A day trip to Mount Vesuvius is a must as it remains one of the most iconic landmarks of Campania.
From when you land in Naples International Airport and for the entire time you are in the surrounding areas, you won’t be able to miss the symbol of the city.
Vesuvius is the only active volcano in Europe and is also one of the world’s most dangerous.
At the very beginning, Vesuvius was known only for its excellent wines and thick vegetation. But it suddenly became even more famous with the eruption of 79 AD, in which entire cities, including Pompeii and Herculaneum, were destroyed.
The last eruption was in 1944 and it was filmed by allied forces. Since then the volcano has remained dormant.
In 1991 the entire volcano area was made into a National Park and declared a World Biosphere Reserve by Unesco. The Vesuvius National Park includes the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis, and the Miglio d’Oro (Golden Mile). The area features the most beautiful villas originating from the 18th and 19th century.
Our Day trip to Mount Vesuvius
Where we started our excursion
There are a number of different paths running through the National Park. They differ according to the landscape that they take in and the level of difficulty.
You can start the excursion from Herculaneum, Ottaviano or Somma Vesuviana. If you are a passionate trekker, you can do a 4 km climb from Herculaneum in around 3 hours.
We decided to make our journey half way to the top by driving to one of the National Park entries, Boscotrecase. From there we jumped on one of the authorised excursion buses. The buses stop you half way to the top of the mountain, around 1,050 metres altitude. The top of the crater is only reachable by foot. We then walked following our guide on the main path reaching the top.
Once at the top there is a little shop open for refreshments. Our guide then took us for a tour around the crater. Following the trails, we also spotted the Vesuvian Observatory. The oldest scientific institution dedicated to the study of volcanoes.
We decided to take the same route back down the mountain.
Where we eat
The area is unique and famous for the wide range of produce, especially wine, and original flavours. Thanks to the soil rich in minerals, the excellent drainage and the Mediterranean climate.
Our day trip to Mount Vesuvius included a wine tasting at one of the closest vineyard. We headed to Cantina del Vesuvio‘s vineyard. (We loved it so much we wrote a separate post on it here!) The property has 16 hectares of vineyard and produce one of the most famous wine of the area, the Lacrima Christi, which we got to taste in all its different shades.
After a quick tour of the property we headed to our wine tasting which was the best way to end our amazing Vesuvius excursion.
Looking ahead and want to plan your next trip? Make sure to check out our apartments via our ‘Stay with us’ section! We’d love to welcome you to our Italian home!
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