While many of us learned about the famous city of Pompeii in school, Ercolano, also called Herculaneum, is a city similar to Pompeii in that it's fate was sealed by the eruption of Vesuvious in 79 AD. The lesser-visited Herculaneum is only about one third the size of Pompeii but many tourists like it better as a ruins site, as many of the artifacts are in better condition.

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed both cities in different ways. Pompeii was suffocated under layers of ash, while Herculaneum, much closer to the volcano, drowned under a sea of lava. Over time, the mud hardened to a soft stone, preserving the city and almost everything in it, furniture, clothing, and even some goods in the shops have survived.

The many buildings of Herculaneum are fascinating, such as the House of the Deer, with the famous statue of a drunken Hercules; the well preserved Baths; the Palaestra, or gym; and the House of the Neptune, with a mythological mosaic in the atrium. 

Either Pompeii or Ercolano are well worth a visit and, since they are in close proximity to each other, both can be seen in a day's excursion, including a lunch break to stop and enjoy the history and beauty of this ancient civilization.

After visiting one or both of these historically significant ruins, what a great time to sit in a cafe, sip a glass of local wine and ponder the life style of these fascinating and creative people.