Pompeii and Herculaneum Tour: Explore Ancient Ruins with an Archaeologist

Embark on a captivating tour of Pompeii and Herculaneum, ancient cities frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Explore ruins, witness plaster casts, and discover the secrets of these archaeological wonders with an expert archaeologist.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Basilica - Basilica was an open portico that gave shelter to merchants and other activities.
  • Forum - Have a look of the ancient main square of Pompeii.
  • Via dell’Abbondanza - Walk through the main street of Pompeii.
  • House of Menander - The house of Menander is one of the richest and most magnificent houses in ancient Pompeii in terms of architecture, decoration and contents.
  • Granaries of the Forum - In the granary you will see marble tables and baths for fountains that adorned the entrances of houses and some casts of victims of the eruption as well as that of a dog and a tree.
  • Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane) - These occupy a vast area between the Brothel lane, the Holconius crossroads and the Via Stabiana. They represent the oldest thermal complex in the city.
  • Lupanar - Visit the most famous brothel in the ruined Roman city of Pompeii.
  • House of the Faun - The house of Faun was one of the largest and most impressive private residences in Pompeii.
  • Odeon - Teatro Piccolo - Have a look of the so called Teatro Piccolo of Pompeii.
  • Teatro Grande - Visit the most important Theater in Pompeii
  • Archaeological Park of Herculaneum - Transfer by train to Herculaneum (30 minutes trip + 10 minutes walk) and quick lunch break if required.

Meeting place is the Ticket Office of the Herculaneum ruins.

You can get there as follows:

  • By car in via Pignalver (There is a not guarded parking very close the meeting place)
  • By train in Corso Resina 1 (Circumvesuviana train station is 10 minutes walk away)
  • House of the Deer - The house receives its name from marble statues of stags/deer found in the peristyle.
  • La Terrazza di M. Nonio Balbo - M. Nonius Balbus was the city’s major benefactor restoring and building many public buildings. On his death he was made patron and feted with many honours, detailed in the long inscription on his funeral altar.
  • College of the Augustales - It is thought that the building was a centre of the cult of the Emperor Augustus and the headquarters of the Collegium Augustalium (or possibly even the local curia).
  • Casa del Rilievo di Telefo - The house possibly belonged to one of the town’s leading benefactors, Marcus Nonius Balbus and is somewhat unusual in that it has its own private access to the adjoining Suburban Thermae to the south.
  • Partem Domus lignea - Casa del Tramezzo di Legno - It is very important house for the elegant wooden partition remained.
  • House of the Skeleton - The House of the Skeleton probably the aggregation of three smaller buildings, derives its name from the discovery of human remains in a second floor room in 1831.
  • Central Thermae - The Central Thermae were built around the beginning of the 1st century AD and were divided, as was then the common practice, into men’s and women’s baths, each with their own separate entrances.
  • House of the Black Salon - The House of the Black Hall is one of Herculaneum’s more luxurious mansions.

The house has a monumental entrance which still retains the carbonised remains of the doorposts and lintel.

  • Casa Sannitica - The house has an arrangement that was typical of the Samnites (an ancient people of the Sabine race who occupied this mountainous part of central Italy). The splendid atrium is skirted by a gallery with Ionic columns. The rooms are decorated with frescoes.
  • Casa del Bel Cortile - This is one of the most original houses in Herculaneum. It has a courtyard with a stairway and a stone balcony instead of an atrium.
  • House of the Grand Portal - Beautiful domus in the Centre of the archaeological area, with various environments, collonnati, frescos e-com everywhere at Herculaneum-charred remains of wooden parts.
What's Included
  • Guidance at Pompeii and Herculaneum by Archaeologist guide
  • Circumvesuviana one-way train ticket from Pompeii to Herculaneum
  • Herculaneum skip the line ticket
  • Pompeii admission fee
What's Not Included
  • Pick up and drop off service
  • Meals and drinks
Additional Information

This experience combines the two archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, famous for the eruption of Mount Vesuvius happened in 79 AD. Join the guide at the entrance of Pompeii ruins called Porta Marina Inferiore, where the tour starts. Discover the site and its best highlights with the assistance of an expert Archaeologist. You will see the Forum – the main square – the most important houses and buildings and the famous plaster casts. After the tour take a quick break, then reach the site of Herculaneum by the local metro line called Circumvesuviana at a few steps from Pompeii entrance. End your tour with the site of Herculaneum, smaller than Pompeii but better preserved: visit the beach where more than 300 skeletons were found.

