When one thinks of Naples and the Vesuvian area, the ancient buried (and then revived) cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata immediately come to mind; but also the rich and elegant Bourbon villas, the stops on the Grand Tour, the city of Naples and, of course, Vesuvius, which seemingly placidly looks down on all the towns orbiting its crater, and imposes itself on travellers as an object of admiration, dismay and wonder at the same time.
The territory of Naples and the Vesuvian area includes the city of Naples and several towns and cities located within its province. These towns are united by the fact that they are located in the relative vicinity of Vesuvius, the dormant but still active volcano that looms majestically over them. Some of the municipalities located in this area fall within the Vesuvius National Park (we are talking about Boscoreale, Boscotrecase, Ercolano, Massa di Somma, Ottaviano, Pollena Trocchia, San Giuseppe Vesuviano, San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, Sant'Anastasia, Somma Vesuviana, Terzigno, Torre del Greco, Trecase), while others are not included in the Park, but are adjacent to it: Cercola, Pompei, Portici, San Giorgio a Cremano and Torre Annunziata. Geographically, the conformation of the Vesuvius area includes a coastal portion stretching out over the Gulf of Naples and a more inland portion comprising an area that extends from the slopes of Vesuvius to its summit. The area is home to various natural species of great interest such as the maple and Neapolitan alder, various types of orchids and broom (to which Leopardi dedicated his famous and beautiful lyric); among the fauna, an exceptional place belongs to foxes, beech martens and weasels. The Vesuvian ecosystem, moreover, presents the perfect conditions for the cultivation of typical local products, such as vines that generate world-famous wines, apricots, mulberries, cherries and Vesuvius tomatoes, known as the Pomodorini del Piennolo (harvested and held together with a string and assuming a cluster shape).
What to do in Naples and the Vesuvius area? The options are many. First of all, we recommend an excursion to Mount Vesuvius, where you can enjoy trekking and easy routes at different heights, up to the crater, and enjoy a panorama that embraces the entire Gulf of Naples. A visit to the city of Naples, then, is a must: here you can choose whether to immerse yourself in culture and art by visiting its museums (Capodimonte and the MANN, to name but two) and its many churches (Santa Chiara, Cappella Sansevero, the Church of the Gesù, etc.); or you can visit the historic centre, or the seafront with the Castel dell'Ovo, or even plan a romantic getaway to Marechiaro. The Vesuvian area also and above all means archaeological excavations: those of Pompeii and Herculaneum are an unmissable stop, and visiting a city that has remained crystallised 2,000 years ago will take your breath away! But perhaps not everyone knows that there are other little jewels of the Roman era, smaller than Pompeii but beautiful in terms of frescoes, architecture and archaeological finds: we are talking about the excavations of Torre Annunziata (here you will find elegant frescoes in indescribable colours) and Boscoreale, where the Antiquarium museum recounts daily life, in all its details, that took place in the cities destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 AD. Fancy a stately atmosphere reminiscent of the splendour of the Bourbon era? Then you will have to hunt for the villas of the Miglio d'Oro, a geographical area between San Giovanni a Teduccio and Herculaneum, characterised by eighteenth-century noble villas, some private, others open to visitors (such as Villa Campolieto or Villa Favorita, or the Reggia di Portici, a royal residence): these architectures are true works of art that adorn the city streets in all their beauty. In Massa di Somma, a town that suffered heavy damage in the 1944 eruption, it is possible, on the other hand, to discover well-preserved Vesuvian farms, while in Sant'Anastasia there are still active workshops dedicated to the craft of copper working just waiting to be visited.
The territory of Naples and the Vesuvian area is vast and composed, as we have seen, of several municipalities, so the typical dishes found in this area will also be many and very different. In Naples, you must try pizza, sfogliatella and babà, but also ragù and spaghetti with mussels or clams (dishes that are also excellent in the neighbouring municipalities); aubergine parmigiana is the dish of choice in restaurants and trattorias, along with courgette alla scapece (fried and seasoned with oil, vinegar and mint leaves) and pasta alla genovese (made with a sauce of onions cooked until they become cream). Don't forget the sausage with friarielli, a type of broccoli with a bitterish flavour sautéed with oil and chilli pepper, perhaps to be eaten with the so-called pane cafone of San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, with its crunchy crust and full-bodied crumb. Then try both red and yellow Vesuvius tomatoes: the latter, which are more distinctive, have a sweeter, slightly sour taste, and if you have the chance, don't pass up the ricotta di fuscella di Sant'Anastasia. Lovers of good drink will find paradise in this area: for red wine, we recommend the Piedirosso 'Per'e Palummo', for white you can opt for a Falanghina or Coda di Volpe. Those who, on the other hand, would like to enjoy an excellent rosé can drink the famous Lacryma Christi made from Piedirosso and Coda di Volpe grapes. Apricots, grapes, cherries, figs and white and black mulberries will then delight you along with many traditional Neapolitan desserts.
The Vesuvian area is rich in traditions and events to attend. In Naples, everything stops on 19 September: it is the feast of San Gennaro and the whole city follows in anxious anticipation the ceremony of the melting of the Saint's blood held at the Duomo. In October, on the other hand, it is harvest time and in Boscotrecase there is the wine festival, where the bottling of wine is celebrated and local products are tasted. On the still warm autumn evenings, the excavations of Pompeii, Torre Annunziata and Herculaneum often promote moonlight tours (events are also scheduled in spring), a unique and very exciting experience. On 22 October in Torre Annunziata there is the traditional feast of the Madonna della Neve, which is inaugurated with a morning procession and continues for several days, ending with a fireworks display by the shoreline. If you are visiting the Vesuvian land at the beginning of November, in correspondence with the celebration of All Saints' Day, do not forget to taste the torrone dei morti (nougat of the dead). The name may perhaps put you off, but we assure you that it is delicious: it is a soft nougat with several layers of chocolate, filled with hazelnuts. In December it is the turn of the art of the nativity scene, the pride and joy of Naples, which in the San Gregorio Armeno area is home to workshops of master craftsmen who create marvellous works of art every year. Also in Naples, many churches or historical places host nativity scene exhibitions inside them that are not to be missed! On 8 May, Pompeii hosts the Supplication, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, a religious ceremony of great resonance that unites the inhabitants of the city with visitors and believers from all over the world. In June, on the other hand, the towns of Trecase, Boscotrecase, Sant'Anastasia and Somma Vesuviana celebrate the Apricot Festival of Vesuvius, an event that exalts and protects this foodstuff. But it is from 3 to 5 August every four years that an event of great emotion and fascination takes place: the Festival of the Lucerne in Somma Vesuviana, where traditional oil lamps are mounted on scenic wooden scaffolding, giving life to luminous sculptures of incredible shapes: a festival linked to the land and rural history that celebrates the fire that, after the summer harvests, burns the stubble and prepares the fields for a new cycle.
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