Pompeii or Herculaneum? Which one?
 

I would really love opinions. We have one day in Naples on our cruise and I am very keen to see Pompeii. I have read a lot here on both Pompeii and Heruculaneum. If we go to Herculaneum, will we get the "full picture". Will a few hours be sufficient to get a good idea. I think that more than a few hours will be too much for our family in the heat. I am concerned that Pompeii will be too hot, we are going in July and have read that Herculaeneum is more compact. Is it cooler there too? <BR> <BR>What are your thoughts? <BR> <BR>Also anyone have a good tour guide for either place. <BR> <BR>And suggestions for the afternnon before we reboard the ship. <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance.

We went to both, in one day, almost killed ourselves but we did it. We went to Pompeii first and hired a guide (not expensive), stayed about 4 hours, had lunch, took the circumvesuviana (computer train) to Herculaneum, missed the stop, as it's called Erco or something like that, went all the way to Naples and a kindly conductor took pity on us and let us ride back free and told us where to get off, then we stayed at Herculaneum about 2 hrs (even cheaper guides here). <BR> <BR>Herc is much smaller, has less tourists, but has gorgeous murals, courtyards, atriums, you can get closer and see more, lots of it are under the city and cannot be excavated. It's very interesting. <BR> <BR>If you have time, do both, even if you have to cut Pompeii short. We loved them both but felt closer to Herc. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip, either site is wonderful! <BR> <BR>Sandy

I forgot to address the heat questions . . . they are not too far apart so one should not be hotter or cooler than the other, they should be about the same. <BR> <BR>Sandy

Thanks Sandy. anyone else been to both?

When you leave Pompeii and go to Herc. is there a direct train from <BR>Pompeii to Herc? As in, get on in Pompeii, hopefully get off in Herc. (Erc.) <BR>I'm thinking of doing the same long day <BR>from and back to Rome in late Sept., trying to figure out the scheduling and logistics. Any suggestions of which train (how early) to get out of Rome?

The choice between Pompeei and Ercolano isn't simple. If you're sure that you will not want staying out there for more than a couple of hours, I would opt for Ercolano. Also, I don't think it makes much sense visiting both at the expense of the Archaeological Museum in Naples. In you shoes I'd probably visit Ercolano as soon as possible in the day and then I'd visit the Museum. <BR> <BR>Paulo