Opened to the public in 2004 after a lengthy restoration, this villa was first discovered in 1750 and later excavated as was then customary: by removing everything of value and then reburying the site. The most striking find of the original excavation was the villa's library, chock-full of papyrus rolls (there were about 1,000) that gave the name to the villa and are now preserved in the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III inside Palazzo Reale. The villa also yielded a treasure trove of elegant sculptures which increased the collection of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples. After years of work, modern archeologists have revealed the actual structure of the grandiose mansion itself. Built in A.D. 60, the villa stretched over 250m (820 ft.) along the coast: Its magnificent position on a cliff overlooking the sea will make your mouth water. Open to visitors are both floors of the villa -- with over 16 rooms decorated with rich mosaic tiles and frescoes -- as well as the interior garden with pool, and the panoramic terrace. Visits are by guided tour only, and you need to pick up your tickets at the entrance 20 minutes before the scheduled time of your visit. Note: At presstime the Villa was closed for extraordinary restorations, and no date for its reopening was provided; so check with the excavation office before your visit.