Most-reviewed trip
Naples Day Tour, Lunch Included
From Naples, spend a full day between the excavated streets of Pompeii and the trail up the Vesuvius crater, with views over the bay from the rim.
Mount Vesuvius In December: Crater Hours, Weather And Tours
December access hours for the Gran Cono crater trail run 09:00 to 15:00, with last entry at 15:00 and the visit ending within one hour of that time. Temperatures at the 1,000 m summit level average a high of 6.7 C and a low of 1.4 C, while Naples averages 12.7 C by day and 6.8 C at night, all modelled 1991-2020 climate averages, so expect the crater rim to feel several degrees colder than the city streets below.
Crater Access, Weather And Daylight In December
09:00-15:00Crater access hourslast access 15:00
2,160Daily visitor cap
6.7°C / 1.4°CSummit high / low1,000 m level
12.7°C / 6.8°CNaples high / low
147 mmSummit rain13.1 days of 1 mm or more
9.3 hDaylightsunrise 07:19, sunset 16:35 (15th)
| Measure | Summit (1,000 m) | Naples |
|---|---|---|
| Average high | 6.7°C | 12.7°C |
| Average low | 1.4°C | 6.8°C |
| Rain | 147 mm | 133 mm |
| Days with 1 mm or more | 13.1 | 12.4 |
- About 0.3 days of snowfall above 0.5 cm in an average year at the 1,020 m grid cell (1991-2020).
- Park access to the crater trail ends at 15:00, so sunset (16:35) is after the last entry every month; sunset tours are not Gran Cono hikes.
- Daily visitor cap on the Gran Cono is 2,160.
Temperatures and rain are a modelled 1991-2020 climate average (ERA5 reanalysis) for the 1,000 m level, not station normals or a forecast. The trail and box office close automatically on any day with an orange weather alert or higher, with automatic refunds for slots inside a closure.
Vesuvius Tours Worth Booking In December
The roster below covers crater hikes and Pompeii combination days, wine tastings on the volcano's slopes, transfers with entry tickets, Herculaneum pairings, horse riding, shore excursions and private itineraries, with departures from Naples, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, Positano, Rome, Pompeii and Salerno (see Sorrento To Vesuvius). Every tour type has its own section further down the page, and each listing shows its live dates and booking details.
Pizza on the Volcano Slopes
3.5 - 8 hours · HP TRAVEL
from €53.25per personStart in Naples, walk the ruins of Pompeii, then head up Vesuvius toward the crater rim. A pizza lunch on the volcano's slopes is built into the day.
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From Rome, Optional Crater Add-On
12 hours (approx.) · City Wonders Ltd
from €56per personA long day out of Rome with City Wonders Ltd, about 12 hours in all. A guided walk through Pompeii comes first. The afternoon is yours to shape: a pizza lunch, the crater trail on Vesuvius, or both together. Rated 4.6 across 6517 reviews, from €56 per person, with free cancellation.
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Skip-the-Line Ruins, Optional Lunch
9 - 12 hours · City Wonders Ltd.
from €56per personTravel from Rome for a full guided day among Pompeii's streets, forum and frescoed villas. Optional extras add the Mount Vesuvius crater trail and a relaxed lunch before the journey back.
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Naples or Sorrento Departure
8 hours · IAMME IA! - Gray Line Amalfi Coast
from €97.75per personOne long day covers both anchors of the 79 AD eruption. From Naples or Sorrento, walk Pompeii's excavated streets with a guide, then ride up to the Vesuvius trailhead and climb to the crater rim for views across the Bay of Naples.
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Skip-Line Ticket, Digital Guide
2.5 hours - 1 day · inStazione
from €16per personSkip the ticket line at Vesuvius and take the Gran Cono path up to the crater rim, a digital guide on your phone narrating the volcano's story.
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Archaeologist Guide, Lava Caves Option
8 hours · WORLDTOURS S.r.l.
from €78.20per personTwo icons in one day from Naples: Pompeii's excavated streets, then the crater rim of the volcano that buried them. Lunch is included. Eight hours, free cancellation.
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Pizza or Wine Tasting Choice
8 hours (approx.) · Worldtours
from €120per personPair the buried streets of Pompeii with the rim of the volcano that buried them. This full-day elite tour from Naples, rated 4.7 across 3,476 reviews, runs about 8 hours and includes lunch. Walk the excavations with a guide, then hike the Gran Cono crater trail for views across the Bay of Naples. Free cancellation and round-trip transport from central Naples are included.
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Lunch and Wine Tasting Included
8 hours · WORLDTOURS S.r.l.
from €127.50per personA full day from Naples: Pompeii's ruins, the Vesuvius crater path, then lunch and wine on the volcano's slopes.
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From Sorrento, Lunch Included
8.5 - 9 hours · HP TRAVEL
from €109.25per personSpend a full day out of Sorrento on the natural pairing: a guided walk through Pompeii's excavated streets, then the crater trail on Vesuvius. Lunch is included, and the whole outing runs 8.5 to 9 hours.
