Herculaneum's timings vary seasonally.
From 16 March to 14 October, Herculaneum is open from 8:30am to 7:30pm everyday.
Between 15 October to 15 March, the ruins are open everyday from 8:30am to 5pm.
Last entry: 90 before the closing time.
Closed: The park is closed on 1 January and 25 December.
Herculaneum is open year-round for the public except on January 1 and December 25. From 16 March to 14 October, timings are from 8:30am to 7:30pm. From 15 October to 15 March, you can visit between 8:30am and 5pm. The last entry to the site is 90 before closing time.
Typically, tourists find that they need at least 2-3 hours to fully explore the ruins. If you're looking at a guided tour, you can expect to take between 2-2.5 hours to see all the major sites of the attraction. If you're traveling solo, you can choose to spend longer, linger at objects/artifacts/houses you find fascinating without being time-bound. If you're traveling with children, then you can zip past the major sites (like the Baths, the Samnite House, House of Neptune) and complete your visit in under 2 hours.
Early mornings and late afternoons are considered to be the best time to visit the site, especially during the lean season (November to March). During this period, crowds are fewer and the sun isn't as relentless. An experience with your tour guide is also likely to be more personal and rewarding, due to a lower footfall of tourists.
Herculaneum is located in the commune of Ercolano, Campania in Italy. The best way to arrive is by taking a train from Naples, Pompeii or Sorrento. You can disembark at the Ercolano Scavi station, from where the ruins are about 6 minutes away by walk.
While nothing quite tops a guided tour, you can still visit the site on your own and learn a great deal about ancient Roman life. You can listen to podcasts by History Hack, watch YouTube videos and read the works of Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, who heads the Herculaneum Conservation Project. If you're looking for a more comprehensive experience without an actual guide, book an audio guided tour like the Herculaneum Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide.
While Herculaneum is incredibly well-preserved (more so than Pompeii) with many striking features to see, consider adding these landmarks to the top of your list: Visit the House of Neptune and Amphitrite to see the famous fresco of the god and his wife. To see a beautifully preserved wooden door that still slides on its hinges, nearly 2000 years after being buried under volcanic material, visit the House of the Wooden Partition. Go down to the boathouses to see the skeletons of people who were trying to make a last-minute escape from Vesuvius' wrath.
You can take a trip to Mount Vesuvius, which is a 30-minute bus journey away from the ruins. From across the Ercolano Scavi station, you can board the Vesuvio Express which will take you to the volcano. Climb the mountain and see its iconic crater up close. If you're feeling adventurous and would like to see Pompeii too, book this experience From Pompeii/Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Vesuvius Day Trip
Older children would appreciate a visit to the MAV (Virtual Archaeological Museum), located a short distance away from the entrance to Herculaneum. This museum has a virtual and interactive exhibition that recreates Herculaneum's structures and layout before 79 AD. There are about 70 multimedia displays with reconstructions, installation, and holograms that bring to life Herculaneum, Pompeii, Stabia, Baia and Capri ruins in an informative and engaging way. Note that tickets to the MAV will have to be purchased separately.
Information
All screenshots of maps found on this page are sourced from Google in accordance with fair use. All rights to such screenshots lie with the specific platform, and their use is solely for informational or guidance purposes.
Herculaneum Private Guided Tour with an Archaeologist
From Naples: Herculaneum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
From Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Vesuvius Day Trip
From Sorrento: Herculaneum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
