Pompeii or Herculaneum? Or both?

Sheron, we have done both, but you MUST add a third; the Archaeological museum in Naples. All of the treasures that were found in either Pom or Herc are stored there. It is a must!

Next, what time of year are you going? Pompeii is HUGE, barren, hot, and has horrible cobblestones to walk on. Be prepared! But it should not be missed. The English tour guides do an overview that is actually pretty good.

We did not spend enough time in Herc. Everything is much more preserved that in Pom., and it has a mcuh smaller footprint. You can actually see some of the paintings on wood, something that is not evident in burned-out Pompeii.

Do some reading about all of these, look at the time that you can alot to these wonderful and magnifcant sites, and explore and enjoy!

Two other attractions about Herculaneum, besides Steve's....it's closer to Naples and Rome than Pompeii...and its RIGHT on the slope of Vesuvius. Imagining the death of Herculaneum is a little easier when the mountain is looming over top of you, than the death of Pompeii, which is about five miles from the volcano itself. And, if you want to spend the day in the area, you can head up from Herculaneum to see the crater.

I have been to both and while I love Pompeii, I prefer Herc. It is such a nicer site. The buildings are better preserved and you really get a feeling of being in an ancient town with the two story buildings in tact. Pompeii has very few buildings that are in good shape.

You can visit them on the same day but it will be a very long day. I would leave Rome very early and be at Herc when it opens if possible. You can spend 3 hours or so there and then head to the museum where all the treasure of both sites are kept. After some time in the museum head up to Pompeii.

From the Naples train station you will take the same train for both sites. The herc stop is about 15 minutes closer than the Pompeii stop so it really isn't that big a travel time difference. You can eat on the way back to the train from Herc as there are some really good pizza places on the main road. Try to eat before you get to Pompeii as the food there is expensive and not very good.

Donna

Thanks for all the input. I will be staying in Sorrento & then visiting Pompeii &/or Herculaneum as a day trip from Sorrento. Not sure whether I'll visit in May or September. How much time should I allot for both places & for the museum in Naples? I know I can't visit all 3 places in 1 day. I'm thinking 4 hours for each place...does that sound right?

Sheron, I think 4 hours at both places would work. If I remember correctly, you can rent an audioguide at Pompeii for 1.5 or 3 hours, there's even a longer one. Herc will take about 4 hours to wander thru the whole thing if you take your time. I think there's good things about both, so if you only have 1 day-go for it! Of course, you'll not want to see more stones for awhile... :)

If I could visit only one, it would be Herculaneum hands down. Somewhat smaller site, building that actually look like buildings, better preservation of paintings and artifacts. Before going to either I had high hopes for Pompeii the way everyone talks about it as a "city frozen in time" and the like; when I actually saw it I was disappointed. On a subsequent trip I went to Herculaneum and it was much more of what I expected to see.

Does anyone have recommendations for traveling from Rome to Herculaneum - either take a tour or just take a train and do a self tour?

I would visit Pompeii, because of its huge size. It has everything. I think it is worthwhile to pay for a guide. Sometimes they unlock buildings and take you places you can't go on your own. Every time I go I see something new. Herculaneum is much better preserved, but I still prefer Pompeii. Pompeii is like a whole city, while Herculaneum is more like a few blocks. They are both fantastic!!