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Bus Transfer, Park Entry Included
3 hours · MOTORENT S.R.L.
from €35.10per personA no-frills shuttle from Pompeii up to the volcano's upper parking area, with the Vesuvio National Park entry fee already covered. Ride up, walk the crater rim at your own pace, and ride back down. About 3 hours in total.
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Direct Transfer, Guaranteed Entry
3 hours · VISITING CAMPANIA S.R.L.
from €35.10per personRound-trip transport plus crater entry tickets, run by Visiting Campania in about 3 hours. At the trailhead you get free time to hike to the rim and take in the Bay of Naples.
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Audio Guide Combo, No Meal
6 - 6.5 hours · MOTORENT S.R.L.
from €77.40per personThis Naples day trip pairs the Pompeii ruins with the crater trail on Mount Vesuvius in roughly six hours. Transport and park entry are handled for you, and the booking can be cancelled free of charge.
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Priority Access From Sorrento
8 hours (approx.) · IAMME IA! - Gray Line Amalfi Coast
from €115per personThis Sorrento departure stacks the two essentials in one day: the buried city below and the volcano that did the burying. Priority access gets you into the Pompeii excavations without the ticket queue, then the coach climbs to the Gran Cono trailhead for the crater rim walk. About 8 hours, from €115, free cancellation, run by IAMME IA! - Gray Line Amalfi Coast.
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From Ercolano, Roundtrip Bus
3 hours · Vesuvio Express
from €36per personVesuvio Express runs this roundtrip bus from Ercolano up to the crater trailhead, with your park entry ticket included. Three hours total, free cancellation, from €36.
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Easy Transfer, Entry Ticket
3 hours · Around Vesuvio
from €39per personA roundtrip shuttle from Pompeii or Naples to the Vesuvius trailhead, with your crater entry ticket handled ahead of time. Around Vesuvio runs the transfer, so you skip the ticket window and go straight to the Gran Cono path.
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Three Sites in One Day
7.5 - 8.5 hours · Around Vesuvio
from €112.50per personTwo buried towns and the volcano responsible: Pompeii's streets, Herculaneum's ruins, then the crater rim walk. Count on 7.5 to 8.5 hours with Around Vesuvio.
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Half-Day Volcano Trip From Naples
3.5 - 4 hours · Project Napoli Service
from €44.80per personRun by Project Napoli Service, this half-day folds the ride from Naples and the Gran Cono crater walk into 3.5 to 4 hours, with rim views over the bay. Rated 4.5 across 891 reviews.
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Skip-the-Line, From Naples
8 hours (approx.) · IAMME IA! - Gray Line Amalfi Coast
from €115per personPairing Pompeii with the volcano that buried it makes for a full day, and the travel between them is not simple on your own. This tour from Naples handles the transport and the logistics in one package. You get priority entry at the Pompeii excavations and a transfer up to the Vesuvius trailhead, with a guide leading the way at both stops. Expect roughly 8 hours door to door.
Check availability →- See all 106 Pompeii And Vesuvius Tours
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- See all 3 Vesuvius Shore Excursions
What December Changes On Mount Vesuvius
December falls inside the winter window, when crater access runs 09:00 to 15:00 and the daily visitor cap sits at 2,160, with each visit ending within one hour of the 15:00 last entry. Daylight is at its tightest of the year: on the 15th the sun rises at 07:19 and sets at 16:35, roughly 9.3 hours in total, which means December sunsets fall after last entry and evening experiences in this month are not crater hikes. The summit level averages a high of 6.7 C and a low of 1.4 C, against Naples figures of 12.7 C and 6.8 C, modelled 1991-2020 climate averages.
With summit lows around 1.4 C and daytime highs of just 6.7 C, warm layers, a windproof jacket, hat and gloves make the crater rim far more comfortable, and sturdy footwear matters because the month brings about 147 mm of rain across roughly 13.1 days. Naples stays milder at 12.7 C by day, so plan for two climates in one outing: city temperatures at the meeting point and near-freezing conditions at altitude. Guests should also check the live listing for dates, since the trail and box office close on days with an orange weather alert or higher.
Questions About Mount Vesuvius In December
What are the crater opening hours on Vesuvius in December?
December hours for the Gran Cono trail run 09:00 to 15:00, with last access at 15:00 and the visit finishing within one hour of that entry time. The daily cap is 2,160 visitors, and the trail and box office close on days with an orange weather alert or higher. Daylight is short, about 9.3 hours on the 15th from a 07:19 sunrise to a 16:35 sunset, so the last entry happens well before dark.
How cold is the summit of Vesuvius in December, and how rainy is it?
At the 1,000 m summit level, December averages a high of 6.7 C and a low of 1.4 C, modelled 1991-2020 climate average, while Naples averages 12.7 C by day and 6.8 C at night. The month also brings about 147 mm of rain over roughly 13.1 rain days at the summit, against 133 mm in Naples, so wind and waterproof layers are worth packing for the crater rim.
Should you book a Vesuvius crater tour in advance for a December visit?
A wide range of options appears on this page, including crater hikes, Pompeii combination days, wine tastings on the slopes, transfers with entry tickets and private itineraries from cities across the region. Guests should check the live listing for each tour's December dates, because the trail and box office close on days with an orange weather alert or higher and the daily cap of 2,160 visitors still applies.