The Great Cono

A guide to visit the Crater of the Vesuvius

The nature trail n.5 “Il Gran Cono” starts from Piazzale di Quota 1000, a parking area which is 1,000 metres above sea level in the municipality of Herculaneum, at the end of the Strada Provinciale (provincial road) Ercolano-Vesuvio. In the Piazzale, which is managed by the Vesuvius National Park, parking is not allowed, and public toilets are not available at the moment. Please bear this in mind when planning your hiking trip. For those who are driving, the parking and rest areas along the provincial road are managed by the municipality of Herculaneum. (www.parkingsuvio.it)

From the Piazzale you can already enjoy a splendid view of the northern side of Mount Somma with the Cognoli di Sant'Anastasia and Punta Nasone, the top of the ancient volcano which is 1,132 metres high, opposite the Cognoli of Ottaviano and Levante. While looking upwards, you can hold your breath and see from below what will be the ascent to the bottom edge of Sterminator Vesevo.

Reduced price ticket € 8,00

Full-fare ticket from € 10,00

Free entry

The following categories are entitled to free entry:

Police officers and security staff;
The members of the bodies and staff of the Vesuvius National Park;
The staff of the Vesuvius Observatory – INGV, who deal with monitoring, study and research;
Researchers and the staff of universities and research institutions, for scientific and cultural reasons, upon presentation of written consent from the Park and a valid ID;
Journalists, radio and television operators with the right to report, upon presentation of written consent from the Park;
All those who have written consent from the Park issued for institutional, cultural, representation and public interest reasons;
All those who work exclusively as tour guides of the Vesuvius National Park;
Disabled visitors and their carers, provided they have a certificate attesting their condition;
Children under the age of 6, if accompanied by their parents or legal guardians, with a valid ID certifying their actual age – this exemption does not apply to school visits;
Residents in the 13 municipalities of the park with a valid ID on the European Day of Parks and in the six following days, or any other event of national importance established by the Park.

Protocol for tourists using the nature trail n.5

Protocol for the tourist use of Path n. 5 of the Vesuvius National Park (Crater of Vesuvius), Annex to the Resolution of the President of the Vesuvius National Park No. 5 of 03/08/2023.

Art. 1 – Ticket service

The Ticketing Service is exclusively carried out online. Access to trail No. 5 "Il Gran Cono" is allowed only through pre-purchase.
he entry times to the trail, ticket cost, and purchasing methods are stated in the Regulations for the Use of Trail No. 5 "Il Gran Cono," available on the institutional website of the Park Authority, at the link https://www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it/visita-il-parco/i-sentieri-delvesuvio/il-gran-cono.
Ticket purchases must be made through credit card payment. At the time of purchase, the credit card holder must register on the platform, providing personal details, the date, and time of the excursion.
User purchases can only be completed after a formal declaration of the accuracy of the provided personal details and the acceptance of behavioral rules for environmental protection and proper mountain hiking.
For reasons of public and private safety, the ticketing service and trail access will be automatically closed on days when weather alerts are issued by the regional Civil Protection Authority, starting from the orange alert level.

Art. 2 – Access and Usage Procedures

Access to the Crater is exclusively through the automated gate at the Quota 1000 Square in Ercolano and the gate at the Quota 1,050 Square in Ottaviano, the latter of which is currently being activated.
The maximum number of hikers is set at 360 (three hundred sixty) individuals per hour.
Access to the trail is thus allowed for a maximum of 60 people every 10 minutes, organized into three groups of 20 participants each.
Each group will be accompanied by a guide from the Vesuvius Volcano Permanent Base (PPVV) throughout the duration of the excursion.
The maximum number of visitors allowed per day, based on the trail's opening hours, is as follows: : − 3,240 visitors/day for the months of July and August (opening from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM); ;
− 2,880 visitors/day for the months of April, May, June, and September (opening from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM);
− 2,520 visitors/day for the months of March and October (opening from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM)
− 2,160 visitors/day for the months of January, February, November, and December (opening from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM).
A quota of 20% of the total daily tickets is reserved for "last-minute" ticketing. Thus, for each time slot, 10 "last-minute" tickets will be made available, starting from the hour before the designated time slot.
Access through the automated gate is allowed from 40 minutes before to 100 minutes after the time indicated on the purchased ticket, while respecting the overall opening hours.
The maximum flexibility of the 100-minute delay to the indicated entry time on the ticket, as stated in clause 7, cannot be guaranteed if the late entry prevents completing the entire hike within the trail's closing hours, as specified in clause 5

