About the Mount Vesuvius National Park

There are many attractions that draw holiday-makers to the tourist region of Campania in South Italy. However, among the most unique is the imposing Mount Vesuvius – a “Green Level” volcano that dominates the coastal landscape.

Now not expected to erupt, Mount Vesuvius is home to a vibrant National Park that boasts not only stunning views but also a rich array of wildlife.

If you are thinking of visiting Mount Vesuvius on a Campania holiday, or simply want to learn more about this national treasure, here is the essentials that you need to know about the Mount Vesuvius National Park.

About the Mount Vesuvius National Park

The Mount Vesuvius National Park was established in 1995 in an effort to preserve the rare wildlife that can only be found in this part of Italy. Creation of the Mount Vesuvius National Park also allowed environmentalists and naturalists to carry out important research, as well as environmental restoration.

The Mount Vesuvius National Park includes parts of the Somma–Vesuvius volcanic complex, comprising the volcano Vesuvius and Mount Somma. It boasts a diverse environment, as the lower slopes of Vesuvius tend to be drier and sunnier than the slopes of Mount Somma. This means that on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius you can enjoy typical Mediterranean vegetation, such as pine and ilex trees. Meanwhile, on the damper slopes of Mount Somma you can see chestnut woods, as well as oak, alder, birch and maple trees.

Plants at the Mount Vesuvius National Park

A staggering 906 different species of plant have been identified at the Mount Vesuvius National Park. Intriguingly, the diversity of plant species is thought to be due in part to the lichen Stereocaulon vesuvianum, which is embedded in the lava and has, over the years, prepared the land for plant growth.

The most interesting plant species that you can discover at the Mount Vesuvius National Park are:

• the Neapolitan maple
• the Neapolitan alder
• Helichrysum litoreum
• A large number of orchids
• Genista tinctoria and Genista aetnensis (the latter was imported from Etna in 1906; in fact, it is more commonly known as Mount Etna broom)

These are just a handful of the delights that await you at the Mount Vesuvius National Park and to make the most of your experience, we highly recommend pre-arranging a walking tour with an expert guide, who can point out the interesting plants to you.

Wildlife at the Mount Vesuvius National Park

As well as rare plants, Mount Vesuvius has also cultivated vibrant wildlife. Many mammals call the Mount Vesuvius National Park their home, and the most interesting of these is the oaken mouse. This mammal is extremely rare in other parts of Italy and so seeing one in its natural habitat on Mount Vesuvius is a real treat.

The park is also home to:

• the dormouse
• the beech-marten
• foxes
• wild rabbits
• the hare
• the coloured green-lizard
• the western whip snake
• the Turkish Gecko
• coloured diurnal and nocturnal butterflies

In addition, more than 100 species of bird have been spotted on Mount Vesuvius, making a day tour of the National Park a wonderful day out for twitchers. Among the many birds that you can see, buzzards, kestrels, hoopoes, turtle-doves, wood pigeons, great spotted woodpeckers, rock thrushes, ravens and coal tits have all been observed. Even sparrowhawks have been seen in recent years!

Other birds that have been spotted at the Mount Vesuvius National Park include:

• the woodcock
• the black redstart
• the wryneck
• the song thrush
• the siskin
• garden warblers, subalpine warblers and wood warblers
• pied flycatchers
• redstarts
• black eared wheatear
• golden orioles
• nightjars
• bee eaters

From such a diverse array of wildlife, it is clear to see why a day trip to the Mount Vesuvius National Park would be a very special day out for anyone who enjoys spending time in nature.

Our Campania Holidays

As specialists in tailor-made travel to Italy, we offer a diverse range of Italy holidays to suit all interests. If you would love to spend time immersed in nature at the Mount Vesuvius National Park, we can arrange the perfect Campania holiday itinerary for you. As a part of your tailored holiday itinerary, we can arrange flights, airport transfers, accommodation, day trips and tours, car hire and restaurant reservations. We can also arrange a special tour of the Mount Vesuvius National Park with an expert naturalist.

If you would like to find out more about our customised Italy holidays, you can browse our selection of Italy twin-centre holidays by clicking here. Alternatively, you can click here to send us your holiday requirements and we will put together a free personalised holiday itinerary just for you. To speak to an expert, call us on 01223 637331 and start dreaming about your Italy holiday today!