Amidst thermal springs, solfataras and crater lakes, a trip to discover the volcano system of Campania through observation of the various phenomena characterizing the complex and delicate volcanism mechanism.
Day 1
The Solfatara of Pozzuoli
Arrival in Naples and check-in at hotel. The guided tour of the Solfatara of Pozzuoli, in the middle of the Phlegraean Fields, makes it possible to discover the numerous phenomena that characterize the activity of a volcano in the dormant phase, such as fumaroles, mofettes, hot mud volcanoes, and hot mineral water springs. After the visit to the Flavian Amphitheatre (one of the largest in Italy), we will continue on to Cumae, the first Western city-state founded by the Greeks in the 8th century B.C., with a tour of the Acropolis and the mysterious Cave of the Sibyl. Return to hotel, dinner,
and overnight stay.
2
Mt. Epomeo on Ischia
After breakfast, departure for Ischia, an island of volcanic origin dominated by the 789- meter-high Mt. Epomeo. During the
excursion on the volcano (which last erupted in 1301), it is possible to admire the deep gorges dug out of the tufa rock by the eroding action of water and wind and study the island’s geological evolution. After a picnic lunch, the afternoon is devoted to visiting Ischia, the largest of the Parthenopean islands and one of the main attractions of the area of Naples thanks to its natural beauty and lively little towns. In the evening, return to hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.
3
Mt. Vesuvius near Naples
After breakfast, excursion on the 1,277-meter-high Vesuvius, which overlooks the Gulf of Naples. It is the only live volcano on the European continent and one of the most interesting in the whole world. A typical example of an enclosed volcano, it is made up of a truncate outer cone (Mt. Somma, with a crater diameter of 4 km) and a smaller cone (Gran Cono or Vesuvius proper, with a crater diameter of 700 meters). The excursion reveals the lavas of different chemical compositions that make up the volcano, which destroyed the cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabia in the terrible eruption of 79 A.D. With the last eruption, which took place in 1944, numerous residential areas were destroyed and the volcanic ash arrived as far as Albania. After a picnic lunch, possible visit to the Vesuvian Observatory, founded in the
19th century. Departure as planned.
