Herculaneum vs Pompeii: Which to Visit?

No trip to Southern Italy is complete without a visit to one of its blockbuster archaeological sites, Herculaneum and Pompeii. Two ancient towns, frozen in time at the point of their devastating destruction at the hands of Vesuvius, which looms over both sites.

Pompeii is the more famous, Herculaneum in many ways the better preserved. But if you only have time to visit one, which to choose? 

In this blog I’ll provide the pros of visiting each site, to help you come to an informed decision.

Which is better, Herculaneum or Pompeii?

Herculaneum and Pompeii are two distinct sites which offer unique things. That being said, you may not have time – or want – to visit both. If that’s the case, here are the pros of visiting each, to help you understand the differences between each site and make an informed decision.

Pros of visiting Herculaneum instead of Pompeii

It’s better preserved

In many places, Herculaneum feels better preserved than Pompeii. There are a few reasons for this. Although Herculaneum is closer to Vesuvius than Pompeii, the direction of the wind sent a cloud of volcanic ash towards Pompeii first, which gradually buried the town. Over time, many of its structures collapsed. You won’t find many roofs in Pompeii, and many of its buildings and walls are largely destroyed.

When Herculaneum was buried, it happened much quicker – and it was buried much further down. This protected it from looting, which Pompeii suffered from in the years after the eruption.

So, in contrast to Pompeii, you’ll find many almost complete buildings in Herculaneum. Ancient roofs, multi-story homes, doors and staircases. A town frozen in time.

It’s filled with impressive villas, mosaics and frescoes

Herculaneum was a wealthier town than Pompeii. This means that many of its houses are much larger than those of its neighbour, with plenty of impressive villas and courtyards. Likewise, the well preserved mosaics and frescoes that are still on display are, in places, utterly breathtaking.

It’s smaller and more manageable

Even in its heyday, Herculaneum was a much smaller city than Pompeii. Now, much of it is buried under the modern town of Ercolano. The site you visit now is about 20 acres – so it is still huge, with plenty to see. But unlike Pompeii (which is more than 150 acres), you’re able to see everything. You won’t leave feeling like you’ve missed something.

Herculaneum’s size also means that it’s easily paired with a trip up Vesuvius – which you could do with a visit to Pompeii too, but it would be much more of a squeeze, and much more tiring.

It’s quieter

Every year, around 2.5-3 million people visit Pompeii. This means it can get very crowded, especially in the most popular parts of the site. You can also spend a lot of time queuing to enter if you don’t book ahead. Herculaneum, by contrast, gets around 300,000 people a year. Even when you take into account how much smaller Herculaneum is, it feels a lot quieter.

Pros of visiting Pompeii over Herculaneum

It’s bigger

Ok, I know I used this as a pro for Herculaneum, too. But the size of Pompeii can be both a pro and a con. Pompeii is huge – it’s easy to feel like you’re lost among the ruins, which isn’t the case as much in Herculaneum. 

It’s more iconic

There’s a reason so many people visit Pompeii every year. It’s world famous. And there is something to be said for visiting a site you’ve heard about so much, with so many famous stories. If you’re only in this part of the world once, you might not want to miss your opportunity to visit such an iconic place.

It’s more varied

Herculaneum is smaller and wealthier, which means there’s less variety of buildings. Pompeii on the other hand has a huge range of things to see, and many public buildings that you can’t see in Herculaneum. The forum, the amphitheatre, small and large houses, and even a brothel, for example, are all highlights of a visit to Pompeii. 

It’s a more complete picture of a Roman city

Simply, there’s much more of Pompeii to explore. This isn’t just because it’s bigger, but also because much of ancient Herculaneum is under the modern city. Although many parts of Pompeii are still being excavated, you can explore a much higher proportion of the city than Herculaneum. Or, in the words of UNESCO, who designated Pompeii (as well as Herculaneum) a World Heritage Site, it’s “the only archaeological site in the world that provides a complete picture of an ancient Roman city.” Quite something.

The body casts

Heartbreaking and morbid, the body casts of Pompeii are nonetheless one of the city’s most popular things to see. They were created by pouring plaster into the spaces where people’s bodies had once been, as they were buried in ash and died. Because Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in slightly different ways, there are no body casts in Herculaneum. Instead, you’ll find more than 300 skeletons – which were found inside the ancient boathouses, where they were sheltering and ultimately died. 

If you decide to visit Pompeii, read Travel With Kinsley’s guide of what you need to know here.

Should I visit both Herculaneum and Pompeii?

Especially if you’re interested in history, visiting both Herculaneum and Pompeii is an enriching experience. They were very different places then, and they’re very different places now, and a visit to both will only add to your understanding of the two sites, and the tragedy of Vesuvius’ eruption.

Can I visit both Herculaneum and Pompeii in one day?

Theoretically, yes. The sites are relatively close together. But there’s a lot to see in both – I’d recommend about 2-3 hours for Herculaneum, and you could spend a whole day in Pompeii. So, I’d only recommend visiting both in a day if it’s as part of a guided tour. They’ll focus on the highlights, and provide transport between the two sites. One top rated tour can be found here.

Should I get a guide to visit Pompeii?

Pompeii is huge, with so much to see, and a lot of it is in a bad state of repair. For these reasons, I’d definitely recommend a guide. They’ll be able to show you the highlights, as well as provide rich details to places that might, otherwise, just look like old ruins. A guide will only add to your visit. A few of the best recommended tours on GetYourGuide are:

• Pompeii: Entry Ticket and Guided Tour with an Archaeologist
• Pompeii: Small Group Tour with an Archaeologist
• From Naples: Pompeii Ruins & Mount Vesuvius Day Tour

Should I get a guide to visit Herculaneum?

Herculaneum is smaller and easier to manage than Pompeii. But at the very least, I’d recommend getting an audioguide, which can be purchased at the entrance. A guided tour is also a great idea to gain a better understanding of the city, and the lives of its inhabitants. Some of the top recommended tours are:

• Herculaneum: Skip-the-Line Tour with Archaeologist (this is the very top rated tour)
• Herculaneum: Tickets & Tour with a Local Archaeologist

Other options for both Pompeii and Herculaneum can be found on GetYourGuide.

Which is easier to visit from Naples, Herculaneum or Pompeii?

Herculaneum is just 11km from the centre of Naples, found in the modern suburb Ercolano. This means it’s the closest of the two sites, and extremely easy to visit. From Naples’ main train station takes about 15-20 minutes to Ercolano, which is a short walk to ancient Herculaneum. Read my guide here for detailed instructions on travelling to Herculaneum from Naples.

But although it’s slightly further away, Pompeii is also straightforward to visit from Naples. It’s about 25km from the city, with the quickest journey taking around half an hour. Read this guide of how to visit Pompeii from Naples.

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