Mt. Vesuvius: Destructor of Ancient Naples
“Well you can’t leave Naples without seeing Mt. Vesuvius!”
Being the travel junkie I am, I am constantly asking people for recommendations of places to see while in Italy and almost all of them have said the the above statement. And being one of the most famous volcanos in the world, I don’t blame them! That being said, when I saw the tour available through the local travel office, I jumped on it with a quickness.
Some History of Mt. Vesuvius
Mt. Vesuvius is an active volcano located on the southwest shoreline of Italy, near the bustling city of Napes. It has erupted many times in the last near 2000 years where it has caused extensive damage to surrounding cities. Its most famous eruption was in 79AD which engulfed the famous ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, leaving about 16,000 people in its shadow. When ascending the mountain, you can still see the lava flow from its most recent eruption during WWII in 1944. With all this activity, you’d be surprised to know that nearly 2 million people live in a dangerous zone at the base and in surrounding cities to the volcano.
See my posts about Herculaneum and Pompeii to learn more about the damage from the historical eruption of 79 AD.
My Experience on Mt. Trouble Maker
Yes I’ll admit it. I payed the local tour company to take me into the mouth of the very active and possibly most famous volcano in the world. Sure, when put into those words it sounds less than desirable, but I was excited nonetheless. Who doesn’t like a little risk?
We loaded up the bus and drove the 45 or so minutes to the base of the volcano. We then began the ascent to the starting point of the hike which is surprisingly pretty far up the mountain.* The hike from that point was surprisingly pretty short and sweet. There are three huts with snacks, drinks, and of course souvenirs along the trail. It took me about 45 minutes of hiking with a few picture breaks to reach the third hut which marks the end of the trail. The trail was popular but not overly crowded for my taste, but I also went on a Sunday. There were families with children who reached the top in about an hour or so with no real issues.
Although the hike is not overly excruciating, the view of the bay was absolutely gorgeous and totally worth the 45 minutes of leisurely hiking. The clouds and breeze were pretty active on this day so I had to take pictures while the sky was clear or the view wasn’t as mesmerizing. There were also benches for seating near and at the top and plenty of photo opportunities with the view of the bay as well as the crater.
My Final Thoughts
Overall I would recommend this stop for anyone in the area. It’s so rich in history but easy enough to complete in a short amount of time and with family. Plus, it gives you an adrenaline rush knowing that it could erupt again at any moment!
*Note that you can start to hike at the bottom but for this specific tour, we were dropped off at the actual hike starting point. If you choose to start from the bottom, you will just be walking the roads until you get to the marked starting point. Either way you choose to get there, you will have to pay the entrance fee to continue from that point to the top of the volcano. If you do choose to drive up without a tour group, there is a parking lot with a fee lower down the mountain than the hike starting point, only buses and hikers are allowed beyond the parking lot point. Also, note that there is an area right before the hiking starting point to sit and get refreshments and souvenirs for those who may not be up for the hike.
Thank you for reading and happy traveling.
Date Visited: July 6, 2019
