Visit the Vesuvius national park

The Vesuvius is the star among the active volcanoes, with its 400.000 years of history, besides being the symbol of the city of Napoli.

Nowadays, it is possible to visit the Vesuvio national park that, through its paths, will take you to the top of one of the most popular volcanoes in the world.

The Vesuvius is a polygenic mixed volcano populated by several animal species such as foxes, green frogs, emerald toads, beetles and butterflies, hawks and bats, a true “chest of biodiversities to protect”.

Also the volcano’s flora is amazing, with more than 1000 plant species including very uncommon species as well, such as the Silene gallica, the Genista aetnensis and the wild orchids.

To reach the Vesuvio national park, take the regional train that leaves from the Napoli train station in piazza Garibaldi and gets to Salerno and get off at Portici-Ercolano; here you can take the line 5 bus and get off at Ercolano-Vesuvio.

Alternatively, you can take the Napoli-Sorrento circumvesuviana train that leaves from Piazza Garibaldi and get off at either Ercolano or Pompei. From Pompei, take the tramway to the Vesuvius.

The A3 highway allows you to reach the Vesuvius by car as well. You have to leave the car at the Vesuvius’ car park (fee-paying) and then take the shuttle bus that will take you to the ticket office at  an altitude of 1000 metres.

The parco nazionale del Vesuvio offers 11 itineraries (for a total length of 54 km of trekking routes), including six circular routes, a didactic one, a panoramic one and a farming one.

The Vesuvius trekking paths are: Valle dell’inferno (Hell’s Valley); the Ottaviano’s Cognoli (Mount tops); the traverse of the Somma Mount; the Tirone – Alto Vesuvio nature reserve; the path to the Great Cone of the Vesuvius that leads to the crater; the Matrone road; the vallone (great valley) della profica; the rack train itinerary; the walk on the lava river; the sea-buckthorn among the countryside of Sant’Anastasia; the pine forest of Terzigno.

The most popular path is the Gran Cono del Vesuvio path that leads to the top of the crater, where you can take a walk with the alpine and volcanological guides. From the crater you will enjoy an amazing view of the Campania region. Moreover, the fumaroles covering the inner faces of the volcano will constantly remind you of being on the top of an active volcano. The ticket to this path is € 10,00.

For further information about schedule, tickets and reservations please check the parconazionaledelvesuvio.it website.