Planning Archaeological Excursions to Mt. Vesuvius: Herculaneum, Boscoreale, Oplontis and Stabia

The towns and villages at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius are home to many fascinating archaeological sites. The volcano’s eruption in 79 A.D. maintained these areas for centuries (most were excavated at the turn of the 20th century) and offer the possibility to explore everyday life as a Roman citizen. For people staying in Naples or the Amalfi Coast, a day spent wandering the ancient streets, in and out of the villas and admiring the vibrant Pompeii-style wall frescoes of Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale is an ancient-history enthusiasts dream incarnate. Here are our suggestions for making the most out of an archaeological excursion to the Mt. Vesuvius area.

The easiest way to arrange transportation in the area is by private car (either your own or through a private car service). Though the Circumvesuviana train line serves Herculaneum (or Ercolano, in Italian), Boscoreale and Stabia, the limited time tables may mean you spend a good portion of your day on and off the trains. However, if you are looking for a more straight forward itinerary of just Herculaneum in a morning or afternoon, the Circumvesuviana is a wallet-friendly option.

Timing – The sites of Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale can each be covered in a few hours (Herculaneum may warrant a 3 hour visit while the other, more minor sites can be done in about 2 hours). From Naples, the geographic sequence towards the south (so, towards the Amalfi Coast) would be: Herculaneum, Boscoreale, Oplontis, and Stabia. If you are approaching from the Amalfi Coast or Sorrento, the opposite would be true. If driving on your own or formulating an itinerary, budget 30 minutes between each site. Depending on traffic, stops along the way, etc., it may turn out to take less (or more) but 30 minutes between each site is a good approximation. Thus, if you would like to plan an itinerary that includes Herculaneum and Oplontis, 7 hours would give you enough time to leisurely visit both sites and have a casual lunch (factoring driving time from one site to the next). For this type of service, we suggest our Full Day Archaeology Around Mt. Vesuvius.

Pompeii – Context organizes half-day and full-day Pompeii excursions. For our full day excursion, we normally plan for a morning visit to the Pompeii site, followed by the afternoon spent at the Naples Archaeological Museum (which houses most of the artifacts taken from the archaeological sites near Mt. Vesuvius). However, you have the option of pairing Pompeii with other sites. We suggest a morning spent in Pompeii, followed by either Oplontis or Stabia. We don’t suggest pairing Pompeii and Herculaneum, as the sites are very similar and there would be overlap.

Hiking in Mt. Vesuvius – At the time we write this, hiking in Mt. Vesuvius is not an option due to labor strikes at the national park of Mt. Vesuvius.

Costs - Single entrance: Herculaneum/Pompeii – 11 euro, Oplontis/Stabia/Boscoreale – 5.50 euro

There is a special entrance ticket for all four sites (including Pompeii), which is valid for 3 days and costs 20 euro.

Opening times – Year round, all sites open at 8:30AM. In the winter (November-March), the last entrances are at 3:30PM . In the summer (April-October), last entrance is at 6:30PM.

For more information regarding these sites, check out the official Archaeological Superintendant’s site: Pompeii Sites.

1 Comment »

1. I am so grateful that GRAZIE TO Context’s recommendation, I visited Oplontis–it’s an absolutely stunning place to admire the frescos without the Pompeii crowds, and as you say, imagine Roman life. I reallly look forward to Stabia and Boscoreale on the next trip!

   Comment by Susan Van Allen — January 28, 2011 @ 6:22 am

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