Vesuvius National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Advertisement
Vesuvius National Park

Vesuvius National Park

Vesuvius National Park
4
About
The only active volcano on the mainland of Europe, Mount Vesuvius is famous for the calamitous eruption in 79AD, which buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Admission tickets
from
$24.37
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Vesuvius National Park

See what travelers are saying

  • Karim Maarouf
    Cairo, Egypt938 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Views
    I came here as part of a guided tour to both Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius. I think this is the best, albeit much more expensive way to visit. It seems organizing transportation on your own and then trying to buy a ticket is very difficult and frustrating. Being part of a tour, we didn't have to worry about any of that and were able to enjoy the visit. The hike up to the crater wasn't too difficult and the views along the way and inside the crater were fantastic. You can go all around the crater, but we didn't have much time to do the whole cycle and it didn't seem that necessary anyway.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 21, 2023
  • nicole c
    45 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Anyone can do it!
    Amazing experience. Highly recommend Vesuvio Express (they squeezed us two into an earlier bus and waited 5 mins as we were a little slower to get back). I was really worried if I'd be able to make it up as I'm not fit/skinny/a hiker (a few flights of stairs and I'm out of breath!). To anyone in the same position, I'd say 90% of getting up is determination! Take your time, don't worry about everyone going past, use the sticks (we gave a €5 tip for two), be careful with your footing. Think of it as an escalating ramp of steepness - first few parts are shorter, then they get really steep and intense. It's not so much being out of breath but more your muscles, my calves were killing after. When you see the shop, you're pretty much there. Coming down takes time to avoid slipping. Also, they do take card at the little shop. Go, try it, it'll be the best rush!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 2, 2023
  • WeLoveDisneyland
    296 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see and do if you have the time and physical ability
    This is a nice hike and all uphill. Suggest a tour bus/group to get there as the public bus is a distance from the trailhead/entrance. I went on a clear day below, but it was cloudy and foggy at the top so no view- however you can detect the smell of sulfur at the caldera when you are at the top! Allow a couple of hours for the top- but most tours give you and hour and a half. Bring water but there are rest areas with souvenirs and drinks along the way.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 12, 2023
  • Andreas067
    Rhodes Town, Greece208 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    GREAT CLIMB - BAD ORGANIZATION.
    The site is amazing and the climb till the top, though tiring is totally worth it. However, the administration is very bad: you can not get a ticket on the entrance, you have to book it online. Where online? it is difficult to find which website is the official one since there are many websites that pop ups trying to sell you a guide as well for a lot of money. Finally and with the help of a fellow tourist (not the employees at the entrance who were useless and stupid), i managed to book it last minute. No need to book a guide since with the entrance ticket is included a guide on site at 2 important stages of the volcano
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 20, 2023
  • Adrana V
    21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Climb a volcano.
    Amazing views from the top of the volcano. The hike to the top is a bit strenuous but by taking a break every 100m or so we made it. You can see into the crater from the top. We didn't go around the other side as we would not have made it back in time for the bus ride back to Herculaneum. The wind can get quite strong up top so hold onto your hats.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 12, 2023
  • MtEverest
    245 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A couple guick advice
    We just went there - I imagine in the summer when the hours are longer things may be very different. And I don't know why you need a guided tour here. Public transporation is straightforward. Just be there at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time, which is available online. The departure is at the two entrances to Pompeii park, not difficult to find. You pay the driver directly (3.60 Euro). A very scenic 50 minute ride. Also, remember you must get timed entry to the walk on line. And here is the trick. There is no way to get it without an Italian phone. So you need to ask a friend, the hotel, or your ABnB host for help. The walk up is about 1 hour, down 30 minutes. A bit steep. You don't get to see the whole caldera. There are food stands along the way for refreshments.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 30, 2023
  • Herbert C
    1,787 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hiking an active volcano