Art. 3 - Duration and route of the excursion

The overall duration of the excursion cannot exceed 2 hours round trip for the shortest route (as described in the following clause 2, letter A) and three hours for the longest route (as described in the following clause 2, letter C)..
The hike can be taken:

The route along the summit of the Crater, on the northern and eastern sides of the volcanic cone, is prohibited for access due to safety and environmental protection reasons. Access is allowed only for individuals expressly authorized by the Park Authority.

Art. 5 – Duties Assigned to Vesuvius Volcano Permanent Base Guide

1. The PPVV Guides, in adherence to the Agreement concluded with the Park Authority, are required to:

prominently wear a badge indicating their role, or wear clothing accessories that make them easily recognizable to visitors;
use the electronic identification card provided by the Park Authority for each access through automated gates;
inform visitors of the required behavior during the excursion, emphasizing the strict adherence to safety regulations, before the start of the hike;
take charge of their assigned group from the beginning to the end of the excursion. <

Art. 6 - Responsibilities for Concessionaires' Staff

1.The staff of the concessionaires of the welcoming facilities at the Quota 1,000 Square in Ercolano and along the trail are required to:

adopt behavior that respects and safeguards the environment and welcomes tourists;
use the personal protective equipment required by law;
use the identification badge provided by the Park Authority for each access through automated gates;
load and unload goods exclusively outside the opening hours to the public.

Art. 7 -Organization of Spaces at Quota 1000 Square in Ercolano

The Square is equipped with 4 parking areas on the right side for organizing visitor groups awaiting the start of the excursion.
Strict parking prohibition is enforced for vehicles on both sides of the Square, uphill from the designated barriers, with the exception of the following service vehicles allocated on the left side:

Art. 8 - Hiking

Each group must strictly adhere to walking on the right-hand side of the pathway, both uphill and downhill.
Stops are provided in widening areas of the trail to explain geological and natural emergencies.
The Guides must maintain constant communication among themselves to prevent the possibility of uphill and downhill groups encountering each other near narrow passages or ramps; in such cases, the uphill group has the right of way over the downhill group.

Adoption of the protocols for the tourist use of Path n. 5 of the Vesuvius National Park (Crater of Vesuvius)

Refund policy

Refund procedure in case of closure of trail number 5 'The Great Cone of Vesuvius' due to adverse weather conditions or force majeure events.

Art. 1 – Entitled to automatic refund

Automatic refunds apply to all ticket purchasers for time slots falling within the periods of closure of trail number 5 'The Great Cone of Vesuvius' due to documented adverse weather conditions or force majeure events, as recorded in the logs stamped by the Guides of the Permanent Vesuvius Volcano Presidium, without the need for a formal refund request.
The refund is exclusively applicable to tickets that have not been used within the timeframe of the flexible access period outlined in the Protocol for eco-sustainable tourism on Trail number 5 of the Vesuvius National Park (Vesuvius Crater) approved by the President's Resolution of the Park Authority number 5 dated 03.08.2023.

Art. 2 – Exclusion from the automatic refund procedure

The tickets purchased for time slots contiguous to the closure periods of trail number 5 'The Great Cone' due to documented adverse weather conditions and force majeure events are excluded from the automatic refund procedure mentioned in Article 1.
In the case of tickets purchased for time slots contiguous to the closure periods of trail number 5 'The Great Cone,' exclusively due to documented adverse weather conditions and force majeure events, a refund is still admissible, subject to evaluation by the Park Authority.
In cases outlined in paragraph 2, for the purpose of evaluation by the Park Authority regarding the possibility of initiating the refund procedure, the purchaser will be required to:: a)Send a refund request email exclusively to the email address info.vesuviuspark@artem.org, including the subject line 'ticket refund request for dd/mm/yyyy, time _ : _; b) Attach a copy of the tickets clearly showing the transaction code (VIVATK), purchase date, and purchaser's name.; c) "Include in the body of the email: transaction code (VIVATK), purchase date, and purchaser's name.
The refund request mentioned in paragraph 3 must be made by the purchaser within 30 days from the date of the missed guided tour. Requests received after this deadline will not be considered.

