Since 1995, Vesuvius is a national park and you can walk up to its summit. The best known and tourist route to follow on Mount Vesuvius is that of the Gran Cono, which leads through a steep path to the mouth of the crater.

Yes, you can visit Mount Vesuvius on your own in 2026, but it requires significant advance planning. Since 2020, tickets to the "Gran Cono" (the Great Crater) are sold exclusively online via the official Vivaticket portal and are released in strictly limited numbers. There is no physical ticket office at the mountain, and cellular signal at the summit is notoriously poor, so you must have your digital ticket downloaded before you arrive. You can drive your own car or take a taxi to the high-altitude parking area, or use the "Vesuvio Express" bus from the Ercolano Scavi or Pompeii train stations. Once you reach the entrance gate at the 1,000-meter mark, the visit is a self-guided hike on a well-maintained trail. While a volcanological guide is often available at the crater rim to answer questions (included in the ticket price), you are free to hike the trail and enjoy the panoramic views of the Bay of Naples at your own pace within your assigned 100-minute time slot.