A record-breaking July ushers in summer: 6.8% more visitors than in 2025, the Park’s third-best January-July ever.
Herculaneum Archaeological Park · Also open Friday, August 15 · 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. (last admission 6:00 p.m.)
This year, the Herculaneum Archaeological Park will be open as usual on Ferragosto (August 15), with its usual summer hours from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (last admission at 6:00 pm), offering visitors and history buffs the opportunity to spend a day immersed in the charm of a perfectly preserved ancient Roman city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrances remain the same as usual, at Corso Resina 187 and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi 19.
This invitation comes at a particularly positive time for the Park: July visitor numbers, recently confirmed, show significant growth compared to recent years and confirm Ercolano as one of Campania’s most popular summer destinations.
A record-breaking July
In July 2026, the Herculaneum Archaeological Park recorded 44,985 visitors, up 6.8% from 42,110 in July 2025 and 16.9% from 38,474 in July 2024: the fifth-best July in the Park’s historical series.
Ferragosto al Parco is a precious opportunity to experience culture in the open air, at a time when cultural demand is renewing and growing, as demonstrated by the numbers of recent months. We want to offer visitors a comfortable and evocative experience, an invitation to leisurely explore the places, stories, and artifacts that tell the story of one of the most fascinating Roman cities buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.
— Federica Colaiacomo, Director of the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum
After the summer, the appointment with “Fridays in Ercolano”
The overall growth of the Park is accompanied by the great success of “I Venerdì di Ercolano,” the series of evening openings that in its ninth edition set a record, with the sold out on Friday 7 August adding to that already achieved the previous evening.
After the final summer evening on Friday, August 7th, the festival will take a summer break and return with a special event on Saturday, September 26th, to mark the European Heritage Days. This will be an additional opportunity at the end of the month for those who want to discover the Park in a unique way, with theater, music, and dance performances in the illuminated archaeological area.
Practical information for Ferragosto
The park is open daily, including Ferragosto, during the summer season from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (last admission at 6:00 pm). We recommend purchasing tickets online in advance to avoid queues at the ticket office. Comfortable shoes and adequate sunscreen are recommended for visits during the middle of the day.
Given the high temperatures of this period, visitors are advised to bring appropriate clothing, a hat, a parasol, and a supply of water to ensure their visit is safe and comfortable.
The next appointment: The Leisures of Hercules
Before the return of “I Venerdì di Ercolano” on September 26th, the public is expected from September 10th to 12th for “Gli Ozi di Ercole,” a series of lectures, theatrical readings, and concerts that transforms the Ancient Beach into an open-air stage. The 2026 edition, titled “Love and War,” offers three evenings, from 8:00 PM to midnight, including conversations, staged readings, and concerts, with guests such as Lucia Mascino, Laura Pepe, Ambrogio Sparagna and Raffaello Simeoni, Carmen Gallo, Isabella Ragonese, Silvia Romani, Carlo Boccadoro, Gennaro Carillo, Federica Fracassi, and Francesco Di Bella.
Tickets available on Gli Ozi di Ercole | Amore e guerra | CoopCulture (Full Price €10,00, Reduced €5,00, three-evening season ticket€15,00).