Art. 3 – Exclusion from the refund procedure.

Refund requests not related to the closure of trail number 5 'The Great Cone' due to adverse weather conditions and force majeure events are excluded from the refund procedure.

Art. 4 – Refund Timelines and Procedures.

The refund will be processed within 60 consecutive natural days from the date of the event in cases mentioned in Article 1, or from the date of favorable evaluation by the Park Authority in cases mentioned in the same article.
Refunds will be issued to the credit card used for ticket purchase or via bank transfer for educational institutions and similar entities.
The refund includes the ticket amount, inclusive of booking fees and exclusive of any transaction fees.
PFor those adhering to the Regulations concerning the activation of the 'b2b' license dedicated to the business market for the purchase of access tickets to trail number 5 'The Great Cone,' refund procedures are specified in Article 6 of the same document. The Regulations can be accessed on the official website of the Park Authority at the following address: https://www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it/visita-il-parco/i-sentieri-del-vesuvio/il-gran-cono/.

Art. 5 – Advertising

In compliance with the obligations of publicity, transparency, and dissemination of information by public administrations as per Legislative Decree no. 33/2013, this refund procedure is published:
− in the notice board of the Park Authority;
− In the section of the institutional website 'Transparency Administration,' subsection 'General Documents..
This procedure is also publicized through:
− lAt the following webpage: https://www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it/visita-il-parco/i-sentieri-del-vesuvio/il-gran-cono;
− On the Park's social media platforms.

By car - Motorway A3 Napoli-Salerno exit Torre del Greco

At the Torre del Greco exit, take the second exit from the roundabout and follow the signs for "Vesuvio". Continue onto via Enrico De Nicola and then onto via Vesuvio.

At the end of via Vesuvio, take the first exit from the roundabout towards Contrada Osservatorio and take the SP144 up to the car park located 800 metres above sea level (15 min, 7.3 km).

To get from the car park at 800 metres to the car park at 1,000 metres (entrance of the nature trail n°5 "The great Cono of Vesuvius"), you have two options:

- On foot, along the SP144 for about 30 minutes (1.8 km)

- With the shuttle service managed by the Municipality of Herculaneum at a cost of € 1.00 each way (about 4 min)

GPS coordinates at 800 metres above sea level:

40.828248, 14.414986

By train or bus

If you're landing at Capodichino Airport, take the bus bound for Stazione Centrale - Piazza Garibaldi (Naples Central Station). If you're travelling by train, get off at Stazione Centrale - Piazza Garibaldi.

From Stazione Centrale - Piazza Garibaldi, take one of the Circumvesuviana trains bound for Sorrento or Poggiomarino - via Pompei (for train times and ticket prices, visit www.eavsrl.it) and get to Ercolano Scavi station, from which taxis and private shuttles depart for the Vesuvius.

Alternatively, from Stazione Centrale - Piazza Garibaldi take one of the Circumvesuviana trains bound for Sorrento or Poggiomarino - via Pompei and get off at Pompei - Villa dei Misteri train station, from which you can hop on one of the local EAV buses bound for the Vesuvius.

If you're departing from Sorrento, you can still reach Pompei - Villa dei Misteri station and take one of the local EAV buses. The bus connection from Pompeii to the Vesuvius is provided by EAV local services. Check out their bus times page for more information.

(An intermediate stop is available at the Observatory, near "Il fiume di lava", path n.9 of the Vesuvius National Park).

Protocol for the tourist use of Path n. 5 of the Vesuvius National Park (Crater of Vesuvius), Annex to the Resolution of the President of the Vesuvius National Park No. 5 of 03/08/2023.

