Heritage & monuments
Villa of the Papyri
The Villa of the Papyri was an ancient Roman villa in Herculaneum, in what is now Ercolano, southern Italy. It is named after its unique library of papyrus scrolls, discovered in 1750. The Villa was considered to be one of the most luxurious houses in all of Herculaneum and in the Roman world. Its luxury is shown by its exquisite architecture and by the large number of outstanding works of art discovered, including frescoes, bronzes and marble sculpture which constitute the largest collection of Greek and Roman sculptures ever discovered in a single context.
What it is
The Villa of the Papyri was a private Roman seaside villa buried by the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius, part of the same site as Herculaneum. Excavated by tunnel in the 18th century, it yielded the only intact library of papyrus scrolls to survive antiquity, along with an unusually large group of bronze and marble statues. Most of that material now sits in the Naples Archaeological Museum, and the original underground rooms are only partly accessible, so this is a stop for people interested in what was found here rather than a full walk-through villa. It's also the model for the Getty Villa in California, which some visitors already know.
Getting there
From central Naples, the Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano Scavi takes around 20 minutes, followed by a short walk downhill to the Herculaneum site entrance.
Time to allow
Given the limited excavated area, an hour is usually enough on top of a visit to the rest of Herculaneum.
When to go
Mornings are quieter and cooler for walking the site; midday sun can be uncomfortable with little shade.
Combine it with
The Palace of Portici is just 0.6km away and pairs naturally with a visit here. Central Naples sights like Mercato, Santa Maria del Carmine, and Castel Nuovo are 7-9km off and better suited to a separate day back in the city.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
