We decided to take a return train journey to the site of Herculaneum. We booked tickets in advance. We asked where to pick the tickets up and it was explained how to use them etc. We were taken to our train by a member of staff. They checked our tickets at the front of the train. You have to get on the front and walk down. We found our seats then took the hour journey. It was roughly an 8 minute walk down to the Herculaneum site. We were told to look for Fabio (our guide). Not obvious where he would be but we found him. Note if you have a back pack you have to place in a locker, no charge. Fabio gave us headsets and we embarked upon our journey though history. Fabio was very knowledgeable and an excellent guide. He made it clear that this place was more of an ancient times holiday resort for the upper echelons of society. There are a number of things as you walk through the tour that give the impression of wealth which Fabio explained. The decoration on the floors and walls (mosaics) and location of the houses. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting this site as it just gave another perspective of what happened back in AD79 and how the discovery gave historians and archaeologists even more insight into how people lived in these times. What is quite harrowing on site is 4 areas (square ruins) with actual skeletons of people who died due to the explosion in AD79. It is upsetting looking at the expressions still etched on the skulls struggling for breath and all huddled together. I do feel there should be a plaque or flowers around the area as a mark of respect to those people. The skeletons are only inches from you behind a perspex wall. If you come to Sorrento to visit Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii please also visit Herculaneum. You learn more and more about civilisation in this period of history. One last thing, only vending machines available on site. We would recommend a little cafe as you come out, right hand side on the corner. If we remember rightly we think it was called: Herculaneum cafe. People were lovely and the panini’s were great. We fully recommend the Herculaneum experience!

Herculaneum is a city that remains from a volcano explosion that buried this Roman city in 79AD. It's like a Roman time capsule, filled with mosaics and buildings. You can explore by yourself, or with a group of explorers. Herculaneum is on the southeast coast of Italy, near Naples. You can see Mt Vesuvius, the volcano which erupted to bury the city. The city of Pompei is near, it' can also be seen in the distance. Herculaneum is an on-going archaeological project, which gives visitors a view of this ancient city.

Amazing ruins. Much smaller than pompeii but fascinating detail and well preserved. Well worth the trip. A bit harder to reach my public transport from Sorrento as you change at Torre Annunziata to get an all stops. There is an express direct train, but you must book tickets in advance before you get to the train station and there aren’t many services as it is a single line track. Don’t worry about buying a ticket in advance as aren’t big queues like Pompeii.

Our tour guide, Alessio, picked us up at the cruise ship terminal in Naples, Italy. He drove us to the base of Mount Vesuvius, 1600 ft. We hiked for one hour to reach the rim of the volcano at 3800 ft. It was a challenging trek. Alessio’s information was top notch. He was very professional. He made our day terrific!!!

Smaller than Pompeii and a great trip. This is an easy train journey with one change. Takes about an hour. It’s well laid out and can be done in 2 to 3 hours.

Honestly think I preferred this to Pompeii. It’s much quieter and we visited on the first Sunday of August so had free admission which was a bonus. It took us around two hours to explore it and with far less tourists present, it made it a little more enjoyable. Make sure not to miss it when visiting Napoli, I fear it loses out to Pompeii.

Well-worth the visit! Not as crowded as Pompei and equally, if not even better, preserved. It will be hot down there and the terrain is uneven, so equip accordingly. Lovely museums, too.

This has always been on my bucket list, and I got on a cruise tour from the port. It was about a 1/2 hour drive and it appeared there was plenty of parking for buses and cars. Then a couple of minutes walk from the car park to the entrance - there are some trinket store and places to get drinks and overpriced pizza. The ruins were simply amazing, different than Pompei, but just as good in a different way. There were not the crowds at all, so you could enjoy the sites. We had a fair guide with audio, so it was nice to get an explanation of the sites. The frescos and mosaics were amazing, it's hard to believe it is that old. It is hot in July, but the buildings do provide decent shade. It is not for those with mobility problems - all cobblestones and many steps. We only had about 1.5 hours and could have used 3 or 4. Definitely worth a visit. Some of the literature I read said no backpacks, but many people had them and no one seemed to care.

Much of the ruins left by the 79 AD Vesuvius volcanic eruption may never be uncovered, in part, because other structures have been built on top of the ruins. The portion that archaeologists have uncovered gives us a good understanding of what an ancient Roman town looked like, the size and style of the homes and other structures, the ovens they used for cooking their foods, and more. We learned much from our tour guide.

We thought Pompeii couldn’t be matched but in it’s way Herculaneum is just as impressive. We booked this trip through Tui. Part of the trip included a guide. Dana, our guide made Herculaneum come alive. Dana’s knowledge was expert and she delivered her story with a great sense of humour. We’d recommend you ‘use’ a guide to help your own experience come alive too. What is available at Herculaneum is smaller than Pompeii but more approachable and accessible. A lot of the buildings are ‘complete’ and your able to go inside. With a little imagination you can get a sense of the past Herculaneum. The arches at the bottom of the site tell their own, story. The arches are full of copies of skeletons just how they were found. The story of how these people waited for boats to take them to safety and how the boats never arrived is heartbreaking. They died where they waited. Stories like this, the size and completeness of Herculaneum made it to us more intimate. Like Pompeii you’ll be walking on the original roads and pavements. They weren’t built with tourists in mind. There are a few more steeper spots on this site. Again like Pompeii it’s perhaps not for the less able? But the effort it takes to see the sights is more than worth it. We really did enjoy ourselves.

We have to say this was a let down. We stopped by here on the way back from a wonderful trip to the Amalfi coast. We were tired and it was hot. Perhaps a guided tour would have been better. There just wasn't much of interest to see. At the ticket office, we were told the site was wheelchair accessible but it clearly wasn't and one member of our party could not go. Oh well.

Herculaneum is well worth seeing. The remains, buried under ash since Vesuvius erupting 79ad, has been carefully excavated over the past century or so. It could be described as a mini-Pompeii, but is worth a visit and its compact site means it is not as challenging to get around. The train station, Ercolano Scavi, can be tricky to get to from Naples and Sorrento since not all trains stop there. You’ll need to change at Santa Maria Anunciata returning to Sorrento. Platform signage and information in Naples is particularly poor. You need to ask station staff to be sure you board the right train.

Leaving the car park to make your way down to Herculaneum you have to stop to admire the buildings standing beneath you. The guide said that the sea used to come up to the doors where the skeleton could be seen Walking the streets where people have walked for thousands of of years was well preserved and the mosaics and wall paintings are very impressive. As are the gladiator pens and houses On leaving the city tour ensure to end the visit with the boat exhibit

Very interesting, it's just big enough to see everything. Be sure to bring cat food and water for the small (but very thin) kittens. They walk around the terrace/food corner. Unfortunately, the food corner does not offer food for cats. But they really need this! My thanks are great!

Extraordinary. Amazing. Fantastic guide. Just go. Friends had suggested that Herculaneum was a better option than Pompei. Easier to get around. No regrets. Or do both.