What to expect
Explore Vesuvius, the giant volcano above the Bay of Naples. Drive 3,000 feet up and hike 25 minutes along volcanic gravel to the summit, where you can peer into its 700-ft deep, 2,000-ft wide crater and enjoy views of the Sorrento Peninsula and Capri, Ischia, and Procida. Visit Pompeii, a stunning open-air archaeological site, preserved under ash for 2,000 years, and wander its streets to see life as it once was. Herculaneum, smaller but exquisitely preserved, offers intact patrician villas, mosaics, frescos, and even wood and ropes—miraculously surviving the 500°C volcanic flows that destroyed the city.
