Guided Tour of Herculaneum: Journey Through Ancient Roman Homes

Highlights

• Guided tour with authorized guide
• Priority entrance
• Ancient Roman Homes

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Archeological Park of Herculaneum

   2h

   Less crowded than its famous neighbor Pompeii, but just as fascinating, Herculaneum offers an intimate and unique experience: intact Roman houses, colorful frescoes, everyday objects frozen in time, and even miraculously preserved charred wooden structures. It's a leap into the daily life of the inhabitants of a city frozen by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   Pass by

   Step into one of Herculaneum's most luxurious seaside residences, named after the marble deer-hunting statues discovered in its garden. This elegant villa once belonged to a wealthy family who spared no expense: elaborate wall paintings, a scenic terrace overlooking the Bay of Naples, and refined dining rooms designed to impress guests. It's the perfect stop to picture how Herculaneum's elite truly lived.

3. 3

   Stop 3

   Pass by

   This small but striking shrine was dedicated to the cult of Emperor Augustus, tended by freedmen known as the Augustales who used religious office to gain social status otherwise closed to them. Inside, remarkably preserved frescoes depict the myth of Hercules. It is a fitting tribute since the hero was believed to have founded the city that bears his name.

4. 4

   Stop 4

   Pass by

   Home to one of the most vivid mosaics to survive from antiquity, this house takes its name from the dazzling glass-tessera artwork of the sea god Neptune and his wife Amphitrite, still glowing with color after nearly 2,000 years. Next door, an intact ancient wine shop with its counter and storage jars offers a rare glimpse into everyday commerce in the city.

5. 5

   Stop 5

   Pass by

   Thanks to the extraordinary preservation conditions at Herculaneum, this house still holds a carbonized wooden screen that once divided the atrium from the more private rooms beyond. This is an everyday object that would have disintegrated almost anywhere else in the Roman world. It's a powerful reminder of how the eruption froze daily life in place.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   Pass by

   Explore the well-preserved public bathing complex where Herculaneum's residents gathered to socialize, relax, and bathe. Separate sections for men and women reveal Roman bathing customs in detail, from changing rooms to heated pools, with mosaic floors and stucco decoration still largely intact.

7. 7

   Stop 7

   Pass by

   Conclude the tour at the site's museum, where a selection of everyday objects, personal belongings, and organic remains recovered from Herculaneum bring the ancient city's final moments vividly to life.

Before you go

Location