Vesuvius, the Most Famous Volcano In The World

Best Things Nearby:
Overlooking the Tyrrenian sea, the Pianeta Maratea Residence is located on a slope of the Monte San Biagio and consists of 7 terraces located from 406 to 459m above the sea level. The mountain is more frequently called the Redeemer because it is dominated by a gigantic white 22-meter statue portraying Christ (at 623 meters above the sea).

The beautiful medieval town of Maratea is 3km away. The train station is 8km from the residence. There is no free shuttle from the train station to the residence.

Best Things About the Resort:
Third week of May, when we stayed, marked the opening of the 2004 season. The staff tried to do their best to get things running. What they could not fix was the weather, around 10°C/50°F at night, 18°C/65°F during the day.

There are 222 one, two and three-room apartments on the terrace-located villas for 4 – 7 persons. All apartments are provided with a weekly change of bed and bath linen, as well as with all kitchen utensils.

In our one-bedroom apartment we had living-room, bedroom area, separated from the living room thin plastic partition (the bedroom is not soundproof), kitchenette in the corridor linking the areas, bathroom and terrace with magnificent view. Monte San Biagio and surrounding mountains form perfect backdrop. The seascape below takes your breath away.

Yes, we had color TV with 30+ channels including the BBC World News (the only resort in Italy during our one month travel which offered an English speaking channel). Each unit has independent entrance and parking space.

Resort Experience:
There are many facilities: bar-restaurant, supermarket (good one), two swimming pools with sun umbrellas and sun loungers, open-air amphitheater for shows and concerts with a capacity of 800 people, daytime and evening animation, sports activities, kiddies and youth club and children's playground with lessons in aerobics, archery, swimming, water gym, muscular toning, Latin American dancing, tourneys, games, shows, cabaret and piano bar - all for the joy of adults and children alike.

The sister Grand Hotel up the hill is more upscale, but the whole complex has seen better days - for instance, don't expect either a waterslide or a connecting monorail between the hotels - they have both been trashed. Do not miss the Maratea, called sometimes the queen of Policastro Bay, for its characteristic lanes, stone doorways, craft workshops and lovely harbor. Below the complex, a sparkling, clear sea gently laps the pebble beaches (3km). Two free shuttle buses connect the resort with the beaches. Courtesy buses run from the residence every 30 minutes or so, excluding lunchtime break (8:30, 8:50, 9:10, 9:30, 9:50, 10:10, 10:30, 10:50, 11:10, 11:30, 11:50, 12:10, 12:30, 12:50, 13:10, 15:25, 16:10, 16:40, 17:20, 18:00, 18:40). Shuttle takes steep private road, arrives at the beach area 15 minutes later and returns after 5 minutes stop. Remember, you are in Italy not Switzerland and do not expect that a driver will follow the schedule. There is one public beach – Macarro - and three private ones. The beaches around Maratea are the best - secluded little coves and crystal clear water. Carry your own beach supplies if possible, as this public beach is expensive, renting umbrellas and lounge chairs for up to €10! Another option is to spend a day at a private beach (for example, the Ilicini) paying €6 per person for a day.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the European mainland. Mt Vesuvius (1281 meters) located on the eastern shore of the Bay of Naples, half an hour from Naples. The volcano’s name is probably derived from the Greek besubios, meaning "fire".

When we arrived to Naples, first thing we noticed was Mount Vesuvius looming ominously in the background. It is dormant at the moment - its last eruption being in 1944 - but some scientists claim that it won’t be long.

From Naples, we took a Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano (the name of the line actually means "around Vesuvius"); then a local bus to the mountain. The area around the mountain is now a National Park. Although you can no longer climb part way down the crater the views from the top are incredible and worth the hike. Vesuvius (Vesuvio in Italian) is not a big volcano, it's a little over 4200 feet / 1281m high. The crater is huge, nearly 2000 feet across and 650 feet deep. Actually, Vesuvius stands in the middle of a much larger and older eroded cone called Mount Somma (1133m), about half of which is still visible around the east side of Vesuvius, in the car / bus parking lot area. The Vesuvius’ crater presents inside a cavity over 300 meters deep, a circumference of the crater’s rims about 500 meters long... Amazingly, today two million brave people live in the deadly shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

If you do not have a car, you can reach Mt Vesuvius by public transport. To reach Ercolano, take the regular train service from Naples on the Circumvesuviana Railway, a 20-minute ride that leaves about every half-hour from Corso Garibaldi 387, just south of the main train station. Alternatively, you can also catch a Circumvesuviana trains underneath the main Stazione Centrale like we did. This train will get you to Vesuvius, Herculaneum archeological zone (same stop), Pompeii, and Sorrento. It is an uncomfortable, crowded and slow train. The seats are hard plastic with two seats facing two seats on either side of the aisle. This means you are usually crowded in with knees touching the people across from you. Beware of pick-pockets. Exit the Ercolano Scavi station into the small parking lot. People who come from Sorrento or Pompei, can reach Ercolano Scavi station taking the Sorrento-Napoli or Pompei-Napoli lines. Via IV Novembra, the main street here, takes you directly to the Herculaneum archeological zone entrance after a 6 - 8 min. downhill walk towards the Bay of Naples. We decided to explore Mt Vesuvius first. Right outside the CS station are taxi minivans that will take you to the Mt. Vesuvius for €8-12 per person. Also outside the Ercolano's station (on your right) you will find a public bus stop of the "Vesuviana Mobilita", which allows you getting to the Vesuvius, until the height of 1000 m for €4 (return ticket).

