Mount Vesuvius looms over the city and bay of Naples, a visible reminder of the huge impact the volcano has had (and still has) on the area. You can see it for miles around, but did you know you can visit and climb right up to the crater? In this guide I’ll be talking about how to visit Mount Vesuvius so that you have an amazing experience.

All the details you need for how to visit Mount Vesuvius

When you visit Mount Vesuvius, you are visiting the Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio. This was set up in 1995 to preserve the numerous plants, trees and animal species, as well as to study and understand the natural processes of the volcano and its environment.

The Volcano

Vesuvius is not actually the original volcano here. When the volcanic complex first formed it was much larger and taller, with estimates placing it around 2000 meters high (today the highest peak is around 1270 meters tall). This ancient volcano is referred to as Mount Somma. In a series of eruptions that started around 25,000 years ago, Mount Somma formed a huge caldera crater out of which the Gran Cono (‘The Great Cone’) peak) of Mount Vesuvius started to appear.

The devastating eruption in AD 79 that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum also blew the top off Mount Somma, reducing the height of the volcano significantly. The Gran Cono fully emerged following this eruption, and today the Vesuvius crater sits inside the remnants of the Mount Somma caldera. This gives Mount Vesuvius its distinctive double peak shape when seen from certain angles.

While smaller than Mount Somma, the crater of Vesuvius is still enormous. It is about 450 meters wide and 300 meters deep. Being able to walk around part of its rim and see the crater in person is really special!

Volcanic Eruptions

Beyond the famous eruption in AD 79, Mount Vesuvius has erupted many more times – although none with the same force and destruction as that one.

A number of eruptions happened between the 3rd and 10th centuries, but it calmed down for a period. Vesuvius was cultivated, with vines and orchards covering large parts of the slopes, herds of animals grazed here and thick forests grew higher up.

This was not to last, with Vesuvius entering a new phase of activity. Through the summer of 1631 there had been signs that something was wrong. People reported hearing odd sounds, seeing smoke and even strange light coming from the slopes. Rockfalls and landslides became common, plants and trees started dying and previously clean water sources started turning salty or muddy.

As the year went on, tremors became more frequent, culminating in an intense earthquake felt for miles on December 15. The next day Vesuvius exploded. An eruption column shot up into the air which lasted for hours, shooting rock and stone into the air. The next day there was another intense earthquake before molten lava started spewing out of the crater. These lava flows devastated everything in their path, including many villages to the south of Naples.

Local legend says that Naples was saved thanks to the intervention of San Gennaro, whose relics were brought out and asked to protect the city. His divine intervention in stopping the lava flows from reaching Naples is still commemorated each year on December 15.

After 1631 there continued to be regular eruptions, even into the 20th century. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944, but seems to have entered a period of relative calm with no further significant activity since then.

Monitoring and Safety

Vesuvius is still classed as an active volcano, so the potential for an eruption is there. However this should not be a concern for travel to the region.

The first volcanology institute in the world was established on the slopes of Vesuvius by the King of Naples in 1841. Multiple means of monitoring activity are in place, upgraded with modern technology of course, all designed to learn if there is any indication magma is rising.

Given the close proximity to Naples, Vesuvius is one of the most-monitored volcanoes anywhere in the world and there are extensive emergency plans in place should it show any sign of increased activity.

You can visit Mount Vesuvius year-round but there are definitely some points of the year when you’ll have a better experience.

Firstly, visiting in the winter is a gamble. Visitors are not allowed up to the crater when the weather conditions are poor, so you could book tickets only to be disappointed. If it is raining, cloudy or misty (meaning low visibility), icy or very windy it is not safe and the decision to close or not is often taken with very little notice.

The winter months, particularly January and February, are not ideal therefore. You can get lucky with mild, bright days though so you can make a last-minute decision. If you wake up during a winter trip and see there are no clouds around the summit, you should have no problem getting a last minute ticket booked!

The most reliable weather conditions come during the summer, but of course this is when Vesuvius is more popular. Book your tickets or tours in advance and be prepared for more people to be around. The numbers of visitors are controlled so it is never packed up at the crater however. It is also much cooler up at the top of the volcano which makes for a nice break from the summer heat.

For the ideal balance of good weather and less people, aim to visit Mount Vesuvius in early spring or the fall. The chance of weather-related closures is lower and there is more ticket availability.

You can take one of the hiking paths that circle the volcano. Set up to allow visitors to explore more of the national park, some routes do not go up to the crater but they are all interesting. Visit the official Vesuvius National Park website here to get the details of all the routes but be aware that most of them are for experienced hikers.

You can drive most of the way up Mount Vesuvius in a private car. Set your GPS for Parcheggio Vesuvio which is where you will need to park. From here it is a pretty long walk up the road to the actual entrance to the crater. Avoid this walk by taking the shuttle bus which runs back and forth all day and costs only a few euro.

If you are coming from Rome or other places in Campania, you can definitely visit Mount Vesuvius as part of a day trip.

The buses only run from the Circumvesuviana stops so you will need to transfer onto this line which is separate from the regular railways. Coming from Rome, Salerno or other places inland, transfer at Napoli Centrale to get down to the Circumvesuviana.

If you want to get the bus from the Ercolano Scavi station, you can also take Line 4 from Naples, a local train which stops here but does not stop at the Pompeii Scavi station.

If you are staying in Sorrento, this is the end of the Circumvesuviana line so get on the train and head towards Naples.

Of the two available stops, the Ercolano Scavi station is closer to Vesuvius. However, only the special Campania Express trains stop here at the moment coming from Sorrento so the trains are infrequent. All the trains stop at Pompeii Scavi so this is a more reliable option for transferring to Vesuvius if you’re starting in Sorrento.

If you’re staying along the Amalfi Coast your best (and most direct) option is a private transfer or tour. Getting to Sorrento to take the train is not a quick journey, and relies on multiple steps all going to plan.

Understanding how to visit Mount Vesuvius is crucial to having a great experience, as there are some specific things to remember when planning your trip. Plan your transport in advance as well as booking your entrance ticket for the crater, and wear appropriate clothing and footwear to avoid any problems.

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