Herculaneum Small Group Tour: Glimpse the Past with an Archaeologist
4.9
448 Ratings
Ercolano
Immerse yourself in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum on a small group tour with an archaeologist. Explore the well-preserved ruins and discover the dramatic history of this once-thriving city.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Parco Acheologico di Ercolano - Meeting place is the Ticket Office of the Herculaneum ruins.

You can get there as follows:

  • By car in via Pignalver (There is a not guarded parking very close the meeting place)

  • By train in Corso Resina 1 (Circumvesuviana train station is 10 minutes walk away)

  • Casa dei Cervi - The house receives its name from marble statues of stags/deer found in the peristyle.

  • La Terrazza di M. Nonio Balbo - M. Nonius Balbus was the city’s major benefactor restoring and building many public buildings. On his death he was made patron and feted with many honours, detailed in the long inscription on his funeral altar.

  • College of the Augustales - It is thought that the building was a centre of the cult of the Emperor Augustus and the headquarters of the Collegium Augustalium (or possibly even the local curia).

  • Casa del Rilievo di Telefo - The house possibly belonged to one of the town’s leading benefactors, Marcus Nonius Balbus and is somewhat unusual in that it has its own private access to the adjoining Suburban Thermae to the south.

  • Partem Domus lignea - Casa del Tramezzo di Legno - It is very important house for the elegant wooden partition remained.

  • House of the Skeleton - The House of the Skeleton probably the aggregation of three smaller buildings, derives its name from the discovery of human remains in a second floor room in 1831.

  • Central Thermae - The Central Thermae were built around the beginning of the 1st century AD and were divided, as was then the common practice, into men’s and women’s baths, each with their own separate entrances.

  • Casa del Salone Nero - The House of the Black Hall is one of Herculaneum’s more luxurious mansions.

The house has a monumental entrance which still retains the carbonised remains of the doorposts and lintel.

  • Casa Sannitica - The house has an arrangement that was typical of the Samnites (an ancient people of the Sabine race who occupied this mountainous part of central Italy). The splendid atrium is skirted by a gallery with Ionic columns. The rooms are decorated with frescoes.
  • Casa del Bel Cortile - This is one of the most original houses in Herculaneum. It has a courtyard with a stairway and a stone balcony instead of an atrium.
  • House of the Grand Portal - Beautiful domus in the Centre of the archaeological area, with various environments, collonnati, frescos e-com everywhere at Herculaneum-charred remains of wooden parts.
What's Included
  • Licensed guide with archaeological background
  • Small Group (maximum 20 people per guide)
  • Guidance and assistance
  • Herculaneum skip the line admission fee
What's Not Included
  • Meals/drinks
Additional Information

Take the opportunity to explore the site of Herculaneum under the guidance of an Archaeologist.

Learn about this former Roman city, home to traders and nobles, which met its abrupt end in 79 AD. Your guide will take you to the dock where the remains of over 300 people attempting to evacuate by sea were discovered, and will also show you the Samnite house, the thermal baths, the Temple of the Augustales, the forum, the house of Neptune and Amphitrite, the Gymnasium, the house of the wooden partition, and a lot more.

The thrill of the experience is palpable: not only can you witness remnants of stone, marble, and ceramics, but also burned wood and even a broader range of exquisite paintings and mosaics than found in Pompei. Destroyed by a force far more potent, Herculaneum saw all its wood instantly incinerated and the city covered under a deep layer that prevented air access and subsequent deterioration.

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Location
Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi
Meeting place Ticket Office of the Herculaneum ruins. You can get there as follows: - By car in via Pignalver (There is a not guarded parking very close the meeting place) - By train in Corso Resina 1 (Circumvesuviana train station is 10 minutes walk away)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(448 Ratings)
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Jane
May 25, 2024
Amazing! - Excellent tour. Our guide Michele was amazing. So knowledgeable & shared some of the projects he had worked on. He was very enthusiastic & we saw So many fantastic things. A definite must do when in Naples. Smaller crowds compared to Pompei made it even more enjoyable
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lori_g
May 24, 2024
Great Tour - We are so glad that we booked this tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided insight into details that I am sure we would have missed if on our own. The tour guide was wonderful with answering multiple questions from the small group.
Review provided by Viator
Mike
May 24, 2024
Best way to experience the ruins - Truly enjoyed getting to experience the stunning Herculaneum with the aid of an absolute professional, both in terms of being a guide and an educated scholar on the history of the 79 AD Vesuvius disaster. Learned a lot of good, detailed information about the buildings and Roman life at the time. Luckily we were supplied with ear pieces to help hear over the crowds of school kids who happened be there on field trips. The tour does move fast to try and fit in as much to experience as one can in the two hours alloted, but luckily you can re-enter the park afterwards to explore more at your own leisure, there's definitely plenty to see.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria_k
May 23, 2024
Amazing tour with a knowledgeable guide - We had an amazing tour with the guide Michele. He is a very knowledgeable historian/archeologist who himself worked on some projects in Ercolano. Michele managed to transmit a lot of info about the archeological site in an easy and engaging manner. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Casey_a
May 20, 2024
Great tour! Very knowledgeable guide! - Theresa was our guide and she made the tour experience exceptionally great! Her knowledge of the history and the archeological discoveries over the years brought the ancient world of Herculaneum to life. While the site is rather small (especially in comparison to Pompeii), I am not sure how one would go about seeing everything without a knowledge guide. The ruins are not very well marked, and there is not extensive signage in multiple languages to explain what the individual buildings are as you walk around. This is an excellent tour experience for the price, and I would highly recommend for anyone traveling to Southern Italy!
Review provided by Viator
Amal_n
May 18, 2024
Fabulous 👌 - The tour and the guide were awesome. The guide had great stories to share and it was a great adventure.
Review provided by Viator
Walter_m
May 17, 2024
Great guide, Dr Luciano Leone - The guide was great, we enjoyed him and the tour; not crowded like Pompei Luciano was knowledgeable and gracious. Thick accent but we understood him well.
Review provided by Viator
Izabela
May 17, 2024
Excellent guide and a tour - Excellent guide. Very informative as well as entertaining. Highly recommend a tour with Luciano Luciano brought a lot of his own materials and photos .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pauline_c
May 17, 2024
Fascinating Herculaneum - Luciano Leone was our guide, absolutely brilliant tour, his expert knowledge was educational, interesting and fun. Would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Lesley_h
May 16, 2024
An excellent tour - The guide, Luciano Leone, was excellent, extremely well informed and very entertaining. He provided a wealth of information, while keeping us engaged and amused. Would highly recommend. Askos is an excellent company, reliable and effective.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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