Mt Vesuvius

This was a great trip! We met our coordinator right off the ship, met up with the other people on the tour, and were off to Pompeii. We were glad to have a tour/driver, because navigating Naples would not have been enjoyable on our own. We were given over to an Italian tour guide to take us through the ruins of Pompeii (he was a little hard to understand, but was doing his best and was well-informed on the site), and then brought to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was a little ways off the main street, so we were able to escape the choas of the city and enjoy lunch. Our main guide, Annalise, was a bit rushed and frantic; she could have done a better job of giving 5 minute warnings and that type of thing, but she got us where we needed to be throughout the day. After lunch we were taken up Mt. Vesuvius, where we were able to hike the last bit on our own (not the best thing right after pizza and wine :) This hike was more vigorous than I expected; slow and steady is your best bet. The views from the mountain were awesome. The "guide" at the top offering a 5 minute explanation of the volcano was not very good- although he was not part of the Viator package. We were rushed back on the bus once we got back down, because other tour members needed to be back to their cruise ship (ours did not leave as early). All in all, I would recommend this tour to others:)

Doing what: Naples Shore Excursion: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

3 parts, Pompeii, lunch, Vesuvius. Tour was compressed to 6 hours so we could get back to our ship on time, which meant our Pompeii tour was rushed. Pompeii is huge, we took the quick route through, but as we walked we looked down side streets - more buildings and streets everywhere. Tour guide was a bit inexperienced, kept having to ask her where we are on the map. Lots of stepping up and down from high curbs, paving stones are rough. Pompeii really needs a full day plus to completely see everything. Lunch was thin-shell pizza or pasta, free drinks, good rest break. Vesuvius was a real hike, the bus goes to the top of the tree line, then it is about a one-mile hike on a 10-foot wide fenced path at about a steady 10%+ grade to the top, 30 minutes up, 20 minutes down. Going up, the back of your legs and buttocks wear out and coming down your thighs wear out. Take one of the staffs offered at the start - they're free (donations please). At the top, they ask you to wait for a free guide, but you can continue on your own - ours was a geologist. I have a problem with heights, so the crater was scary - 500 foot vertical cliffs to the bottom. The only sign of activity was a steam vent in one side. Easy walk 1/3-way around the rim, view Pompeii, etc. Easy walk back down, but the path is loose volcanic material, my legs were trembling afterward. Very first time I've seen a volcano close up.

Doing what: Naples Shore Excursion: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

Pompeii was amazing. However I think it is the kind of place that might be better suited for walking around alone, or at least for a longer tour. I felt like we only saw a small fraction of this amazing old city that it would have been great fun to really explore. In particular we were not shown the large theater or the amphitheater. I would have like to spend at least twice as long in Pompeii. After Pompeii we were served a slightly rushed dinner at a tourist restaurant nearby, where we could choose between pizza with tomato and pasta with tomato (boring). For the trip to Vesuvius we were given another guide. We were only driven to the foot of the tourist path to the top, and was left to walk up alone. Apparently we were supposed to rely on one of the site-associated guides for an explanation of the volcano. This on-site guide was frankly boring, spoke a very bad English, and expected a separate tip.

The itinerary was good, and the trip was worth it, but the guides seemed lazy and rushed.

Doing what: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

The actual trips to Pompeii and Vesuvius were great. The archeological site and hike up the volcano made the trip worth it. Our guides to and from were nice, but seem more interested in inside jokes to entertain themselves. The meal was horrendous. It was supposed to be margarita pizza, but it was just plain cheese with tomato sause. No basil. Poor quality all together. Overall, the trip was nice. A better meal and guides who are not so concerned with each other would have been better.

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

Wow, what a wonderful trip! We were picked up at our hotel on time, and our guide and driver were excellent! Pompei is just amazing and our guide was so informative and interesting, he really made the place come alive for us! Vesuvius too was quite thrilling, altho its a much less detailed and much shorter tour. The +- 1 mile trek to the volcano edge was tough but definitely worth doing - all in all, it was great value for money and I would not hesitate to recommend it

Doing what: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

Our guide, David, was superb. Full of interesting information that was easy to listen to. I was thrilled to walk on a live volcano and one so infamous. The pizza in Naples was absolutely delicious. The ruins of Pompeii were fascinating and older and in much better condition than Rome's. The only disappointment was the weather. Cloud on Mt. Vesuvius kept us from seeing anything but the ground beneath our feet (not even the crater when I stood right next to it) and we got drenched with rain in Pompeii.