    Hiking a mountain is no doubt an exciting adventure, but even more exhilarating is hiking an active volcano and peering down its crater. This is precisely the experience when taking on Mount Vesuvius, famous for its catastrophic eruption in AD79 which buried the town of Pompeii. This popular national park can be covered on a day-trip guided tour from Naples which also includes the Pompeii archaeological site. Standing majestically at a height of 1,281 metres, Mount Vesuvius is clearly visible from Naples, dominating the backdrop of the city. From the entrance of the park, the ascent to the crater takes about an hour, with the return descent about half that time. Enroute, the view of Naples and its surroundings that greeted you is nothing short of spectacular. If you're unlucky like we were, it can get rather foggy on certain days, greatly dampening your hiking adventure as the fog obscured your views of the surroundings and the crater. Regardless, given its infamy and historical significance, Mount Vesuvius which last erupted in 1944 is definitely one of those places that must be included in your travel bucket list.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 18, 2024
  • Wendy S
    Basingstoke, United Kingdom261 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible Walk Don't Use The Walking Sticks!!
    Booked last minute from Herculaneum (by the train station ) Excellent price of €25 pp including entry to the crater. The coach was very comfortable and the driver so skilled!! The views are incredible on the way up. The walk from the entrance to the crater took us about an hour (lots of photography) The path is good, a little rocky but it's fine. The crater and views are out of this world and absolutely worth seeing. Warning*** a man gave us walking stick to use on the way. At this point he was very nice. On return he asked for a €10-20 tip and was extremely rude, (I don't need to know Italian to know I was being cussed) when we stated we had no cash. Personally we don't usually when travelling - maybe I'm in the wrong. Avoid if you not willing or able to tip it really did dampen the mood. But otherwise this trip should be on everyone's bucket list!!
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 25, 2024
  • Jonas Gunnarsson
    Stockholm, Sweden676 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent views, but the arrangements around getting up there are horrible
    First, the experience itself is great. You will be dropped of at approx. 1000 m, and then you walk the last 200 or so altitude meters. It is not too bad, but still takes some effort. Bring water, particularly if the temperature is high. We picked a day when there were few clouds, and as a result, the views were spectacular. We could see Naples and Pompei below and the islands of Capri and Ischia in the distance. Looking down the crater from the 1944 eruption with sulfuric gases still coming out is an eerie experience. So, in essence, the experience itself is highly recommended, particularly if you can do it on a day when you can admire the views. But the arrangements to get there are horrible. In order to limit the number of the people on the cone, a limited number of tickets are sold for specific time slots. These tickets can (and will) run out for popular times of the day. You will have to buy tickets well in advance to be certain that you will be allowed to hike up the mountain when you want to do it. Hence, if you want to wait to see what the weather forecast says, you will most likely be out of luck. One hour before every time slot, ten tickets are sold as "last minute tickets". However, these tickets sell out one or two seconds (literally) after they are released, so after about seven or eight attempts, I realized that I wouldn't be able to get last minute tickets on this beautiful day. At Pompei train station, there are people who will be happy to take you to the mountain and back. Where they got the tickets, I have no idea, but since that was the only way to get tickets, I had to bite the bullet and buy the service from them. My initial plan was to buy the tickets on line for around €11 and then take the local bus up and down the mountain for €7.20 per person r/t. But since the bus ride requires that you have a ticket to the mountain, which I couldn't obtain, I had to go with the other guys for €35 per person. In essence, a great experience on a good day. But you have to make a decision if you want to plan well in advance to save some money, or decide to go when you know weather is favorable, but be prepared to potentially pay a premium for it.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 13, 2024
  • sue d
    King's Lynn, United Kingdom264 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Vesuvius!!!!
    Amazing to visit a volcano, a bit surreal. Booked a trip with a local company in Pompeii, and they take you on a bus most of the way up. Then you walk the rest. Enjoyed the walk, make sure you wear good footwear, take a drink and snacks, even though there are a few places to get drinks and keepsakes.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled on business
    Written April 18, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles8,738 reviews
Excellent
4,532
Very good
2,410
Average
888
Poor
343
Terrible
565

