Herculaneum is the smaller, better-preserved sister of Pompeii, and the theatre is one of its hidden treasures. When Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, Herculaneum was buried not by falling ash, as Pompeii was, but by a series of pyroclastic surges, which killed the people who had fled to the boathouses on the beach and then entombed the town under about twenty metres of hardened volcanic material. The deep burial protected wooden beams, furniture, food and even the upper floors of houses. The theatre was found in the early eighteenth century by workers digging a well, and for years explorers tunnelled in the dark to reach it, taking away statues for the Bourbon king of Naples.
The theatre had room for about two and a half thousand spectators, with a semicircular auditorium, stage and a stage building decorated with marble. Some of it can be visited today only through the original tunnels, which are cramped and dim, and access is limited, so check ahead whether visits are possible. The modern excavations of the town itself lie in the open air, under a protective roof in places, with fine houses, mosaics and a well-preserved bath building. Anyone who has seen Pompeii should come here, because the intimacy is greater.
The surrounding place is the dense, busy town of Ercolano, built directly on top of the buried one, at the foot of the volcano. Riding here means Naples traffic, with narrow streets, aggressive overtaking and scooters appearing from every side. Park only in a guarded place and do not leave anything on the bike, since theft is a real concern in the area. The road up Vesuvius itself, a series of hairpins through pine and broom, offers dramatic views over the bay, and you can park near the crater rim and walk the last stretch.
Fuel and food are plentiful, since Ercolano and Portici together hold over a hundred thousand people. Eat pizza in the Neapolitan style, a soft, charred disc with tomato and buffalo mozzarella, and drink a coffee at the bar standing, as locals do. The Circumvesuviana railway links the site with Naples in about twenty minutes, and for many visitors a train is easier than a bike. Spring and autumn are best, as summer heat bounces off the stone and the crowds are heavy.