Nearby: Vesuvius
Positioned in front of the Bay of Naples, Vesuvius is undoubtedly one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. Its silhouette, unmistakable and imposing, has been a source of inspiration for poets, painters and musicians.
Symbol of the city of Naples, Vesuvius went down in history for the eruption of 79 AD. which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. Due to the great geological, naturalistic and historical interest that its territory represents, the Vesuvius National Park was established in 1995, in order to conserve the values of the environment and safeguard animal and plant species.
The basal area is mainly horticultural while in the range up to 400-500 meters the vine dominates, which then gives way to patches of woodland, fields of broom and finally to expanses of grey-black ash, punctuated in spring by the colors of the bushes in flowering. The Vesuvian brooms, which spread an intense scent between May and August, inspired Giacomo Leopardi to one of his best-known works: the poet from Recanati in fact spent the last years of his life in the villa called delle Ginestre, located between Vesuvius and Sant’Alfonso hill.
For those who want to explore the area, inside the park there are various paths equipped with signs and signs. Among these we highlight: The Valle dell’Inferno, to discover the most beautiful places and the most representative environments of the protected area; The Great Cone, which dates back to the Crater of Vesuvius; The Strada Matrone, which retraces the ancient road traced by the Matrone brothers to go back to the Gran Cono; and The Lava River, which allows you to walk on a lava flow, surrounded by an almost lunar landscape.
The area also boasts an agricultural and wine production of absolute importance in terms of variety and originality of flavours. Among its typical products, the following are particularly famous: the Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio DOP, one of the oldest and most typical products of Campania agriculture; and the Vesuvian Apricot, locally called “crisommola”. Among the wines, Lacryma Christi stands out.
