HERCULANEUM, Italy (AFP) - - Visitors to Herculaneum, destroyed along with Pompeii in the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, can now take a 3D virtual tour recreating life in the ancient Roman town.

The virtual walk, inaugurated Wednesday, seems to take the visitor through the town, stopping at the noisy market or going into luxurious villas as residents dressed in togas go about their business.

Other stops include the baths and a perfumery wafting the actual scents of balsam and other spices.

A special badge identifies the visitor as adult or child, foreigner or Italian.

Children will thus be unaware that when they reach the "lupanar" -- or brothel -- its erotic paintings will be substituted by more suitable images for their age group.