Day trip to Naples: Vesuvius and Pompeii

Naples is one of the largest cities in Southern Italy and also in Europe. It has a rich thriving culture and history with deep roots in Italian cooking and the arts. While it is a large city, it has its fair share of petty crime that makes it less-visited than other cities in Italy. Since we were planning to go to Naples for 1 day, we chose to only visit Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii because both places take up a great portion of the day. I absolutely loved both places but Vesuvius, despite the disappointing crater, won my heart - it has some of the most beautiful views I've ever seen in my life. When you're in Rome or even in Naples or its surrounding cities, make a point to visit Naples for a day.

Quick Tips:

- Naples is full of petty crimes. Watch out for pickpockets and keep your belongings secure, especially on the train/metro and in train/bus stations.

- If you're planning to visit the museums, always check to see what days it is closed on. The National Archaeological Museum is closed on Tuesdays and I don't know how many times I've heard people rant and rave about "going all the way to Naples only to find it's closed". Check...and double-check.

- A hat, sunscreen, and a bottle of water are your friends when making a day excursion to Vesuvius and Pompeii. You'll be glad you brought them when you see other people in pain from scorching sunburns (like me).

Best Way To Get Around:

Naples and its surrounding cities share a private train network called the Circumvesuviana. This allows you to connect Naples to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius.

There is an underground metro system as well as buses and trams available at your beck and call. The metro system is made up of several lines and can get you from Point A to Point B fairly quick. Metro tickets cost 1 euro and is good for 90 minutes. Cost of bus tickets vary due to destinations so check with the ticket agents at the official booths. You also can buy tickets at tabacchis or in main stations.

This famous Italian volcano overlooks the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, both of which were left in ruins by the devastating eruption of A.D. 79. The last time Mt. Vesuvius erupted was just prior to the start of World War II and hasn't done so since then to this day. Vesuvius is over 4000 ft high and is now a national park in which visitors can reach the summit by foot.

Entry to Vesuvius National Park costs €6.50. You can reach it by bus (€7.60-8.60 depending on whether you depart from Ercolano or Pompei Scavi stations) and taxi (€10/person round-trip). The latter is quicker and more frequent if you're on a tight schedule. A word of warning: taxi drivers are gruff, rude and drive like a maniac. It should take no more than 30 minutes to reach the 1,000 ft mark. If you opt to take a taxi, you'll be required to pay the admission fee for entry to the crater (€6.50) ahead of time. When you reach the 1,000 ft mark after a harrowing drive through hair-pin turns, the driver will give you a voucher for entry and give you approx. 1 hour.

The walk up to the crater should take no more than 45 minutes and you are given the option of taking a walking stick or not (Don't use a stick - you'll know why later!).

TIP: Wear sturdy running shoes. The paths are slippery and can be tough on your knees. Wear sunscreen and bring a bottle of water with you.

The view of Naples is stunning. On a good day, you'll get a clear view and most days, there will be a thin blanket of mist covering the city. Once you reach the crater, you'll be disappointed to see that it's nothing by a sunken hole in the volcano covered with rocks. Many people expect to see a sea of bubbling lava but it's far from that.

On the way down, it's quicker and should take no more than 25 minutes depending on your pace. If you were one of the gullible tourists (like me!) that took a walking stick, you'll be met with the people who gave it to you and you'll be harassed for a tip. Don't tip anything more than 1 euro because honestly, it's just a stick!

If you're planning to go to Vesuvius, Pompeii, or Herculaneum or more than one of these places in a single day, it's vital to plan it out accordingly. If you're taking a taxi, you must get to the bottom of the summit in time for the driver to take you back to the train station. Read my detailed experience in this journal for a guide to taking a day trip to Naples and visiting Pompeii and Vesuvius in a day while using the train system.

Overall, while I was extremely disappointed by the crater's blandness, I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Vesuvius and would gladly recommend it to any hiking enthusiastic!

Back in A.D. 79, the ancient city of Pompeii was reduced to ruins with the eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius. Today, the excavated ruins of Pompeii has given important insights into the history of the Roman Empire.

The site of Pompeii is massive - it spans a large distance and for the ordinary visitor, visiting Pompeii takes up a good part of the day. Many houses, baths, aqueducts, forums, pottery, and fountains have been preserved for visitors to examine. There are beautiful murals on the walls in baths and extravagant mosaic floors in several buildings. There is a large warehouse/storehouse in one area of the grounds that has a large collection of plaster casts of pots and bodies. The bodies are often in positions that would seem morbid or otherwise but it serves as a reminder of the horrific events that took place in the ancient times. My favourite part of Pompeii was definitely the botanical gardens which has a large collection of Pompeii-era plants, trees, and fruits. An employee/gardener actually took the time to explain to me the significance of the fruit trees which I found highly interesting.

Admission to Pompeii costs €11 although there are special discounts and package rates that are displayed on the official website. It is open daily from 8:30am to 7:30pm in the high season (5:30pm in the low season) and closed on holidays. We visited Pompeii after climbing Mt. Vesuvius during the start of Italy's Culture Week, where all Italian state-run museums, galleries, and archaeological sites are free. Therefore we were not required to pay admission at all, which was a great relief to us! Entry to Pompeii includes a handy (and thick) detailed guidebook which tells you the significance of each important structure or building. I found this extremely useful and it sure beats the cost of paying for a guide.