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

My daughter and I took the day tour to Pompeii from Rome at the end of January. We were very pleased with tour and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Rome. The tour guide, Angelique, on the bus was just fantastic providing an excellent narrative about the surrounding country-side and information about what we were going to see at Pompeii. On the trip we stopped at a nice quick-break area with plenty of clean restrooms; lunch was just excellent, both the food and service were very good. I am not sure what some of the other reviewers were complaining about because our lunch was very good. Because we went in January, we visited the Museum in Naples rather than the trip to Mount Vesuvius, in my opinion the Museum was a much better venue and much more meaningful than a trip to the volcano. The Museum gave you the opportunity to see many of the relics retrieved from the city and gain a much better appreciation for what you were going to see at the actual site. We had a separate tour guide at Pompeii, who was also very good. Overall, we were very pleased with our day spent on this tour and would highly recommend it to others.

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

This was a fascinating tour, well organised and though the journey to and from Pompeii was long, the tour leaders kept us entertained all the way. They gave us historical facts about places we were passing as well as on Pompeii itself. We were worried that with such an early start- 7.30am-we wouldn't have time for breakfast but we stopped on the way down at a service area for a quick drink, something to eat and a loo break though it wasn't for very long. The guide in Pompeii was informative and friendly. The walk up Vesuvius was hard but well worth it when you got to the summit. You could see smoke coming from the crater and there was a smell of sulphur. But be warned, the toilets at the rest area where the buses take yous on the way up the volcano are filthy! i would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to go to Pompeii. The only downside was that the preserved dog I had wanted to see wasn't there-it's on a world tour at the moment!

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

Monica, our tour guide on the bus to and from Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii was lovely and helpful, and the climb up Vesuvius gives you a wonderful view at Naples and the surrounding area, and into the volcano crater. Simon, our tour guide in Pompeii was informative, funny and engaging. I have wanted to see Pompeii for many, many years, and Simon helped make the most of our time there. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to anyone!!!

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

My teenage children and I misunderstood the instructions for the pick up of this tour and spent a frantic 50 minutes racing up the wrong side of the street asking endless people where we might find the bus. Finally a wonderful Napoli employee at the railway information desk made some phone calls, left her post and escorted us to the guide searching for us in the place we'd previously been searching for her. Thanks so much for waiting for us but please provide better instructions next time. The Pompeii tour was amazing. Andre, our guide, was a wealth of information presented as facts, stories and anecdotes. My teenage children, past and present students of Latin and Ancient History, were fascinated by Pompeii's boast of a different way of life, at once more difficult for some and more opulent for others than their's. Climbing Mt Vesuvius and peering into the crater, so apparently benign yet capable of venting such horror was very moving. The walk is a steady climb on a pebbly pumice surface, but the cool breeze made it seem less strenuous. To scan the flat land areas between the volcano and the sea and to understand that they all were spewed from this very volcano is awesome. This tour provided a fabulous day out for us. I have no reservations in recommending it for all.

Doing what: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

This tour was amazing. I booked this tour and expected to really only walk through pompeii a little bit but I got a lot more than that. We had excellent tour guides on the bus (Mike and Massimo). Both had their own style but each was excellent in their way. We had a background tour on the bus, then walked around Pompeii with a tour guide there. Went to get Neapolitan pizza which was fantastic. Both types of pizza were great at the restaurant. Then we drove to Vesuvius and climbed it to the top which was awesome. The view is incredible fro the top of the volcano. On the way back on the bus we also had some more tour from the guides. This tour is expensive, but highly recommended and worth every penny.

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

This day trip was superb. Although it was a long day, it was worth every minute. Our tour guides, Antonella and Violet, and bus driver Antonio were just great. Seeing the sights in Pompeii was extremely interesting and the bus ride/hike to the top of Vesuvius was just so beautiful and exciting. The spectacular views at the top of the volcano made the trek to the top well worthwhile. To be prepared for the heat and hike, wear comfortable, closed toed shoes, take the walking stick offered at the beginning of the hike up Vesuvius and bring or buy an ample supply of water. All the members of my family of 5, including three teenagers, had a great day. We were in Rome for a week and this was an excellent way to get out of the city, see some of the countryside, and have one in lifetime experiences that we will always remember.

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

What a wonderful trip! Our tour guide showed great knowledge of Pompeii while exhibiting charm and humor. The pizza at lunch was okay, but the independent trip up Mt. Vesuvius made up for it. The views from the volcano were wonderful. Be sure to take sturdy shoes for the climb as the path is sandy. Enjoy a great time!

Doing what: Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii Day Trip from Naples

We had bad luck - the road to Vesuvius was closed. The guide improvised and gave us a great day despite this setback. The lunch was wonderful and Pompeii amazing. And Viator refunded half our fees due to our missing out on the volcano. Thank you

Doing what: Pompeii Day Trip from Rome

We didn't have enough time to do Mt. Vesuvius the way it should be done. We only had 1 hour after we arrived at Mt. Approx 25 minutes to walk to the top and 25 min to walk back down. No time to walk around to view the Volcano.

Doing what: Naples Shore Excursion: Mt Vesuvius Half-Day Trip from Naples