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Vesuvius Review

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Vesuvius

Fodor's Review:

Vesuvius may have lost its plume of smoke, but it has lost none of its fascination -- especially for those who live in the towns around the cone. They've now nicknamed it the "Sterminator." In centuries gone by, their predecessors would study the volcano for signs of impending destruction. Napoli fa i peccati e la Torre li paga, the residents of nearby Torre del Greco used to mutter -- "Naples sins and the Torre suffers." When reports of depraved behavior circulated about Neapolitans across the bay, chastisement was only to be expected. Today, the world continues to watch Il Vesuvio with bated breath. Although its destructive powers are undoubtedly diminished, the threat of an eruption is ever present. In bygone ages the task of protecting the local inhabitants fell to the martyred patron saint of Naples, San Gennaro, or St. Januarius, whose statue was often borne aloft through the streets of the city in an effort to placate the volcano's wrath. Today, volcanic activity is attentively monitored by the Osservatorio Vesuviano. Founded under Bourbon king Ferdinand II in the mid-19th century, it's the facility where the seismic scale was invented. The original observatory, conspicuous with its Pompeian-red facade, has survived unscathed on the volcano's upper slopes and now serves as a conference center and small museum: the Museo dell'Osservatorio Vesuviano houses a mineralogical display, characteristic landscape gouaches, early seismographs, and information panels. Access during the week is restricted to scientific groups, associations, and schools. Via Osservatorio, Ercolano. 081/6108483. www.ov.ingv.it. Free. Weekends 10-2

Seen from the other side of the Bay of Naples, Vesuvius appears to have two peaks: on the northern side is the steep face of Monte Somma, possibly part of the original crater wall in AD 79; to the south is the present-day cone of Vesuvius, which has actually formed within the ancient crater. The AD 79 cone would have been considerably higher, perhaps peaking at more than 6,000 feet. The upper slopes bear the visible scars left by 19th- and 20th-century eruptions, the most striking being the lava flow from 1944 lying to the left (north side) of the approach road from Ercolano on the way up. Halfway up, the Park Info Point (081/7717549. www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it) has information on a series of trails; a favorite one includes footpath up from San Sebastiano, following the course of the old rack railroad wiped out by the 1944 eruption and emerging close to the Osservatorio.

For public transport users, the 10-seat minibuses run by Vesuvio Express (081/7393666. www.vesuvioexpress.it) are a quick, painless, and relatively cheap way of getting to the top (EUR 10 return from Ercolano station). At peak times you wait (in the office to the left of the station exit) 10-20 minutes for a group to form. The minibus then threads its way rapidly up on backroads, reaching Quota 1000 (the car park) after about 20 minutes and will wait to take you down. Allow at least 2 1/2 hours for the round-trip, including your walk up to the crater. For those driving up, the road is sometimes confusingly marked, but as a general rule look for the brown Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio signs from the Herculaneum (Ercolano) or Torre del Greco autostrada exits and keep heading upward for about 20 minutes. (For taxi rides up Vesuvius from Torre del Greco or Pompeii, expect to pay about EUR 90 round-trip.)

When you get to the parking lot at the top, for extra security opt to pay the EUR 2.50 parking charge. The parking lot, minibus terminal, and ticket office at Quota 1000 lie roughly 20 minutes' walk (about a 400-foot climb) from the nearest viewing point down into the crater. You have to pay an entrance fee at the National Park kiosk in the car park of EUR 6.50 (open from 9 AM until two hours before sunset), which covers the cost of a compulsory but somewhat elusive guide service. You will be offered a sturdy walking stick on leaving the parking lot (a small tip is appreciated on your return). The path is kept in good repair, but wear nonskid shoes (not sandals) and come prepared for strong winds. Once you've seen the fumaroles and gazed down as much as 600 feet into the wondrous depths of the crater, take in the broad sweep around the Bay of Naples -- though you'll probably find the city of Naples more photogenic from lower down the slopes, near the observatory.

Times have changed considerably since the days of Lord and Lady Hamilton: the tarmac road served more than 400,000 visitors in 2005, though facilities at the parking lot and above are still skeletal. Ugly souvenir stands grate with the wilderness, and there may be as many as 30 tour buses offloading their cargoes at any one time. It's even more reason to get here first thing in the morning to appreciate the sharper vistas and raw beauty of the volcano.

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