Location
Piazza Esedra, 4
Piazza Esedra
Meet your guide at the left side of Pompeii entrance named Porta Marina INFERIORE close to the ''Arte bus'' stop. #If you booked the option "tour + transport" the meeting point is outside the STARHOTELS TERMINUS, just in front of the Naples Central station , in Piazza Garibaldi, 91.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
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(739 Ratings)
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696giampaolob
Jul 29, 2024
Unique experience. - Good morning, a big thank you to the guides Francesca, Giuseppe, Salvatore and the driver for their expertise and sympathy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Molivia_p
Jul 27, 2024
Memorable Pompeii tour with Diego despite soaring heat and burning sunshine - Diego was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and highly energetic. A great and very interesting guide. Grazie
Review provided by Viator
Pioneer702265
Jul 26, 2024
Tonia tour guide at Pompeii - Our walking tour with Tonia this morning was just brilliant her knowledge and compassion was great!! Her enthusiasm was boundless and I would have loved having Tonia on our tour of the colosseum in Rome two years ago where our tour guide was not good!!! I can not recommend Tonia enough such a brilliant guide x
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cc_tvfilm
Jul 24, 2024
What an amazing day from start to finish with an amusing archaeological eye! - I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. Our guide Vincenzo (aka Vince) gave a fascinating insight and stories behind the amazingly-preserved architecture and objects contained in these two lost city/town settlements. Even in 35 degree-plus Celsius temperatures and several path-crossing tour parties, Vincenzo along with the fleet of drivers and assistants with Askos all made sure the parties were well-catered for, insightfully-informed and expertly entertained from start to finish. I particularly found the stories behind the preserved graffiti, fresco designs and connections to Greek culture and mythology fascinating to hear. It all combined to bring these lost communities/civilisations back to life in such a detailed yet engrossing way for 21st century visitors. A+++++++
Review provided by Tripadvisor
154josephinek
Jul 24, 2024
Superior experience with amazing guide - Overall a great experience and must do! The tour guide was an archeologist who worked at the Pompeii site. This gave our tour a unique perspective and was extremely knowledgeable about the ruins. Pompeii was larger than expected and many groups were lost. Not us! Our guide knew exactly where to go and made sure we stopped by the major highlights. Herculaneum was my favorite as it was less crowded and the artifacts were well preserved. We went on a hot day and our guide was very careful to stop us anywhere there was shade and even offered an extra umbrella for those less prepared for the heat and sun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marta_l
Jul 23, 2024
Excellent tour!!!! - Listening to the archeologist Paulo explain to us the destruction that took place on account of the eruption of Vesuvius, and all the marvelous, interesting, and artistic details of the Roman civilization up to that point. He talked to us like a professor would! He was excellent!!! Thank you!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Patricia
Jul 22, 2024
Rafael was the best guide! Great trip! - Rafael was our tour guide. Funny, witty, and very knowledgeable. Interacted with all of the group and encouraged questions. We had a slight challenge today in the a freak thunderstorm brewed up as we finished with lunch prior to the Pompeii tour. Luckily the worst seemed past as we all wanted to love forward with the tour (there was some thunder and lightning just before we started). Everyone in our group wanted to go forward with the tour and so we did. I learned a lot from Rafael. As I said he was not just a book or archeological “nerd”. Gave us the facts and the stories along with the mythological past that the peoples believed in. I loved every second despite the rain. I would highly recommend and hope many more enjoy Rafael’s humor and personality intertwined with history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wanderer49264275147
Jul 22, 2024
Great way to discover Pompeii and Herculaneum for the first time - Our guide Raphael has led us through Pompeii and Herculaneum in a really interesting and entertaining way, allowing us to grasp the essence of the history of these beautiful sites. Pompeii is definitely huge and deserves a second visit for sure if you want to visit it all. I strongly recommend this tour for a first visit ☺️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Venture595621
Jul 28, 2024
Fantastic guide - The tour was brilliant. Diego was our guide. Very knowledgeable and massively enthusiastic. His descriptions really brought the history to life. We made our own way to Pompeii by train in the morning and the tour provided transport to Herculaneum. We’re so pleased to have seen both. The tour was well organised with Bluetooth headsets for everyone. The fountain stops were very welcome in the heat. The train back from Herculaneum into Naples was straightforward. The reason for 4 stars is that the tour operator ASKOS contacted me the day before asking us to have two different guides and make our own way between Pompeii and Herculaneum. I said I wanted the information in writing because this was not what I had booked. I think they had oversold. Luckily some other people pulled out so we could go on the original tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherine_h
Jul 24, 2024
Buyer be aware!!! - Pompeii itself was fantastic, the experience could have been much better. The audio equipment cut out anytime the guide got 15 or more feet away. This is problematic for a place like Pompeii with so much to see and you have to be on top of the guide the entire time. In addition, the guide never asked if anyone had questions, if a restroom or water was needed. It was extremely hot and he just kept talking and walking with little to no breaks. Two of the five people in our group left because it was so bad. I would not recommend touring with Askos, it could have been such a better experience.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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