Contrary to its benign appearance, Vesuvius is regarded as a very dangerous volcano, partly due to the number of people settled nearby and also because vulcanologists believe that a major eruption is now overdue.
Between the two large eruptions of 1631 and 1944, there were small eruptions roughly every 15 years, but there has been not a peep since 1944.
Apparently, the bigger the build up of gas below the crust, the greater the likelihood of a huge explosive event. However, the good news is that Vesuvius is being very closely monitored, and scientists believe that they will have between two and three weeks’ notice of such an incident. Time enough to move people out of the area.
Fortunately for us, there have been no indications of any forthcoming disturbance, so we were able to walk round the rim today in perfect safety.
Having got the little Circumversuviana train as far as Ercolano (the modern town of Herculaneum) we then caught a bus (€10 return) to the car park on Mount Versuvius. A further €10 allowed us to walk up to the crater (half an hour’s steep climb).
We’re really pleased we managed to do this today. Reading forums on Trip Adviser, a number of people seem to have got to the car park with the bus from Ercolano, for the path to the crater to be closed due to weather conditions.
Tortoise Travel 
I can remember being in awe of my Grandmother ( Trixie) when she was talking about her trip up the Volcano. I’m sure there was a photo capturing this but it has long gone! X
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Wow. She was much more travelled than my grandmother (May). I think the only time she left Penarth was to come and visit us, or when she moved to Banbury after my grandfather (Doug) died. Do you know when Trixie went up Vesuvius? I wonder when visits resumed after the eruption in 1944.
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