The Fridays of Herculaneum
Evening openings of the Archaeological Park featuring theatre, dance, and live music
About Fridays of Herculaneum
A summer night among the illuminated ruins
The Fridays of Herculaneum is the evening festival that lights up the Herculaneum Archaeological Park every summer, one of the most evocative sites in Campania and a UNESCO World Heritage site. For one night, the ancient Roman city, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, transforms into an expansive stage: amidst the illuminated domus, paved streets, shops, and gardens, the public can stroll while actors, dancers, and musicians perform site-specific shows designed to engage with the ancient architecture.
The ninth edition: "Love and War"
The 2026 edition, the ninth of the festival, is centered on the theme "Love and War," a journey exploring the deep connection between eros and polemos through the languages of theatre, dance, and music. Seven performances—two theatre, three dance, and two live music—are distributed throughout the site, offering visitors an emotional itinerary that weaves together myth, history, and archaeology.
A site unique in the world
Herculaneum, along with Pompeii, is one of the best-preserved testaments to Roman life. Unlike other sites, organic materials—wood, fabrics, food—were preserved thanks to pyroclastic flows. Visiting the excavations at night, with scenic lighting that casts shadows and highlights across the walls, offers an atmosphere that daytime visits simply cannot match. The festival is organized directly by the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, under the direction of Federica Colaiacomo.
How the evening unfolds
On festival evenings, the Park is accessible from 8:00 PM to midnight, in two visiting shifts (8:00 PM and 10:00 PM), with entrances at Corso Resina 187 and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi 19. The public moves freely between performances, with the opportunity to delve deeper into the content using the free "Ercolano Digitale" app, accessible via QR code at the entrance.
A signature event for Ercolano
Over the years, The Fridays of Herculaneum have become a staple of the summer in the town of Ercolano, in the Metropolitan City of Naples. The festival combines the enhancement of archaeological heritage with contemporary artistic production, involving companies and artists from the Campania region and transforming the site into a living space for culture and live performance.
Fridays of Herculaneum — edition 2026
Love and War among the ruins
The 2026 edition of The Fridays of Herculaneum explores the link between eros and polemos with seven performances distributed throughout the Archaeological Park: two theatre, three dance, and two live music. The Park is accessible from 8:00 PM to midnight in two shifts (8:00 PM and 10:00 PM), with entrances at Corso Resina 187 and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi 19. Capacity is 600 visitors per shift.
The festival takes place every Friday from July 3, with a closing evening on Saturday, September 26, for the European Heritage Days.
Programme Fridays of Herculaneum 2026
Dates
- Friday, July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2026
- Friday, August 7, 2026
- Saturday, September 26, 2026 (European Heritage Days)
The seven performances — theme "Love and War"
Theatre
- "Penthesilea vs Achilles – May love pierce death" — Casa del Contemporaneo, project and direction by Alfonso Postiglione, dramaturgy by Dario Postiglione, costumes by Giuseppe Avallone; with Rossella De Martino, Francesca Cercola, Giampiero De Concilio, Monica Buzoianu, Antonio Elia, Gianluca Vesce (alternating).
Dance
- "Polis/Polemos. War between myth and history" — Cornelia Dance Company, three site-specific interventions:
- "Tirocinium militiae – The formation of the polis body" (with Noemi Avino, Marika Pierri, Alessia Starace)
- "Duellum (Hercules and Achelous) – The glory of conflict" (with Alessandro Sodano, Emanuele Esposito)
- "Corpus in ruina – The transformation of the human" (with Gioele Barrella)
Live Music
- "Intermezzos in the House of Telephus / Voices under the ash" — OTP obeče teatro project association, dramaturgy and direction by Maria Angela Robustelli, musical dramaturgy and arrangements by Salvatore Torregrossa; with Maria Angela Robustelli, Gennaro Di Biase, Salvatore Torregrossa (alternating).
- "Conflict and memory between stone and history" — with Massimo Cordovani and Mario Di Bonito (vocals, guitar, synthesizers, percussion).
Hours
Two visiting shifts: 8:00 PM-9:30 PM and 10:00 PM-11:30 PM. Maximum capacity 600 visitors per shift (1,200 per evening).
Highlights Fridays of Herculaneum 2026
- Ninth edition, theme "Love and War"
- Seven site-specific performances: 2 theatre, 3 dance, 2 live music
- Evening openings of the Archaeological Park with scenic lighting
- Two visiting shifts (8:00 PM and 10:00 PM), up to 1,200 visitors per evening
- Free "Ercolano Digitale" app with insights via QR code
- Final evening on September 26 for European Heritage Days
Prices Fridays of Herculaneum 2026
Practical information — Fridays of Herculaneum
How to get there
The Herculaneum Archaeological Park is easily reached via the Circumvesuviana train (Naples-Sorrento line, Ercolano Scavi stop), just a few minutes' walk from the Corso Resina entrance. By car, take the "Ercolano" exit from the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway. Free parking is available at local schools.
Entrances
Corso Resina 187 and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi 19. Access from 8:00 PM to midnight in two shifts (8:00 PM and 10:00 PM).
Tickets and reservations
Online booking is recommended at www.ercolano.coopculture.it or via the call center at +39 081 0106490 (Mon-Sat, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM).
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Where does it take place — Fridays of Herculaneum
Parco Archeologico di Ercolano
Corso Resina 187, 80056 Ercolano