Hike to Mt. Vesuvius

[jvz]

For anyone who has done the hike to Mt. Vesuvius in August, can you please tell me if it is super hot and unbearable?  I am interested in booking a Pompeii & Mt. Vesuvius tour with Italytours.eu.  The tour description says it is a 45 minute hike so I am afraid of the heat and humidity.  Thank you for any input.

 

[euro cruiser]

I have climbed to the crater's edge several times but never in the middle of the summer.   It's a one mile walk, it's steep and you are walking on loose gravel.  I walked up once in October with several 70-year-olds and we made it to the top in about forty five minutes in a light drizzle, on my own the best I've done is about twenty five minutes.

 

If you find it's too much for you, you can always stop and head back down ahead of the group.  There is a ranger station/coffee shop about half way up, you could stop there for a rest also.

[Tomato53]

It's definitely worth doing.  There's no other way to see the caldera up close and envision the volcano's path of destruction to Pompeii.

When we went, there was a local man with hiking sticks that make the hike easier.  He doesn't charge but asks a one Euro tip.

[jvz]

Thank you for the responses.  I just read somewhere that there is a shuttle you can take that will bypass the hike for 22 euros for person.  Anyone take this before?  Does it really take you right to the rim?  

[euro cruiser]

If there is it would be new and it wouldn't be able to get all the way to the rim.  Workers drive their cars up to a certain point so vehicles can drive on the path but they can't go all the way to the top.

 

There is a path on the opposite side of the mountain, maybe that's more suitable for vehicles?

 

There have always been tours (by horse or a combination of bus and 4-wheel drive vehicles) that take you to the base of the Grand Cone trail, if this one goes up the trail that would be new.

Edited July 10, 2019 by euro cruiser

[jvz]

1 hour ago, euro cruiser said:

If there is it would be new and it wouldn't be able to get all the way to the rim.  Workers drive their cars up to a certain point so vehicles can drive on the path but they can't go all the way to the top.

 

There is a path on the opposite side of the mountain, maybe that's more suitable for vehicles?

 

There have always been tours (by horse or a combination of bus and 4-wheel drive vehicles) that take you to the base of the Grand Cone trail, if this one goes up the trail that would be new.

 

Thank you!  Yes, the description does say special 4x4 shuttle.  How far and difficult is the walk from the base of the Grand Cone trail?  

 

[euro cruiser]

It's one mile from the parking lot at the base to the café at the far edge of the crater.  The route is steep and you're walking on loose gravel for most of it.  At the top there are some places that require you to clamber over or around some large rocks.  Based on some aerial photos I was looking at recently they have built some stairs at one of the more difficult places at the top, which will make it easier.