Guided Tours

Herculaneum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour with an Archaeologist

Herculaneum ruins with Mount Vesuvius in the background, Italy.

Visitors exploring ancient ruins at Herculaneum, Italy.

Remains of Herculaneum house interiors with frescoes and mosaics on walls.

Tour group with archaeologist at Herculaneum site viewing ancient skeletons.

Duration

2 hr

Open today

08:30am - 05:00pm

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

Venture through one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world, Herculaneum, with an expert archaeologist!

4.7/5

(773)

Alan

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Amazing place. Have been to Pompeii, and while Ercolano is smaller, the degree to which it wea preserved is much better than Pompeii. If I had to pick, I would say Ercolano first. But if possible both because they are different. We did a tour of Ercolano with Luciano, an archeologist. He was excellent and gave us information that we would not otherwise learn about. And, he was entertaining and passionate. Would highly recommend a tour with him!!

Lyn

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

The archaeologist guided tour of Herculaneum exceeded my high expectations! Firstly the process ran on time and like clockwork. The guide Silvia was exceptional. Her passion for her subject shone through. Not only was she knowledgable but she was also very personable and could impart information in a very enjoyable manner with some added humour. I learnt so much from this tour and it was worth every single euro.

Mark

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Our guide brought Herculaneum to life with his thoughtful explanations, stories, and details of life in the city. The details he pointed out and comparison of one building to the next really helped us understand the architecture and social interactions the people would have experienced before the catastrophe. We would have been lost and never knew what we had missed without his expertise.

Uncover hidden secrets at ancient Roman ruins under the guidance of an expert archaeologist who reveals fascinating details.

Bypass the ticket lines and join a small group of up to 20 people to explore the remnants of bustling marketplaces and squares in Herculaneum.

Tailor your experience with rich insights available in five languages, ensuring an immersive and personalized and journey.

Guided tour of Herculaneum with skip-the-line entry

Expert English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian-speaking archaeologist guide (as per option selected)

Group of 20 or 25 people (as per option selected)

Audio guide

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

4.7
773 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United Kingdom, France, United States and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Alan
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Amazing place. Have been to Pompeii, and while Ercolano is smaller, the degree to which it wea preserved is much better than Pompeii. If I had to pick, I would say Ercolano first. But if possible both because they are different. We did a tour of Ercolano with Luciano, an archeologist. He was excellent and gave us information that we would not otherwise learn about. And, he was entertaining and passionate. Would highly recommend a tour with him!!
Lyn
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The archaeologist guided tour of Herculaneum exceeded my high expectations! Firstly the process ran on time and like clockwork. The guide Silvia was exceptional. Her passion for her subject shone through. Not only was she knowledgable but she was also very personable and could impart information in a very enjoyable manner with some added humour. I learnt so much from this tour and it was worth every single euro.
Mark
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our guide brought Herculaneum to life with his thoughtful explanations, stories, and details of life in the city. The details he pointed out and comparison of one building to the next really helped us understand the architecture and social interactions the people would have experienced before the catastrophe. We would have been lost and never knew what we had missed without his expertise.
Patrick
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our tour guide Luciano was very interesting and informative, and spoke excellent English. He was able to explain clearly what we were seeing in Herculaneum and help us to understand the daily lives of those who lived there
Lynn
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our guide, Luciano Leone, made history come alive for us. His enthusiastic and informative tour flew by, and we enjoyed the historical nuggets he provided. Highly recommend this guide.

Visit the ancient town of Herculaneum overlooking the Gulf of Naples on this guided venture alongside an archaeologist and just 19 other people.

Getting started

Arrive at the Herculaneum Archaeological Park on Corso Resina at least 15 minutes before your selected time slot. Present your online booking and ID for quick entry, bypassing the ticket queues. Meet your archaeology guide and group, then step into the fascinating world of Herculaneum’s excavations.

What to expect

Herculaneum

Due to its proximity to the volcanic Mount Vesuvius and its sudden devastation in 79 AD, much of the architecture and artifacts were near-pristinely preserved under 25 meters of ash. The excavations of this fishing village unearthed exciting finds, like scrolls belonging to an ancient library – the Villa de Papyri.

Features

This city has evident Samnite, Greek, Etruscan influences, with an overriding Roman presence. These excavations were included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list in 1997.

Your tour lets you explore the entire site: the unique distribution of houses, the monumental basilica, the grand spa complex, the gymnasium, and more. A walk through town lets you see bronze parts and the elevations of the houses, conservation of woods, and the various styles of Vesuvian paintings. All the while, your expert archaeologist will engage you with captivating anecdotes, secrets, and stories about this world-famous attraction.

Herculaneum

Monday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Tuesday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Wednesday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Thursday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Friday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Saturday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm
Sunday	08:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 03:30pm

What to bring

Please carry a valid ID or passport for verification purposes.

Accessibility

This experience is not wheelchair accessible.

Dogs are allowed into the venue, without restriction of breed or size. However, they must be kept with a leash and/or muzzle (the latter is obligatory for all breeds and opportunities provided by current regulations). Pet parents must have bags to collect any droppings.

In the Antiquarium, inside the Padiglione della Barca and in the domus with mosaic floors, access is allowed only to dogs carried in their arms or in the appropriate carrier.

Additional information

Facilities: restroom, cloak room.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID to your guide.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the start time of your tour to avoid delays.

If you have purchased reduced-price tickets, please carry your valid photo ID proof for verification.

Meeting Point

Meet your guide at the Ticket Office of Herculaneum Ruins.

Address: Corso Resina, 187, 80056 Ercolano NA, Italy.

Your guide will be holding a sign with Askos tours written on it.

Get Directions to the Meeting Point.

Getting There

The closest bus stop is Umberto, a 10-min walk to the ticketing office.

Bus 5, 176, 177, and more will bring you here.

The closest train station is Circumvesuviana, a 10-min walk to the ticketing office.