The ruins of the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum lie near Naples.
Baiae ( Baia Baia ) was a mineral springs and coastal resort on the northwest shore of the Gulf of Naples in ancient Italy . Located in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius , Herculaneum ( Italian : Ercolano ) was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in 79 AD . Its ruins are located in the commune of Ercolano , Campania , Italy . Naples . In the immediate vicinity of Naples are numerous culturally and historically significant sites , including the Palace of Caserta and the Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum . Ruins . There are famous ruins all over the world , from ancient sites in China , the Indus valley and Judea to Zimbabwe in Africa , ancient Greek , Egyptian and Roman sites in the Mediterranean basin , and Incan and Mayan sites in the Americas .