Herculaneum

In Roman times, Herculaneum was a seaside town of 4,000 inhabitants. The city was very close to Vesuvius, which is why the eruption left the city completely covered by lava and ash. Herculaneum is well worth visiting because it's one of the places that can really show you accurately how the Romans lived. Moreover, as it is under the shadow of its larger neighbor Pompeii, it's not as visited and exploration can be done safely.