Art. 1 – Ticket service

1. The Ticketing Service is exclusively carried out online. Access to trail No. 5 "Il Gran Cono" is allowed only through pre-purchase.
2. The entry times to the trail, ticket cost, and purchasing methods are stated in the Regulations for the Use of Trail No. 5 "Il Gran Cono," available on the institutional website of the Park Authority, at the link https://www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it/visita-il-parco/i-sentieri-delvesuvio/il-gran-cono.
3.Ticket purchases must be made through credit card payment. At the time of purchase, the credit card holder must register on the platform, providing personal details, the date, and time of the excursion.
4. User purchases can only be completed after a formal declaration of the accuracy of the provided personal details and the acceptance of behavioral rules for environmental protection and proper mountain hiking.
5.For reasons of public and private safety, the ticketing service and trail access will be automatically closed on days when weather alerts are issued by the regional Civil Protection Authority, starting from the orange alert level.

Art. 2 – Access and Usage Procedures

1. Access to the Crater is exclusively through the automated gate at the Quota 1000 Square in Ercolano and the gate at the Quota 1,050 Square in Ottaviano, the latter of which is currently being activated.
2. The maximum number of hikers is set at 360 (three hundred sixty) individuals per hour.
3. Access to the trail is thus allowed for a maximum of 60 people every 10 minutes, organized into three groups of 20 participants each.
4. Each group will be accompanied by a guide from the Vesuvius Volcano Permanent Base (PPVV) throughout the duration of the excursion.
5. The maximum number of visitors allowed per day, based on the trail's opening hours, is as follows:
− 3,240 visitors/day for the months of July and August (opening from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM);
− 2,880 visitors/day for the months of April, May, June, and September (opening from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM);
− 2,520 visitors/day for the months of March and October (opening from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM);
− 2,160 visitors/day for the months of January, February, November, and December (opening from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM).
6. A quota of 20% of the total daily tickets is reserved for "last-minute" ticketing. Thus, for each time slot, 10 "last-minute" tickets will be made available, starting from the hour before the designated time slot.
7. Access through the automated gate is allowed from 40 minutes before to 100 minutes after the time indicated on the purchased ticket, while respecting the overall opening hours.
8. The maximum flexibility of the 100-minute delay to the indicated entry time on the ticket, as stated in clause 7, cannot be guaranteed if the late entry prevents completing the entire hike within the trail's closing hours, as specified in clause 5

Art. 3 – Duration and route of the excursion

1.The overall duration of the excursion cannot exceed 2 hours round trip for the shortest route (as described in the following clause 2, letter A) and three hours for the longest route (as described in the following clause 2, letter C).
2.The hike can be taken:
A. along a linear route to and from the Quota 1,000 Square in Ercolano;
B. from the gate at the Quota 1,000 Square in Ercolano to the gate at the Quota 1,050 Square in Ottaviano, and vice versa;
C. by following Trail No. 5 in a loop, from the Quota 1,000 Square in Ercolano to the Imbò Refuge.
3.The route along the summit of the Crater, on the northern and eastern sides of the volcanic cone, is prohibited for access due to safety and environmental protection reasons. Access is allowed only for individuals expressly authorized by the Park Authority.

Art. 5 – Duties Assigned to Vesuvius Volcano Permanent Base Guide

1.The PPVV Guides, in adherence to the Agreement concluded with the Park Authority, are required to:
a) prominently wear a badge indicating their role, or wear clothing accessories that make them easily recognizable to visitors;
b) use the electronic identification card provided by the Park Authority for each access through automated gates;
c) inform visitors of the required behavior during the excursion, emphasizing the strict adherence to safety regulations, before the start of the hike;
d) take charge of their assigned group from the beginning to the end of the excursion.

Art. 6 - Responsibilities for Concessionaires' Staff

1.The staff of the concessionaires of the welcoming facilities at the Quota 1,000 Square in Ercolano and along the trail are required to:
a) adopt behavior that respects and safeguards the environment and welcomes tourists;
b) use the personal protective equipment required by law;
c) use the identification badge provided by the Park Authority for each access through automated gates;
d) load and unload goods exclusively outside the opening hours to the public.

