Herculaneum is a town situated only a few kilometers away from Naples – a city with a rich history, culture and beauty but also with some contradictions.

For a long time Herculaneum  was a holiday destination for the elite society of the Roman Empire and a few meters from Herculaneum a palace which was built by Charles III of Bourbon adorns the beautiful scenery .

It is the home of the world’s probably most important museum with unique conserved archaeological pieces: The excavations at Herculaneum – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With the active but currently dormant volcano Vesuvius in its back Herculaneum does have a further concern, but from the edge of the crater you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view. The Vesuvius was also declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve.

The MAV ( Virtual Archaeological Museum ) near the excavations shows in a unique way with the help of modern technology the life and habits of the Romans before the eruption in 79 AD in Herculaneum and Pompeii.

In Hercolaneum you can also find the Basilica of Pugliano, the oldest Marian Shrine of Campania – rich in history and only a few meters from the vintage market Resina offering his goods since the Second World War.

The reign of the Bourbons left the villas of the Miglio d’ oro (Golden Mile), among which you can find the Villa Campolieto, to whose architects the famous Vanvitelli can be counted and a few meters from the excavations there is the Royal Palace of Portici the museum of Ercolano.

Even from the gastronomic point of Herculaneum has a lot to offer.

The excavations at Herculaneum can be viewed not only as a tourist attraction, but also as probably the most important witness of the human past. In the wake of the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD the city of Pompeii was destroyed by ash and rock while Herculaneum was covered and preserved by its unique high temperature by a pyroclastic flow.

Herculaneum is perfect for imaging yourself how the world of the Roman Empire must have been. The high temperatures of pyroclastic flow have charred all organic material instantaneously, all the wood was literally cooked and preserved, which allowed the large trove of furniture.

The conserved furniture worldwide are almost unique, there are a few findings in other places such as in the Egyptian desert which were preserved either in water or dried, but that finds from Herculaneum are preserved almost in its original condition , only blackened.

What characterizes the excavations at Herculaneum are not only exceptionally well-preserved pieces but also the equipment of the houses. Those houses were already provided with a well-functioning sewage system and it was also a hot and cold water connection available – for this comfort the rest of Europe had to wait until the 15th century.

All visitors of the excavations of Herculaneum will be captured by the emotions and the passion of this special place and will get an idea of what life was like 2000 years ago has taken place in one of the most beautiful and cherished cities of the Roman Empire .