Pompeii
98 hectares (about 240 acres), roughly two thirds excavated. At least half a day, hardly any shade. Daily cap of 20,000, two time slots in summer, names on tickets. Vesuvius is in the picture at all times.
Admission · free under 1820 €
Volcanoes › Bay of Naples › Pompeii
Pompeii or Herculaneum?
One shows you an entire city. The other shows you how people lived in it.
Photo: Sarahhoa · CC BY-SA 2.0
The short answerOnly one day? Here is how to choose
If you are after the picture in your head – Forum, columns, the volcano behind – go to Pompeii. If you are short on time, traveling with kids, or want to avoid heat and crowds, you are better off in Herculaneum.
Herculaneum
9 hectares (22 acres), doable in two to three hours. Carbonized wood, upper floors and furniture survive. No cap, no time slot, ticket office at the entrance, six minutes from the station. Currently closed: the Villa of the Papyri and the theater.
Admission · free under 1816 €
Honest help with the decisionPompeii vs. Herculaneum: which suits whom
With kids
Herculaneum. Manageable in size, lots to discover, and you are out again quickly. In Pompeii the paving is hard going with a stroller.
In July and August
Herculaneum in the morning – or Pompeii right at 9:00 am and out by midday. Neither has much shade.
On the spur of the moment, no booking
Herculaneum. In Pompeii the allocation can be gone in season; Herculaneum has none.
First time on the Bay of Naples
Pompeii. The scale – streets, squares, theaters, amphitheater – exists only there.
With Vesuvius on the same day
Herculaneum: the shuttle and the excavation site start from the same station. From Pompeii, bus 808 goes up in 55 minutes.
Both in one day
It works: Herculaneum in the morning (from 8:30 am), then about 15 to 20 minutes by train to Pompeii and into the afternoon slot from 1:00 pm – which has only 5,000 places. Book ahead.
When someone else handles the logisticsPompeii and Herculaneum tours from Naples, Sorrento or Rome
Combined tours solve the problem of the afternoon allocation: the operator books the named tickets in advance.
Both in one dayFrom Naples, Sorrento or Rome: Pompeii and Herculaneum in One Day7 hours · ★ 4.8 from 1,231 reviews · GetYourGuide
from129 €
From Naples: Pompeii and Herculaneum Tour with an Archaeologist7 hours · ★ 4.6 from 576 reviews · GetYourGuide
from105 €
Most bookedPompeii: Entry Ticket and Guided Tour with an Archaeologist2 hours · ★ 4.8 from 24,014 reviews · GetYourGuide
from49 €
Most bookedHerculaneum: Skip-the-Line Guided Tour with an Archaeologist2 hours · ★ 4.8 from 4,231 reviews · GetYourGuide
from36 €
Affiliate links to GetYourGuide: if you book, we earn a commission and the price stays the same. Prices and ratings as of September 21, 2026.
Quick answersStill undecided?
Which is better preserved, Pompeii or Herculaneum?
Herculaneum. The pyroclastic flows carbonized wood instead of burning it, and the material hardened into tuff – which is why upper floors, doors and furniture are still standing there.
Which is cheaper?
Herculaneum costs €16, Pompeii €20 (Pompeii+ €25). Both are free for under-18s; EU citizens up to age 24 (Pompeii) or 25 (Herculaneum) pay €2.
Is there a combined ticket for Pompeii and Herculaneum?
We did not find a joint ticket for the two parks – they are run by separate administrations. Pompeii's 3-day ticket (€30) is valid for Oplontis, Stabiae and Boscoreale, not for Herculaneum. The regional Campania Artecard pass is activated at the ticket office in Herculaneum; check the conditions before you buy.
How far apart are Pompeii and Herculaneum?
About 17 km (roughly 10.5 miles) by road. Both are on the Circumvesuviana line between Naples and Sorrento: Ercolano Scavi and Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri, about 15 to 20 minutes apart by train.
Sources · accessed on September 21, 2026
- Parco Archeologico di Pompei – Timetables and tickets: prices from January 12, 2026, daily cap, time slots, personalized tickets
- Parco Archeologico di Ercolano – Tickets: prices, opening hours, free days, closed areas
- Photos: Sarahhoa (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
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