Its takes about 35-40mins to walk to the top and around the top of the crater. Make sure you have some good foot wear on, and ladies don't go wearing heals or wedges as we saw some people!!
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To marvel at natureIt dominates the background of any view of the Bay of naples, lording over the landscape like a sleeping giant. It's stunning from afar, but if you truly want to appreciate its grandeur you have to visit Mount Vesuvius and take a hike around its massive crater, which is just 6 miles from Naples.
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.
We both strongly recommend doing Pompeii before Vesuvius for several reasons, but it is absolutely possible to do them the other way round; just follow these steps in reverse and keep a keen eye on timetables.
In reality, it is a formation that includes two volcanoes: the Monte Somma (dormant) and the Vesuvius (Gran Cono). Since 1995, Vesuvius is a national park and you can walk up to its summit.
Could It Erupt Again? Yes! Mount Vesuvius is considered an active volcano that sits on top of an extremely deep layer of magma—154 miles into the earth. Geologists think the volcano is overdue for an eruption, so it is likely to happen and it won't be pretty.
The hiking trail around Mount Vesuvius crater – the Great Cono – is indicated on local maps as nature trail n. 5 “Il Gran Cono”. It's a 4 km (2.5 mi) loop hike that takes about 3 hours. In the past, it was possible to hike the entire perimeter of the crater.
If you buy a skip the line ticket, you will skip the long lines and get entrance into Pompeii. If you want to avoid the long lines, we recommend spending the extra money and buying skip the line ticket. This means you will have more time to explore Pompeii and not waste time standing in line for ages.
You will be happy to know that there is no particular dress code for Pompeii but ? like most walkable landmarks ? we recommend wearing comfortable shoes and clothing, as you don't want to find your feet getting sore after just a half hour of touring the site!
The volcano erupted again in 1631, six times in the 18th century (including 1779 and 1794), eight times in the 19th century (notably in 1872), and in 1906, 1929 and 1944. There have been no eruptions since 1944, and none of the eruptions after AD 79 were as large or destructive as the Pompeian one.
You can see all of Pompeii's main attractions in around two to three hours, taking in the preserved ruins that once made this town such a thriving place.
You can easily combine Pompeii with a visit to the crater on Mount Vesuvius and do both in one day. Here are my tips to help you plan your own day trip from Naples!