Herculaneum was easy to reach from Naples. Its most central station, Ercolano Scavi, is on the main Circumvesuviana line between the two about 20 minutes from Napoli Centrale. The site is a 10 minute walk down the hill from the train station. The Pompeii Scavi station is about 20 minutes further on the same line. Herculaneum was burind during the eruption of 79 CE by a torrent of liquid mud, lava and ash, which covered the town to a depth of 20 meters above the ancient ground level.
Herculaneum: (Corso
Resina) -- The town of Ercolano is the modern offshoot of the ancient site
of Herculaneum. Until the end of the 19th century, Ercolana, built
partly on the site of ancient Herculaneum, was a resort for the Napolitan
aristocracy. 9 am - 7:30 pm (closed Wed.). Pay at the door or
purchase advance tickets. The Herculaneum site was discovered in
1709. Pick up one of the excellent free maps at the ticket office.
Check the pavilion (open Sunday only) on your left, which contains the
remains of a boat that archaeologists have surmised was thrown onto the
beach by the force of the eruption.
MAV (Museo
Archeologico Virtuale):
Via IV Novembre 44 Tues - Sun 10 am - 5 pm. You pass the multimedia
MAV on the walk down the hill from the station to Herculaneum. The
museum uses CGI images of villas and other buildings.
Theater:
Since the theater is still buried, it can only be reached through a
section of the Bourbon galleries. See also
HERE.
***This may be open on Saturdays.
Villa Of The Papyri:
A number of papyri (many relating to Epicurean philosophy) were found in
five different places in a villa.