Pompeii and Hecurlaneum in same day?
 

Is it reasonable to visit both Pompeii and Herculaneum in one day (day trip via train from Sorrento), or is that too much?

There seem to be a lot of different opinions re hiring a guide at the front of Pompeii vs. renting an Acoustiguide. Any more thoughts on that? This is for a couple with no kids.

Does Herculaneum also have guides waiting outside and an Acoustiguide? Any different answer there? Or is just a guidebook sufficient?

Thanks,

Len

Hi RC - I think it depends on whether or not you want to do an in-depth tour.

Personally after a few hours around Pompeii I wouldn't want to do Ercolano on top.

Just my personal opinion ...

Steve

I once did them both in one day and for the average tourist very possible - they are not that far apart by CircumVesuviana train and Ercolo is much more compact than Pompeii

from the Ercolo train station you walk thru several blocks of laundry-strung tenements to the site but it's still a short walk from the train station and station at Pompeii Scavi is right at the entrance.

It would make a difference how fit you are / how much stamina you have. Unless you are super fit, you'd be knackered doing both. My friend and I enjoyed leisurely wandering through Herculaneum, getting a feel of living there. We did see guides outside, but found the Acoustiguide (rented one between us as we were on a very tight budget) quite satisfactory; much, much better than the guidebook alone. Plus with the Acoustiguide we were on our own schedule. You can take a picnic lunch. We loved Ercolano. A couple of young women from France we chatted with over breakfast next morning had gone to Pompeii and found it too crowded.

I visited both in one day. I was tired by the end, but very glad I saw both. I used the audio guide at both sites, and found them quite informative. Enjoy!

kja: if you could only do one of these places (I'm thinking of when I return to Italy with my husband) which one would you pick?

Wow, evecolorado, I'm so glad I didn't have to make that choice! I found both sites fascinating, and the differences between them were also very interesting. If I had to choose between them, I'd probably pick Pompeii, primarily because the frescos of the Villa dei Misteri are so beautiful. I also found the Garden of the Fugitives very moving. Hope that helps!

I'd pick Pompeii hands down. Though Ercolo is great, it's a Pompeii in miniature. I just didn't catch the appropriate pathos at Ercolo as you certainly do at Pompeii IMO

Thank you both, kja and PalenQ. Pompeii it is.

I'm not a big fan of audioguides, so we hired one of the guides at Pompeii. You can either join a group for less of course, or have the guide for yourselves. We chose the latter for a 2-hour tour Together with what I had already read and knew about Pompeii, having a guide really enhanced the experience. After the guide tour was over, we explored on our own. BTW we found that a visit to the Museo Nazionale in Napoli further enhanced the experience--amazing mosaics, pottery, glass and silver.