Is Mount Vesuvius worth a visit?
It’s an awe-inspiring experience to go to the top of Mount Vesuvius and see (and smell) the smoke that rises up from the crater. This is still an active volcano and who wouldn’t want to walk along the crater rim of an active volcano? Is Vesuvius worth a visit? Of course it is.
The volcano and the area around it are now a National Park. The summit of Vesuvius has a 360° view that is worth the climb alone. On a clear day you can see south to the island of Capri.
The Vesuvius, the only active volcano in continental Europe, is part of a large volcanic area that formed nearly 2 million years ago, the current shape of the volcano is a result of the constant succession of explosive and effusive eruptions in the last 25,000 years.
How do I get to Mt Vesuvius?
The easiest way to get to the crater from Sorrento or Naples is to take the Circumvesuviana train to the station in Ercolano (modern day Herculaneum). Take a bus transfer from Ercolano train station to Vesuvius with Vesuvio Express, which was a really easy way to get there. From there, take the transfer bus up to the upper car park on the side of the volcano. The bus runs 9.00 to 18.00 every day.
Geting to Vesuvius by car – You can go with your own car but there‘s a lot of traffic and to drive up to Mount Vesuvius is quite complicated. You will need to leave the car at the paid parking spot and from there you must walk quite a lot or use a shuttle bus (for which you have to pay too) from the parking area
How do I get a ticket for Mt Vesuvius?
To ensure the safety of all visitors entry to the path leading up to the crater of Vesuvius is restricted to groups of 60 people every 10 minutes. Tickets can only be purchased online at https://vesuviopark.vivaticket.it. We recommend completing the purchase of tickets before setting out for the day as there is no internet connection near the entrance. Entry through the automatic gate is permitted at a time set at the time of purchase and can be accessed with a variation of thirty minutes earlier to ninety minutes later than the scheduled time. Main gate opens at 9am. Tickets can be purchased up to 30 days in advance.
How long and difficult is the walk?
From the upper car park it’s about a mile to Vesuvius’s crater, all uphill. It’s a fairly shallow gradient but it’s fine, dusty gravel underfoot so can be tough going. The walk from the car park to the crater will take around 40 minutes. Allow another 45 minutes to 1 hour for walking along the crater rim and back. The full walk is around 4km or 2 ½ miles in length. At the top, walk around the crater to get views from a range of angles, the crater looks different from different viewpoints.
What should I wear for the walk?
Wear comfortable shoes or trainers sandals or flip flops. The path is stoney and jaggedy. on the way down good grip is required on the steeper sections of the path.
Take water and snacks
It is a good idea to take a bottle of water and a few snacks for the walk. There are couple of tourist kiosks but prices are inflated.
Why not combine climbing Vesuvius with a visit to Pompeii. Now read our blog on Ten best things to see at Pompeii.