In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted, taking the lives of nearly 20,000 people while burring the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum beneath 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice.
I highly recommend visiting both Pompeii and Herculaneum since each one offers a unique experience, but if you’re short on time and unable to visit both, this guide will help you choose the archaeology site best suited for your trip.
MAIN DIFFERENCES:
- SIZE: Herculaneum is small and can be seen in a few hours while Pompeii is much larger and requires a half day or ideally a full day to explore.
- FOCUS: Herculaneum focuses more on the infrastructure and architecture of the ancient Roman city while Pompeii offers the same experience with the added bonus of being able to view artifacts recovered from archaeological digs through the years.
pompeii
what you need to know when visiting
Pompeii can be reached by taking the Circumvesuviana train from Naples (45 minutes) or from Sorrento (20 minutes). Once you arrive in Pompei, the archaeological site Scavi di Pompei is a short walk from the Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri train station. Tickets can be purchased directly from the ticket office at Scavi di Pompei, don’t forget to ask for a map!
You’ll be walking what is essentially an entire ancient city so be sure to arrive in the morning to allow a full day of exploring. There is a cafeteria on site offering hot meals, gelato, and cold drinks for purchase, but aside from that, everything else is located outdoors with little to no covered areas.
BE SURE TO BRING THE FOLLOWING:
- Comfortable shoes, you’ll be doing a lot of walking.
- Water to stay hydrated!
- A hat to shield yourself from the sun.
- SPF and slather it on throughout the day.
MUST SEE EXHIBITS:
- Orto dei fuggiaschi (former vineyard where the bodies of 13 victims of the Vesuvius eruption were found and cast in plaster)
- Anfiteatro (amphitheater)
- Granai del foro (where hundreds of amphorae and several body casts are on display)
- Be sure to visit the small indoor museum near the entrance. There are several artifacts on display and a movie projector with 3D renderings of the city, giving you an idea of what life looked like in Pompeii prior to the eruption of Vesuvius.
herculaneum
what you need to know when visiting
Herculaneum can be reached by taking the Circumvesuviana train from Naples (30 minutes) or from Sorrento (40 minutes). Once you arrive in Ercolano, the archaeological site of Herculaneum (Scavi di Ercolano) is a short walk from the Ercolano Scavi train station. Tickets can be purchased directly from the ticket office.
When you arrive at Herculaneum you will likely see a guide or two standing near the ticket office, offering their services. I spoke to a guide who provided me with pricing for a private tour but also suggested that I wait for others to join as it would significantly reduce the price.
After watching my guide stand off to the side for 10 minutes or so, I took it upon myself to approach tourists convincing them to join my tour. Unfortunately, everyone already booked a tour in advance which meant I was left with the option to pay for a private tour or use an audio guide, I went with the audio guide.
HOT TIP: DON’T AUDIO GUIDE
When given the choice of an audio guide or a guided tour, I typically head straight for audio guides. They’re packed with insightful information and give you the freedom to move at your own pace. On top of that, let’s be honest, they’re usually the cheapest option.
When it comes to Herculaneum, I highly suggest passing on it. The audio guide and accompanying map were confusing to follow so I often walked inside of ruin structures looking for rooms that didn’t exist. After committing to the guide for a good 30 minutes, I ditched it and instead wandered around reading the informational booklet as I entered each structure.
HOT TIP: DO A GUIDED TOUR
Although Herculaneum is small, it’s packed with history and because there are no signs explaining what you’re looking at, a guide is extremely helpful. As I wandered into empty structures, I could hear tour guides nearby explaining to their group that what we were standing in was once a restaurant, and across the street was the local bar. I can’t confirm nor deny that I may have followed behind various tour groups, soaking up as much information while looking as inconspicuous as possible. What I can confirm is that you should definitely pass on the audio guide and opt for a guided tour.
final verdict
- Herculaneum is much smaller than Pompeii and located beneath today’s civilization. It’s fascinating to view from above, giving you an entirely different perspective of the ancient city.
- Herculaneum is better preserved allowing visitors to walk into structures that resemble the original structures of ancient times.
- The structures of Pompeii are less preserved but where it lacks in structural preservation, it truly excels in artifact preservation. There are several artifacts on display such as cooking utensils, jewelry, and body casts. This is something that can’t be experienced at Herculaneum and for this reason alone, I truly enjoyed Pompeii.