Herculaneum travel guide: 'Lost city' is well preserved, historic village five centuries B.C, better preserved than Pompei and nearby

When Vesuvius erupted, the explosion covered nearby Pompeii, but not as deeply as Ercolano, thus the preservation of this equally interesting and some say, better preserved relic of the past.

ANCIENT RUINS OFFER INSIGHTS INTO CULTURE, HISTORY, LIFESTYLE OF FISHERMEN, ROMAN GENTRY 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

Editor's Note: this story was updated and verified July 2026

Buried beneath the slopes of Vesuvius, Ercolano (in Italian) was once a thriving "vacation town" for wealthy Romans, who loved the countryside. Herculaneum or Ercolano -- is just 10 miles from Pompei, worth a sidetrip.

Ercolano is approached from a concession area, of shops and cafes lining the road to the ruins.

Herculaneum Travel Guide Background

THE LOST city of Herculaneum (Ercolano in Italian) was founded between the seventh and fifth centuries B.C. It was both a fishing village and a wealthy get-away -- the Palm Springs of its day -- a vacation enclave for well heeled Romans escaping the heat and crowds of city life.

Cookie on the path to Ercolano, a fascinating and well preserved city.

By the time the 79 AD eruption  ended, Herculaneum was buried by 20 metres of volcanic material. Nearby Pompeii was buried by only five metres of volcanic material and thus deteriorated through the years while Ercolano remained virtually intact, "fossilized" for posterity. Most of the buildings in Pompeii collapsed in the fall of pumice stone while this didn't happen in Herculaneum.  So off we were to this lesser known product of the wrath of Vesuvius. Fast-moving pyroclastic flow (rock, hot gas and other volcanic matter) was the devastating result of the eruption, which killed all the residents of both settlements. The gas reached a temperature of over 1,830 degrees F.

Bruce Keller poses above the lost then found village of Herculaneum (Ercolano in Italian.) A fascinating village many rank as more interesting than Pompei.  

FROM FOUND documents, researchers learned that Ercolano was an ancient Roman fishing town also enjoyed by wealthy Romans, who vacationed or had lavish second homes in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. A handy Herculaneum travel guide at the entrance tells of the discovery of the village, an easy day trip from Napoli, Naples in English. First, we booked the direct express train from Rome to Naples, then switched to the  Circumvesuviana train, a colorful ride out of Naples to the east of the city near Mount Vesuvius. It arrives in the modern town of Ercolano, previously known as Resina. It was renamed Ercolano in 1969 to reflect its connection to the ancient "found city."

The excitement of discovering a  village more than 2,000 years old awaits if you visit Herculaneum -- Ercolano in Italian. It's near Naples and only a few miles from Pompei. Here, the modern city rises above the ruins.

WHAT WE FOUND is rare and made headlines when it was discovered. This tiny city, buried by the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, has been carefully conserved to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to the pyroclastic surge, much of the organic based wood objects remained intact, so these archaeological treasures give a glimpse of life of both the fishermen and the wealthy Romans they fed. Mosaics, frescoes, artwork, and even dried fruit and vegetables were sealed in the mud and uncovered centuries later. Surprisingly, we found few tourists  here, halfway between the more frequented and touristy towns of Pompeii and Naples, home of pizza!

   Although excavation began in the mid-1700s, earnest development of the site began only in the past 75 years. This peek into the past is sure to be rapidly discovered.  If you're in the vicinity, don't miss it. You can tie it in with a Vesuvius visit:

More information: vesuvioexpress.it

ercolano.cultura.gov.it/?lang=en

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