The possibility of being able to visit the excavations of Herculaneum at night returns again this summer.
A unique and evocative experience that can be enjoyed every Friday from July 21 until August 25.
A different way, in a magical atmosphere to learn about and admire the history of the ancient city destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.
History that remained buried for centuries under more than 25 meters of volcanic material and was discovered during the excavation of a well in 1709.
Herculaneum, unlike Pompeii, still preserves many of its houses intact; here the second floors of the houses, the wooden beams that formed the roofs of the domus, the furniture and furnishings are still clearly visible. Despite the enormous layer of volcanic debris that was deposited on Herculaneum, the city was found to be in an excellent state of preservation. This is due to the dynamics of the eruption that hit Herculaneum, which was not hit by the rain of lapilli and ash, but by mud and the powerful pyroclastic flow.
And thanks, to the light and color show reflected on the walls of the ancient houses the atmosphere is made even more magical.
Information for visiting the Herculaneum excavations at night
The excavations of Herculaneum, on the occasion of the evening opening, are dressed with artistic lights, colors and animated with theatrical performances in an enchanting tour that includes:
- At the Shrine of Venus
- The House of the Deer
- V cardo with a stop at the great taberna and bakery (pistrinum)
- At the Shrine of Venus
- The House of the Deer
- Decumanus maximus
- Store of Neptune and Amphitrite
- House of the wooden partition
- House of the two atria.
The performances are divided into 4 artistic moments and have the theme of table and foods. So a new way to learn about the ancient Herculaneans’ passion for good food and discover what they prepared, cooked and consumed.
Schedule and cost of tickets
The Herculaneum Excavations at night can be visited every Friday from July 21 until August 25.
There will be 16 rounds of visits starting from 8:00 pm, until 10:50 pm, all in Italian, with only the 10:00 pm round in English. Each visiting group will consist of a maximum of 30 people.
And to participate in the event, you must come to the site at least 20 minutes before your turn to visit.
Shifts can be booked online at ticketone or tickets can be purchased directly at the ticket office. But I recommend that you prefer online booking in order to avoid standing in line to purchase your ticket and then finding yourself unable to enter due to lack of seats.
The cost of tickets is:
- € 8 full + € 1 for the flooded areas of Emilia Romagna;
- € 4 reduced + € 1 (for flood areas) for EU citizens 26-30 years old and over 65 and Artecard holders;
- € 2 reduced + € 1 (for flood areas) for EU citizens 18-25 years old.
- Free for those under 18 years of age; again, online reservations must be made at ticketone.
An online presale fee of €1.50 should be added to the ticket cost.
For a safe visit use comfortable, non-slip shoes in order to avoid falls on the unstable paving stones of the ancient streets of Herculaneum.
In addition, disabled visitors can book their visit at least 3 days in advance by sending an email to pa-erco@cultura.gov.it, indicating the day and time.
Parking
To access the Herculaneum Excavations at night, entry is provided only from Corso Resina; parking is available at the Rodinò School (Via IV Novembre), the Iovino Scotellaro School (Traversa Via IV Novembre) and at Villa Favorita (Via Gabriele D’Annunzio, 36). While spaces last.
