Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Naples and its surrounding region lay claim to some of Italy's most dramatic and breath-
taking terrain. For outdoor aficionados, this means a long, satisfying list of possibilities,
from diving off the Amalfi Coast to trekking in rugged, ancient Cilento woods. You can
spend one day exploring the slopes of a volcano on horseback and the next sailing to your
own private island beach.
Walking & Hiking
Lazy saunter or hardcore hike, Campania has you covered. In Naples, you can (literally)
lose yourself in the sprawling Parco di Capodimonte (
Click here
)
, spread across a high
plateau overlooking the urban sprawl and bay. A former royal hunting ground, it's the
city's largest patch of green, laced with palm-fringed lawns, quiet meadows, and soothing
forest trails. For a truly elegant saunter, it's hard to beat the gardens of the Reggia di
Caserta (
Click here
)
, adorned with cascading water features and a romantic English
Garden. For a walk on the wild side, however, head to Pozzuoli's
Solfatara Crater
(
081 526 23 41;
www.solfatara.it
;
Via Solfatara 161; admission €6; 8.30am to 1hr be-
fore sunset)
, where a walking trail circles a restless volcanic crater. Further west, crater-
turned-lake Lago d'Averno (
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)
offers an altogether more tranquil, bucolic cir-
cuit. On the other side of Naples, reaching the summit of Mt Vesuvius (
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)
is
easier than you may think, with regular shuttle buses connecting Ercolano-Scavi Circum-
vesuviana station to the summit carpark. From here, it's a relatively easy 860m walk up to
the summit, where your reward is a 360-degree panorama capturing Naples, its bay, and
the distant Apennine mountains. The volcano is part of the Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio, a
national park crisscrossed by nine
sentieri
(nature trails) of varying lengths and intensity.
The most challenging and rewarding is the 6.7km-long '
Lungo la Strada Matrone
'
('Route 6'). Starting from Via Cifelli (2.5km north of Torre Annunziata Circumvesuviana
station it heads up the volcano's southeastern slope to the summit. You'll find all nine
routes explained at
www.vesuviopark.it
.
For an altogether more relaxed exploration,
Naples Trips & Tours (
Click here
) runs horse-riding tours of the national park. The park
itself is a rich natural oasis, home to hedgehogs, moles, stonemartens and foxes, as well as
around 140 species of birds, including spotted woodpeckers, hawks and imperial ravens.
Much to the surprise of many, both Capri and Ischia also offer some spectacular walks
that will see you enjoying the islands away from the beach crowds. Across on the Amalfi
Coast, the suitably named Walk of the Gods offers a very different experience of the area,
passing through a sumptuous landscape of ancient vineyards, craggy cliff faces and verd-
ant valleys. While this is the area's most famous and spectacular trail, it's only one of a
network of well-marked paths. Local tourist offices can provide maps of the colour-coded
routes. Southeast of the Amalfi Coast, the Parco Nazionale del Cilento & Vallo di Diano
serves up relaxing walks and more challenging hikes, reliable guides and excellent maps.
