Ercolano

Ercolano is the lesser-known, and more compact brother of Pompeii. Also covered with the destructive pyroclastic flows that spouted from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, the ancient sector here (usually known as Herculaneum) is awash with plush and palatial villas, carved artworks and statues, bathhouses, aqueducts, cobbled streets, and boathouses along the shores of the Med. The preservation is unrivalled, thanks to the unique geological nature of the eruption, meaning it's still possible to make out mosaics on the walls and archaeologists have even uncovered full human skeletons! The best way to tour these fascinating ruins is to arm oneself with sunscreen and water, and engage a Ercolano tour guide who can help unravel tales of the Roman senators and poets who would once have trodden the streets. There are a clutch of good hotels and restaurants in the area, offering access to the town's other major sites: the elegant Basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano and the sumptuous Il Miglio d’Oro, where elegant villas from the 1700s line up close to the sparkling waves.