Getting to Pompeii is fairly easy. If you're coming from Naples or Ercolano, take the Circumvesuviana train and get off at the Pompeii Scavi stop. From there, it's a short 2 minute walk to the Porte Marina entrance.

The downside to Pompeii is that it's massive - there is a lot of ground to cover so that means you'll be walking for a good portion of the day in the hot sun (Pompeii is not shaded). Wearing good running shoes, wearing sunscreen, and bringing water is recommended. I really enjoyed walking through the streets of Pompeii and exploring the ruins (and also admiring the lovely mosaic tiles) but after two hours, I was exhausted and had enough! I wouldn't recommend visiting Pompeii if you're elderly, prone to exhaustion/heat stress or in a wheelchair. At the end of your visit, make sure you visit the bookstore. It has an extensive collection of literature and guides on Pompeii including a few scandalous books that shall not be mentioned - but it did certainly give me a chuckle while flipping through the pages!

If you're planning a day trip from Rome to Naples and intend to visit both Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii (or Herculaneum) and you're not sure how to plan out your itinerary, you can use this as a guide.

TRAINS:

The best way to get to Naples is by train (Trenitalia) and you should leave as early in the morning as possible to get a good start on the day. There are several different types of trains that go to Naples (i.e. Regional, Intercity, A/V 2-for-1, Eurostar, etc) and each of them have a certain price range. We were travel on a budget so opt for the cheapest train possible (Regional, 2-1/2 hours) which cost us €10-11 each way which is not too bad. Of course, we left on an early train (approx. 6:30am) which got us into Naples around 9am. If you're planning to do a full day in Naples, try to ensure that you arrive between 8 and 10am otherwise you're wasting half a day.

PLANNING THE ITINERARY (MT. VESUVIUS + POMPEII, ETC):

A good way itinerary is to plan it like this: Train to Naples --> Circumvesuviana to Ercolano Scavi --> Visit Mt. Vesuvius --> Circumvesuviana to Pompeii Scavi --> Visit Pompeii --> Circumvesuviana to Naples --> Train to Rome

You may have to jiggle the itinerary a bit if you want to fit in Herculaneum or switch Pompeii for Herculaneum, whatever your preference it.

CIRCUMVESUVIANA TRAIN:

This train system is a private network serving Naples and the outlying cities. It is often very crowded and jam-packed with people. You MUST be aware of your belongings because there has been many cases of pickpocketing on the train cars. It is a relatively simple system and there are route maps inside the train and also signs on each station so you know which stop you're at. The fares aren't the same for every destination. Tell the ticket agent where you want to go (i.e. Naples Centrale to Ercolano Scavi) and he will give you a ticket which you must keep with you at all times. There is also ticket agents at Ercolano and Pompeii as well.

IMPORTANT - GOING TO MT. VESUVIUS:

There are two ways to get to Vesuvius: Bus and Taxi. For the bus, from Ercolano Scavi, the bus departs at 8:45am and 12:45pm and costs €7.60 round-trip. However if take the bus from Pompeii Scavi, the bus leaves every half hour from 9:30-10:30, and hourly beginning at 11:25am and costs €8.60. There is a taxi/shuttle service outside the Ercolano station that is quick and easy and costs €10 round-trip but you must also pay €6.50 ahead of time for entry to the crater. Both bus and taxi will take you to the 1,000 ft mark from which you must proceed on your own from there. The taxis leave more frequently than the bus so that way if you miss the bus, you can opt for a taxi.

POMPEII THEN NAPLES THEN ROME:

We explored Pompeii (free, Culture Week) after Vesuvius and we weren't too tired. Since it was extremely hot that day, we only spent 2-3 hours roaming the site. After that, we walked back to Pompeii Scavi and bought tickets back to Naples from which we boarded the train to Rome. We must have gotten back to Rome around 9:30pm so it was quite a long but eventful day.

TIPS:

Naples is very gritty and certain parts of it is run-down. The drivers of the taxis are often rude and gruff. Taxis are first come, first serve. If you are standing in line, don't be surprised if he accepts money from someone behind you and takes them on the taxi instead of you. Pay immediately and you are guaranteed a seat. This was a frustrating experience we had and we definitely learned that we shouldn't dilly-dally with these people.

When visiting Pompeii, keep in mind that most of it is exposed to the unforgiving sun. Keep hydrated and wear lots of sunscreen to protect yourself. Many people say that they preferred Herculaneum to Pompeii for its size and better preserved items. Since we didn't visit Herculaneum, I have no opinion really but it would have been interesting to try to fit in all three in one day.

Naples is a pickpocket's heaven. There WILL be pickpockets at the train stations, on the train, at the bus stations, wherever you go. Do not bring lots of money with you and never open your belongings in public. Keep it secure and watch for suspicious behaviour. Aside from that, Naples is actually pleasant and has a rich culture and history.