Climb Live Volcano – Mt Vesuvius near Naples, Italy
Would like to climb a live volcano and look inside the crater? The place to do that is Mt. Vesuvius in Italy, near Naples. There is a trail going right up to the top.
Pompeii
Vesuvius is famous for the eruption in the year 79, that buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii remained buried and forgotten until it was discovered again in 1599. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site and is really worth a visit. The town is just as it was when it was buried in 79. Food is still on the table and the people and their pets are still there. The people look like statues but they are real people encased in hot ash that later hardened and looks like plaster. Fruit and vegetables are still in the shops. The town was buried under 25 metres of ash from the volcano. But before that, they were incinerated with 250 degree C heat. The people never had a chance to escape. The ash has all been cleared away and today you can walk the streets of Pompeii as it was before the eruption. There is an excellent amphitheatre and several beautiful mosaics in the floors and walls.
Herculaneum
The coastal town of Herculaneum was rediscovered in 1738. Both of these towns had long been forgotten.
I toured both Pompeii and Herculaneum and they are definite must-see attractions when you are in Italy. But this story is about the volcano itself. It is much smaller today than it was almost 2,000 years ago when it blow its top in the year 79. The volcano spewed 1.5 million tons of ash and lava per second as well as the top third of the mountain. No wonder the surrounding area as far as the coast was buried. In fact, the coastline was extended.
Eruptions
Vesuvius has erupted about 35 times since then, the most recent being in 1944. So it is due for another eruption. It is the only active volcano on the European mainland and is considered extremely dangerous. It erupted eight times in the 1800s and three times since 1900. The 1631 eruption buried some small villages in the area. The 1944 eruption destroyed two villages. Yet three million people live in the vicinity today.
Mt. Vesuvius is now a National Park
In 1999, Vesuvius was declared a National Park. There are trails leading to the top. It is difficult, but anyone in good physical condition can hike up and have a look inside the crater. The lower two-thirds of the trail are a pleasant walk in the forest, although steeply uphill at a 14% grade.. The top third is above the trees and you should be prepared to get dirty. The ground is ash and not soil, so it is like walking through ashes after a fire. You will definitely be in need of a shower when you get back, although it seems they have improved the trails since I was there, so perhaps it is not as dirty now. There is a trail all around the edge of the crater. The views are wonderful. On a clear day you can see the Bay of Naples and the city.
Standing on the edge, and having a look into an active volcano is a strange mixture of feelings. On one hand, it is fascinating and awesome to be there. You can see cracks in the ground with steam coming out. On the other hand, you are wondering what the hell you are doing there. This is a real and active volcano and you are standing on the edge of the crater. Although it has not erupted since 1944, the next one could be any moment, although with today’s modern equipment, they expect to have several days notice of the next eruption.
I climbed the volcano the last time I was in Italy and it is an experience that I will never forget.
To get to the base of the mountain, there are busses from Herculaneum station on the Circumvesuviana train line. If you are driving, go south from Naples to the Ercolano exit. You will have to pay for parking and pay an entrance fee to the park.
Movies
Movie of the 1944 eruption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bsmv6PyKs0
Will it erupt again soon? Watch this movie to find out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4VnGn_gx98
It might be a long time or a short time before it erupts again but I think another devastating eruption if inevitable.