Is It Worth It to Hike Mt. Vesuvius?

On a recent trip to Naples, my friends and I decided to check out Mt. Vesuvius. I had actually hiked it previously, back in 2008 or so, making this my second time. I didn't remember it being terribly exciting, but they were keen, and I didn't want to miss out.

Views from the Summit of Mt. Vesuvius

In my opinion, the best part of hiking Mt. Vesuvius is the views. The hike starts on the back side of the volcano, curves up the mountain basically 180 degrees, and ends almost directly on the other side of where you started. By the time you finish, you have amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea. The city of Naples is to the right (photo on the right), and you can find Sorrento at the very tip of the land to your left (in the photo on the left).

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You can also theoretically see the island of Capri just to the right of Sorrento on the mainland. Unfortunately, it was all but obscured by the fog, but it is hiding as a bit of a shadow in the photo on the left. Finally, the ancient city of Pompeii is also technically visible from here and in that same photo. I say technically because it is quite hard to find since it is tucked right into the surrounding Neapolitan suburbs. (If you zoom in on the photo, it's part of the green space just inland from the large jetty.)

But again, don't go to Vesuvius hoping for views of Pompeii. They are farther apart than you'd think. You're really just getting a nice view of the Gulf of Naples and this extremely well-known section of Campania.

What does the inside of Mt. Vesuvius look like?

Mt. Vesuvius technically has two craters that overlap significantly. The larger of the two was formed in 1906, when the volcano erupted, and the summit collapsed in on itself. Then, over the course of years, a lot of the crater was filled in by eruptions and landslides, and a new cone formed inside the crater. A second eruption in 1944 destroyed this cone and reshaped the summit of Mt. Vesuvius, creating the smaller crater that we see today.

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So when you get to the summit of Mt. Vesuvius, you are basically standing along the rim of the 1906 crater and peering down into the newer 1944 crater. What you see is a crater nearly 1,000 feet deep and almost double that in width in some places (it's not a perfect circle). The cliffside shows the volcanic rock, and the bottom is filled with years of eroded rock and, miraculously, trees.

It is pretty cool to see, although, personally, I found the views of the landscape more interesting than the views of the inside of the crater. It's no Crater Lake, is all I'm saying.

How long does it take to hike Mt. Vesuvius?

The hike from the parking lot to the summit of Mt. Vesuvius is actually quite short. It is just over one mile one way. However, with an elevation gain of more than 600 feet, the hike is decently steep. Plus, the ground is not easy to walk on: it feels like walking on the beach, with the volcanic sand constantly shifting underfoot.

Finally, keep in mind that there is no shade, so if you visit during the summer, you could have a 100-degree sun bearing down on you the whole time. Therefore, depending on your physical abilities, the hike may take roughly an hour (40 minutes up, 20 minutes down) or closer to two. That said, it is doable. I struggled with the heat but had to continue (for the sake of my ego) after seeing older folks and small children make the climb.

You may also choose to rest at one of the four souvenir stations along the route. There's one right at the beginning, two near where you initially summit the volcano, and one at the very, very end of the trail. In addition to souvenirs, they sell beverages and snacks in case you forget to bring water or need a little energy to finish the hike. All told, the bus driver gave us two hours to get back to the bus, and it was the perfect amount of time.

Is Mt. Vesuvius worth it?

As long as it takes to summit Mt. Vesuvius, it takes just as long (probably longer) to get there. We used a transport service that left from a cafe near Napoli Porta Nolana and made one stop along the way. The ride was nearly an hour each direction, making a visit to Mt. Vesuvius a solid half-day excursion despite being just a one-mile hike!

One final calculation - we paid $40 USD per person for our "tour," which included the transport and the park entrance fee. There wasn't any instruction or tour, but that was what the ticket was called.

If you have enough time during your trip to Naples and/or you're really passionate about volcanoes, then sure, throw it on the itinerary. Some people may also find it interesting to pair, as we did, one day at Mt. Vesuvius and the next at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii.

However, if your trip to Naples is brief or you're not a big hiker, you have my permission to skip Mt. Vesuvius. Many people and blog sites will tell you that Mt. Vesuvius is a must-do, but I simply disagree. Pompeii is definitely more worth the time (and easier to get to), and there are other great spots in the heart of Naples to take a walk, see some lava rocks, and even get a great view of the Gulf of Naples.