUM

Herculaneum, an ancient Roman coastal town destroyed by the pyroclastic flows caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Famous for its well-preserved buildings, frescoes, paintings. They found the skeletons of people fleeing the eruption in the 1980s. Aswell as that, they found other items like fabric, food and wood well preserved.

They unearthed the site by accident in 1707, when a new well was being dug. After accidentally unearthing the site in 1707 while digging a new well, they didn’t explore it in a bigger way until 1927, and it continues to be explored to this day. New discoveries are being made all the time.

Herculaneum Skip-the-Line Ticket & Audio Guide. Discover the ancient ruins of Herculaneum on a fascinating audio tour at your own pace. Learn the history of the ancient and wealthy town buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

They named the site a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. In 2010, the site suffered serious damage from storms and torrential rain. Many buildings collapsed, including the Schola Armaturarum, the Gladiators’ house.

The ancient Roman village of Herculaneum, a short distance from Sorrento and Naples. — An overview of the ancient city of Herculaneum.

Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, Roman pillars. — A Peristyle of the House of Argus, Herculaneum.

Beautiful mosaics, Herculaneum. — Beautiful moscaics, Herculaneum.

Things to see when visiting Herculaneum, beautiful mosaics. — Beautiful moscaics, Herculaneum.

THE FRESCOS OF HERCULANEUM

We spent a good few hours here just wandering from building to building. Unlike Pompeii, it was nowhere near as busy. Therefore, we found it more enjoyable. The frescoes and mosaics here are mind blowing.

Incredible Fresco's and plasterwork, Herculaneum. — Incredible Fresco’s and plasterwork, Herculaneum.

The ancient town of Herculaneum. — Fresco and plaque from the College of the Augustales.

Things to see when visiting Herculaneum. — Fresco and plaque from the College of the Augustales.

THE HERCULANEUM SKELETONS

Archiologists found the skeletons of people fleeing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius sheltering in boat sheds in 1982. They thought everyone had escaped the eruption until they made this incredible discovery. The skeletons that lie here today are fibreglass copies. They have since moved the original bones into storage for further examination.

The shore is now much further away because of the amount of ash and pumice that washed over the area and created a new coastline.

The skeletons of Herculaneum, Italy. — The skeletons of Herculaneum.

VISIT THE ANTIQUARIUM

Visit this small on-site museum. The museum and the archaeological park are open seven days per week and adult tickets cost €13.

In the museum is an almost intact carbonized wooden boat, found along the ancient seafront. They discovered it in 1982 and it is part of an incredible collection of other items found at the site.

Old Roman boat, found along the shore, Herculaneum. — Things to see when visiting Herculaneum.

A hoard of Roman coins, fused together because of volcanic heat. — Hoard of bronze coins welded together by the heat.

The image below gives you an idea of how big the volcano is at it looks down over the new town of Ercolano, and the ancient town buried underneath. Will the beast awaken again? Only time will tell.