Departures in May 2004: 09:30; 10:30 11:50 12:50 13:50. Two last returning buses leave the mountain area at 3:30PM and 5:00PM. The minivan drivers often lie that there is no public bus or it is broken, etc. Be patient.

The ride on the narrow dirty road takes about an hour and brings you to the car park at 1000m on the place called Valle del Gigante (Giants Valley). As you already know, Vesuvius is a volcano in a volcano, with Mt. Somma on your left; its crater belt mostly destroyed. On you right you see the Mt. Vesuvius (1281 meters).

From the car park in the Giants Valley, which can be reached by car or bus, you then have to walk up the last 1.5km. It takes about 20 - 30 minutes if you are fit. It is possible to climb up to the crater of Vesuvius but you cannot go down into the crater. From the car and coach parks walk over to the shop, pass through it ignoring the cheap souvenirs and you will be at the bottom of the path. Here some people may offer you walking sticks – remember that they will charge you when you descend. The 1.5km path winds up, fairly steep in places to the top of the crater. The path is wide and has a fence for the sides. The access to the crater is allowed from 9:00 to 16:00, upon buying a ticket of €.6 for grown-ups, and €4.5 for school-children. You are in a National Park now. The Vesuvius National Park was founded in 1995 to protect the cultural and historical heritage of the area, to preserve animal and vegetable species, and to support local traditions. It is Italy's smallest national Park. From the ticket office starts a conducted tour, accompanied by the local volcanological guides. The walk around the Vesuvius' crater is about 1 mile long. You can easily spend an hour walking around the crater and enjoying the views - unless you have a coach waiting for you at a certain time. The crater is huge, nearly 2000 feet across and 650 feet deep. From here you can see that Vesuvius stands in the middle of a much larger and older eroded cone called Mount Somma, about half of which is still visible around the east side of Vesuvius. The path continues around its rim and takes to the Capannuccia (1170 m) and then to the highest point of Mt Vesuvius (1281 m). Climbing down the crater is now prohibited - you can only see but the path used to go down into the crater (it is chained off of course). Shoes, sunglasses and a sweater must be suitable for an excursion above 1000 meters of altitude on rough terrain.

Ancient Herculaneum was built in the deadly shadow of Mount Vesuvius and destroyed in 79AD by the Vesuvius’ eruption. To visit the Herculaneum ruins, take the regular train service from Naples on the Circumvesuviana Railway (20min). Exit the Ercolano Scavi station into the small parking lot. Via IV Novembra, the main street there, takes you directly to the Herculaneum archeological area entrance after a 6-8 min downhill walk towards the Bay of Naples. There is a small tourist office on the street. You can visit the ruins daily 8:30am to 6pm. Pay admission 10€ and take a free map. Follow the path running above around the ruins, then descend through a tunnel to emerge near the Suburban Baths. We explored the site clockwise, from Cardo II Inferiore, to Decumano Massimo, to Cardo V Inferiore. Although all the streets and buildings of Herculaneum hold interest, some ruins attracted more our attention than others. The baths (terme) are divided between those at the forum and the Suburban Baths (Terme Suburbane) on the outskirts, near the once elegant villas. The municipal baths, which segregated the sexes(Terme Maschhili and Terme Femminili), are larger, but the ones at the edge of town are more lavishly decorated. I recommend to visit the Casa del Tramezzo di Legno (House of the Wooden Partition), the Casa di Poseidon (House of Poseidon), the Casa di Nettuno ed Anfitrite (House of Neptune and Amphitrite), the Casa a Graticcio (House of the Wooden Cabinet). The best example of how the aristocracy lived is the Casa dei Cervi (House of the Deer), named the because of the sculpture found inside. These sculptures are small (2 feet or so tall) but quite amazing; for example, statue of a drunken Hercules urinating. Remember that there is more to Ercolano than the Herculaneum ruins. If you have enough time, you can explore Palestra or visit one of the beautiful 19th century villas east of the ancient town. North-west of the ruins along Corso Ercolano are the remains of the Amphitheater.

Ancient Herculaneum was an elegant city of the Roman empire, located on a narrow strip of land between the sea and the base of Mount Vesuvius. The town was founded by the Greeks in the 4th century BC. As the legend goes it was Hercules himself who founded the city hence Herculaneum - the "town of Hercules". Towards the 1st century BC the town became a resort center for the Roman aristocracy. In 79 AD, instead of being buried in a layer of ash and cinders like Pompeii, Herculaneum was drowned in a torrent of fiery mud. When the mud solidified it sealed the city in an extraordinary manner. The eruption was described by Pliny the Younger in two letters to Tacitus; the horrible event buried Pompeii and Herculaneum under cinders, ashes, and mud. The writer’s uncle, Pliny the Elder was killed by the eruption, which he had come to investigate. Frequent eruptions have been recorded since then, notably in 512, in 1631, six times in the 18th century, eight times in the 19th century, and only three times during the last century - in 1906, 1929, and 1944. With such perfect backdrop as Vesuvius any visit to the Bay of Naples area should include a visit to Herculaneum. It is unjustly less famous than its bigger sister Pompeii as the state of preservation of the buildings are generally much superior. We spent half a day here after climbing Mt Vesuvius and enjoyed every minute of our visit.