Visiting Herculaneum: Hours, Heat and What’s Closed
Planning your visit?Timed slots are limited, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. Reserve today, decide later.
Check ticket availabilityOpening hours by season
From 16 March to 14 October the park runs 8:30 to 19:30, last entry 18:00, and you leave the site by 19:00. From 15 October to 15 March it runs 8:30 to 17:00, last entry 15:30, out by 16:40. It is open Monday to Sunday and closes only on 1 January and 25 December. There are two gates, on Corso Resina and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi; current notices are on the official park site.
The winter last entry catches people out every year. If you are coming in November on an afternoon train, count backwards from 15:30 before you board it.
How long to allow
Two hours covers the highlights at a steady pace; three or more suits an audio guide and reading the panels. I keep a fuller breakdown on how long Herculaneum takes, and the sights themselves are on the what-to-see page.
Summer heat, shade and shoes
Parts of Herculaneum keep their roofs and upper floors, so there is more shelter here than at Pompeii, but the open decumani get hot and reviewers mention the August heat again and again. Claire, visiting in August, noted her guides kept the group in the shade. There is a water fountain on site; carry a bottle anyway. And take footwear seriously on the ancient paving. Janet said it plainly: “Good shoes are a must and mind where you step.”
What’s closed right now
Two closures, stated plainly because most guides get them wrong. The Villa of the Papyri, famous for its 1,800-plus carbonized scrolls, is closed for excavation and accessibility works with no announced reopening date. The ancient theatre is closed until further notice for maintenance. Neither can be visited on any ticket, at any price.
The free Sunday problem
On the first Sunday of each month entry is free for everyone, no reservation possible, and the quiet that people come here for disappears. If a first Sunday is your only option, arrive for the 8:30 opening; if you have any other day available, use it. Details on the free entry days page.
What works
- Open every day of the year except 1 January and 25 December
- More shade than Pompeii thanks to the surviving roofs
- Two gates, and the ticket office answers on +39 081 010 6490
Worth knowing
- Winter last entry at 15:30 ends afternoon plans early
- Villa of the Papyri and the ancient theatre are closed
- First Sundays are free and therefore the busiest days
Arrive for the 8:30 opening in summer. The light is still low over the seafront terrace, the tour groups are still on their coaches, and by the time the decumani heat up you are inside the shaded houses. That has been my preferred window all my life here.
See it with an archaeologist
If you want the two hours explained rather than just walked, the archaeologist-led tour below includes skip-the-line entry and runs in English, Italian, German and French.
Frequently asked questions
What are Herculaneum's opening hours?
8:30 to 19:30 from 16 March to 14 October, last entry 18:00; and 8:30 to 17:00 from 15 October to 15 March, last entry 15:30. Open Monday to Sunday, closed only on 1 January and 25 December.
Is Herculaneum open on Mondays?
Yes. The park opens Monday to Sunday all year; the only closing days are 1 January and 25 December. Prices and free days are on the tickets cost page.
What should I wear to Herculaneum in summer?
Proper shoes first: the ancient paving is uneven, and Janet’s review put it plainly, “Good shoes are a must and mind where you step.” Add a hat and water for the open streets. There is a fountain on site, and more shade than Pompeii once you are inside the houses.
Is the Villa of the Papyri open?
No. It is closed for excavation and accessibility works with no announced reopening date, and the ancient theatre is closed too. A live guide fills the gap the closures leave; the options are on the guided tours page.