Constantin D
Boras, Sweden42 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
The Vesuvius itself is amazing, the organization and the care for tourists are a huge shame.

The tickets can be bought only online, which is fine.

The problems is that they are valid only 30 minutes after that chosen time. And this is a huge issue for many because:

1. The road getting there is poorly indicated with road signs.
2. You have to leave your car in a improvised parking few km away from the entrance and take a shuttle (2 euros pp) to the cone and back. The shuttle doesn't have any clear schedule. It leaves when it is full. (This info doesn't appear on the website:)
3. Once at the gate, there is absolutely no internet connection around either by mobile phone or wifi. So, if you thought that you could show the tickets on your email, forget about that. (This info doesn't appear either on the website.)
3 a. Oh, there are signs marked "free wifi", but the wifi is simply dead.
4. If you try to enter 31 minutes after the booked time... you are simply invited to buy new tickets and to forget about the expensive tickets you already bought.

Nobody absolutely nobody cares about your protests and your money. You are simply suggested to call the National Park if you are unhappy. I tried... nobody picked up the phone there. The call was cut after 1 minute.

We managed to be there 25 minutes after the booked time but, because of lack of internet, we could show them the tickets 9 minutes later... and that thanks to the kindness of a souvenirs seller who shared his own internet connection with us.

Anyway, 36 minutes after the booked time was way too late and the only thing we could go was to drive back to Napoli, together with two very sad kids, after we offered an 42 euros present to the Vesuvius National Park.

Many, really many tourists (most of the foreigners) were in the same situation.
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nat D
Ostend, Belgium20 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
We bought tickets online to visit the crater on 28/7 we followed instructions on the website on taking the public transport (bus in Pompei at piazza anfiteatro) Normally there was a bus leaving at 9:40 am but we waited and no bus came. Someone from a commercial tourist office further in the street told us that because of Covid 19 in these summermonths there is no public transport from pompei to the Vesuvius. They then tried to sell us private transfer for 70 euro back and forth, which offcourse we declined. Because we have read that sometimes these commercial offices say there are no buses so they can sell you tickets for their tour, we went to the official tourism office (at the corner of piazza Bartolongo Longo and via Sacea) for more information. There they confirmed that there are no public buses going to Vesuvius from Pompei this summer, but there is a shuttle transfer from Ercolano which you could reach by train from Pompei Vesuviano station. We recommend going to the official tourist office for information beforehand because the information Webfeeds found online concerning the transport was not correct. On the public busstop there was no notification that the bus didn't drove and a lot of tourists missed their entry slot for the Vesuvius because of that. I am including a picture of the timetable at the busstop in Pompei.
Written July 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jane I
Wakefield, UK78 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
It’s a bit of a faff to organise and you need to build in contingency for not that reliable trains but worth it . Must get tickets on line before you go. Preserve with the website chucks you out a couple of times and makes you register with lots of authentication codes but will work eventually.
We got a slot for 1.00 pm and this means you can arrive half an hour before or after but actually on the day it was quiet and we had built in so much extra time to get there they let us in an hour early. The EAV public bus stops right outside Pompeii scavi train station and was on time . You have to pay on board. 3.20 euros each way very reasonable. Do not take a taxi ! They were charging 70 euros each to sit in a minibus taxi such a rip off. The walk up the crater is fine and worth the amazing views into the crater was a bit of steam and sulphur . It’s not the best volcano been up but it’s so iconic of the area worth going to.
Written September 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sn0d
Kent20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We journeyed from Sorrento to Pompei by train alighting at Pompei Scavi which is at the entrance to the ruins of Pompei. We dropped our bags at the left luggage facility at Scavi station, which is a useful feature of many European stations not commonly found in the UK. We then dodged the hard sell from a man with a lanyard who appeared to be an official ushering people to a ticket office within the station to collect tickets for the ruins (we had previously bought ours at the entrance) and who insisted we took the 8-seater van for only 5€ per person each way as the bus would be full and we would have to stand. The bus arrived late, as do most things in Italy it would seem, but despite being at the back of the queue, we were seated and set off with the 8-seater still parked. It is 45 minutes to the top as the bus wends its way first on motorway then on winding road to the car park 200m below the summit. Tickets to the volcano were offered on the bus by a woman who hopped on at our arrival, who could well have been genuine, but we opted for the 100m downhill walk to the official ticket office where we paid 10€ each. The walk is demanding, but we took our time and stopped once or twice to catch breath. Pick a cloudless day as the views will take your mind off the climb, and it's very much worth the workout when you make it to the top. We inadvertently boarded a bus on the way back which took us to a different stop in Pompei, but only 15 minutes walk to Scavi Station where we started. You may find this route a preferable alternative to the outward journey described here. I would predict a very different experience in the hotter and busier months of Summer.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jen M
Shrewsbury, UK13 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Couples
Worth a visit if your in the area, great views
From the top!
Make sure you book tickets online in advance,
You cannot but tickets at the entrance and will find yourself having made a wasted journey. You must buy off the Ercolano National Park website (VivaTicket), and they will then email you instantly a PDF ticket to scan yourself In when you get to Vesuvius.

