Ercolano Scavi

Lesser known, Herculaneum is only about 5km away and was struck by the eruption of Vesuvius earlier than 

Pompeii.  Because of the higher heat, more wooden articles were preserved.  You just get off the Circumvesuviana train at 'Ercolano Scavi', ignore the shuttle bus to Herculaneum signs at the bus station, and walk 500m straight down the road to the excavation site.  Unlike Pompeii, a modern town has grown around and likely above the ancient one.  Only about a quarter of Herculaneum has been excavated.

A shop full of amphorae.

You can still see the fresco artwork on the walls, and remarkable details.

The main street, which lead down towards the boathouses and the sea. The ancient coastline was much closer to Herculaneum than it is today.

 A wooden screen was preserved, showing perhaps how these cavernous Roman houses were screened off to create more intimate spaces.

At first, archaeologists thought that there were few victims in the eruption, as not many bodies were found in the town.  They later excavated the boatsheds and found that many people had sheltered here.

The plaques, mosaics and frescoes here seem more intact than those in Pompeii, though of course a lot were taken to the Naples Archaeological Museum.  What is still in place helps with visualising how the people lived in the town.

 Beautiful, intricate mosaics in the bath house.