Private tour

2-Hour Private Tour of the Ruins of Herculaneum

5 / 5

33 reviews

Activity provider: Leisure Italy
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    Private tour

    2-Hour Private Tour of the Ruins of Herculaneum

    Activity provider: Leisure Italy

    5.0

    33 reviews

    From US$ 151.12 per person

    Travel back 2,000 years to the Roman town of Herculaneum, and see the ruins left behind by the devastating volcanic eruption of 79 AD. Visit ancient houses, marvel at mosaic floors and frescoes, and see the skeletons of some of those killed instantly.

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
    Reserve now & pay later
    Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
    Duration 2 hours
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Skip the ticket line
    Live tour guide
    Spanish, English, French, Italian
    Private group

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Tour the ancient city of Herculaneum and see it much as it existed more than 2,000 years ago
    • See the major attractions of the buried city with an expert private guide
    • Hear fascinating anecdotes about the Roman city
    • See some of the villas of Herculaneum's wealthiest citizens
    • Go the Grande Palestra (Big Gym) and feel like an archaeologist exploring the volcanic evidence
    • Discover how quince apple trees have been reintroduced to the House of the Albergo's gardens
    Full description
    See the ruins of Herculaneum, the smaller, but no less impressive, sister of Pompeii, frozen in time by the same devastating volcanic eruption of August 24th 79 AD. Left buried under the rubble of ash until the 1700s, its discovery stunned the world. All of the ancient town lies at the bottom of an archaeological hole, about 75 feet deep. Getting closer, see the area of the marina where 300 human skeletons were found along with a boat (on display at weekends). Discover the garden of the “House of the Albergo”, where quince trees have been replanted following evidence of carbonized roots of the ancient fruit tree. Your next stop is the Council Hall of the Augustali, where beautiful frescoes depict Hercules. Visit the mosaics in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, and the neighboring store where food and wine containers, carbonised by the volcano, still hang on the walls! Go to the anceint spa, still covered with mosaics from the Roman saunas, gyms, hot rooms, and cold tubs. Finally, see the most spectacular villa of Herculaneum at Villa dei Cervi, with its luxurious mosaics, frescoes, and statues.
    Includes
    • Private guide
    • Admission fee
      Not suitable for
      • Wheelchair users
      • People with mobility impairments

      Select participants and date

      Participants

      Date

      Meeting point

      The guide will hold your name on a sign at the only ticket office in Herculaneum Archaeological Park.

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      Important information

      What to bring

      • Comfortable shoes

      Not allowed

      • Luggage or large bags

      Know before you go

      • On the first Sunday of each month, entrance is free of charge, but as tickets can't be reserved ahead of time, entry is not guaranteed
      Customer reviews

      Overall rating

      5 /5

      based on 33 reviews

      Review summary

      • Guide
        5/5
      • Value for money
        4.5/5
      • Service
        5/5
      • Organization
        5/5

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      Star rating:

      Our guide was professional, very knowledgeable and gave excellent explanations of the things we saw and the questions we asked. He went out of his way to help us out when we ran into a problem at the end of the tour. My only issue is that we paid a lot of money for a tour that lasted less than 2 hours.

      March 31, 2023

      G
      GetYourGuide traveler Verified booking

      Helpful?

      Fabrizio couldn't be more knowledgeable about general history, the area, the details of architecture and way of life. He covered the right amount of detail and had answers to all of our questions. He was also flexible and willing to customize our tour accordingly. We wish we had more tours booked through Leisure Italy!!

      March 31, 2023

      G
      GetYourGuide traveler Verified booking

      Helpful?

      We did the Herculanium tour in the afternoon after Pompeii in the morning. This worked out really well because it allowed us to compare the two sites really effectively. I would recommend the private tour of Herculanium, our guide was very professional and she made the visit much more rewarding with her extensive knowledge of this site and others in the area. The tour lasted two hours and it felt as though w saw most things, the site is quite compact. The preservation of buildings is incredible a truly fascinating visit, highly recommended.

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      March 31, 2023

      G
      GetYourGuide traveler Verified booking

      Helpful?

      Product ID: 30989

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