Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
crater)
Since exploding into history in AD 79, Vesuvius has blown its top more than 30
times. The most devastating of these was in 1631, and the most recent in 1944. What re-
deems this lofty menace is the spectacular panorama from its
crater
- a breathtaking pan-
orama that takes in sprawling city, sparkling islands, and the Monti Picentini, part of the
Apennine mountains. Unbeknown to many, admission includes a free guided walk
halfway around the crater. You'll find the guides at the entrance gate; ignore any requests
for tips as they're obliged to guide you for free.
Whether arriving by bus or car, the end of the road is the summit car park and the ticket
office. From here, a relatively easy 860m path leads up to the summit (allow 35 minutes),
best tackled in trainers and with a sweater in tow (it can be chilly up top, even in sum-
mer). When the weather is bad the summit path is shut and bus departures are suspended.
The mountain itself was once higher than it currently stands, claiming a single summit
rising to about 3000m rather than the 1281m of today. Its violent outburst in AD 79 not
only drowned Pompeii in pumice and pushed the coastline back several kilometres but
also destroyed much of the mountain top, creating a huge caldera and two new peaks.
Mt Vesuvius itself is the focal point of the
Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio
(Vesuvius Na-
tional Park;
www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it
)
, which offers nine interesting nature
walks around the volcano. A map of the trails is available from the ticket office, with a
free, smaller version available on the website. Alternatively,
Naples Trips & Tours
(
349 7155270;
www.naplestripsandtours.com
)
runs a daily horseriding tour of the park
(weather permitting). The tour, which costs €50 and runs for three to four hours, includes
transfers to/from Naples or Ercolano-Scavi Circumvesuviana station, helmet, saddle,
guide and (most importantly) coffee.
About halfway up the hill, the
Museo dell'Osservatorio Vesuviano
(Museum of the
Vesuvian Observatory;
081 610 84 83;
www.ov.ingv.it
;
admission free;
10am-2pm
Sat & Sun)
tells the history of 2000 years of Vesuvius-watching.
The easiest way to reach Mt Vesuvius is to get a bus from Ercolano up to the crater car
park.
Vesuvio Express
( 081 739 36 66;
www.vesuvioexpress.it
;
Piazzale Stazione
Circumvesuviana, Ercolano)
operates buses every 40 minutes from 9.30am to 4pm daily.
Buses depart from Piazzale Stazione Circumvesuviana, right outside Ercolano-Scavi sta-
tion on the Circumvesuviana train line. The journey time is twenty minutes each way and
return tickets (which include entry to the volcano summit) are €18.
If travelling by car, exit the A3 at Ercolano Portico and follow signs for the Parco
Nazionale del Vesuvio.