Art. 7 - Organization of Spaces at Quota 1000 Square in Ercolano

1.The Square is equipped with 4 parking areas on the right side for organizing visitor groups awaiting the start of the excursion.
2.Strict parking prohibition is enforced for vehicles on both sides of the Square, uphill from the designated barriers, with the exception of the following service vehicles allocated on the left side:
− ambulance or other rescue vehicle, provided by the Park Authority;
− law enforcement vehicles;
− Park Authority service vehicles;
− 2 motor vehicles in service for the PPVV Guides;
− 1 motor vehicle for the ticketing service concessionaires.

Art. 8 - Hiking

1.Each group must strictly adhere to walking on the right-hand side of the pathway, both uphill and downhill.
2.Stops are provided in widening areas of the trail to explain geological and natural emergencies.
3.The Guides must maintain constant communication among themselves to prevent the possibility of uphill and downhill groups encountering each other near narrow passages or ramps; in such cases, the uphill group has the right of way over the downhill group.

Adoption of the protocols for the tourist use of Path n. 5 of the Vesuvius National Park (Crater of Vesuvius)

The route is marked on the volcanic products of more recent production consisting of ashes and lapilli and some small flows produced in the effusive phases of the eruption of 1944. Arriving at the top of the volcano, you can see the Gulf of Naples and the whole city, and on particularly clear days you can enjoy the view of the entire plain of Campania and further north the plain of Garigliano up to the promontory of Circeo. On the right side of the view, the mountains of Partenio, Taburno and Matese are the background of the cognoli.

Several views along the way allow you to admire inside the crater, which after the countless changes made by the various eruptions, currently has an elliptical shape with a maximum diameter of 580 meters. Along the inner walls, some fumaroles give us the feeling of a still active volcano, despite being in a quiescent stage.

The crater and its particular substratum allow the nesting of different species of birds belonging to rocky environments of altitude and great conservation value, such as the common rock thrush, the black redstart, widespread in winter but rare as a breeder, the northern wheatear and the black-eared wheatear. Continuing along the path, you can see the southern coast of the gulf up to Sorrento and the island of Capri. After the structure of the Capannuccia, which is the close destination, the path becomes rougher; it descends along the cone, whereby the view of the crater gradually disappears, while the vegetation gradually becomes more luxuriant. Here you can meet another species that is typical of rock environments, the common raven, whose metallic croak accompanies the visitor to the terminal part of the path.

When you arrive in the square, you can stop and take in a breath-taking view dominated by the cognoli of Ottaviano, at the intermediate destination.

The itinerary continues on the right downhill for a stretch overlapping with path n.6. After about 600 metres, the path goes on the left to skirt Valle dell'Inferno and is in common with the homonymous path (n.1). Having reached an access gate, you continue to the left for a short stretch of asphalt, until you get to the destination route, the square of altitude 1000 of Erodano, which coincides with the beginning of the path.

The vegetation is characterized by the broom (mainly that of Etna), which is accompanied by other herbaceous species that are pioneer of the lava, such as the red valerian and the docks and sorrels. The amazing scent of the broom announces the arrival of the hot season and reaches the visitor even before starting the climb.

After passing the entrance, the ascent to the Gran Cono begins along a very wide path that is characterized by a series of extremely scenic hairpin turns.
The climb allows you to admire from above the view of Mount Somma even better and to expand your vision towards the valley that separates the two volcanoes, Valle del Gigante, which in its western side takes the name of Atrio del Cavallo. The lava dates back to the last eruption of 1944 covered by the grey-silver lichen Stereocaulon vesuvianum.

Still climbing along the hairpin turns, the view widens more and more on the Gulf of Naples, on the pinewood of the Tirone Alto-Vesuvio nature reserve and on the Umberto Hill.
You reach a height of 1,118 metres, where you find the ticket office and from which the guided tour begins. Once the toll is paid, you continue on a fairly wide path, along which there are a series of views over the crater of Vesuvius and on the upper edge, which can only be reached by scholars.

The arrival at Capannuccia at 1,170 metres of altitude is the close destination of the trail.
At the moment, it is not possible to cover the entire ring (intermediate destination and itinerary destination) as some interventions are being carried out to make the route safe with naturalistic engineering techniques.