If Driving there, You can park in the Car park and pay for for the shuttle bus to the ticket style, €2 per person return.
Once at the ticket style and scanned your ticket it’s about a 20 mins walk to the top -
Very dusty, recommend closed toe shoes no sandals.

You will have a blast!
Written September 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrea M
London, UK32 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
The terrible circumvesuviana train was delayed so we missed our time slot and had to get another ticket (we didn’t get a refund for the first ticket).
Vesuvio Express from Ercolano Scavi is a terrible service. Rude, uninformative, and they give inconsistent pricing. I wish there was another way for people without a car to reach the start of the trail, because definitely I would not recommend Vesuvio Express. Unfortunately they have a monopoly (no taxi drivers in sight, no public transport surprisingly). Once you reach the 1000 meters platform by bus, then you can start hiking up. Amazing views of the Gulf of Naples, but to be fair the volcano is rather unimpressive. Good for the view, but definitely not worth the price (12€!) to go up. Better see the view from Posillipo!
Written July 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lisa
16 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
You have to book your ticket to get to the vesuv online BEFORE your visit! We were lucky and booked the ticket in advance but we met a lot of people who didn‘t have tickets and made all the way up there for nothing because they don‘t sell ANY tickets at the entrance!!

You can drive to the entrance of the national park only as close as 2.5km. Then you need to park your car and walk the rest or take a shuttle taxi for 2€ (up and down). Once you‘ve reached the entrance it takes you another 900m (very steep part) to get to the vesuv!

As someone NOT speaking italien I suggest you to NOT book a „guided tour“. We booked one and waited half an hour at the sign which says „meeting point guided tours“. No one paid us any attention until we finally approached someone to give us a tour. The „guide“ briefly told us something about the landscape and quickly left us on our own. Meanwhile the italien groups were guided along the vesuv including demonstrations with some pictures etc. Unfortunately, we were feeling like second class tourists!
So better spend the money on some nice food than the „guided tour“ at the vesuv!

Other than that, the vesuv is very beautiful to look at and you have a wonderful view on naples and the whole golf of naples!
Written August 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roxana_Anghel
Munich, Germany25 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
The sight and volcano are 5 stars, but some of services on site are worth 1 star. Gorgeous location, breathtaking views, and kind guides.

However, as others have mentioned, the people offering the shuttle service from the parking and the quality of the transfer are very low. The shuttle cars are in a very poor condition , the drivers do not wear masks (writing this review during the pandemic); we even had a driver smoking and drinking his coffee while driving us back to the parking. If you need to take the shuttle because of physical effort (understandable) I’d recommend at least not to use this lousy service round-trip and walk the way back on foot.

The online experience to purchase the tickets could also be improved in order to make it easier to see the available days/ time slots.
Written August 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Barry M
7 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Buy your tickets in Advance!! There appears to be some type of scam going on at the top if you are not prepared. I sat and watched numerous families get to the top by EAV bus without tickets and endure the same scam as my family. You get to the top thinking you can just buy tickets there, but the only way to get them once at the top are online.

Once the EAV bus leaves the top, the guys at the only entrance to the park tell you that you have to buy your tickets online.... So, you frantically start trying to catch a cell signal or try joining the free and very poor WiFi out there to buy your tickets. The problem is that the guy that owns the stand nearby has already counted the number of people needing tickets and has went online and bought out all the tickets during the next few time-slots. No worries though... He will sell them to you for a €5 premium and email you the bar code so that you can enter the park. Now you've paid €15 for a €10 ticket.

The hike to Vesuvius was great. 5 stars! Just be warned about the ticket scam that’s occurring at the top! Buy your tickets in advance!
Written August 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Z4953HGRW
The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, UK14 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Don’t bother. You can’t get tickets anywhere and you are told you have to buy them online but, you can’t buy them online. We took an airtight greenhouse on wheels (masquerading as a bus) up to the entrance when dozens of people were told they needed to buy tickets online even though you can’t buy them online. While waiting for the airtight greenhouse to take us back to the car park not a single person managed to get a ticket so everyone got in the greenhouse back down again.

A viable alternative would be to drive around the local rubbish dump or landfill site because that’s all Vesuvius is - I’ve never seen so much fly tipping - fridges, mattresses, building rubble, bin bags, wipes. It’s a disgrace, especially considering it’s supposed to be a National Park.
Written August 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 4,143
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Vesuvius National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

All things to do in Ottaviano
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars
© 2024 Tripadvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.