I climbed Mount Vesuvius alone, no tour, and found a secret path nobody takes 🌋

Hey hey! Today I climbed Mount Vesuvius completely on my own. No tour company, no guide, just public transport from Ercolano and a bit of patience. This volcano erupted in 79 AD and buried Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock. It is still active today and you can walk right up to the crater. HOW TO GET THERE WITHOUT A TOUR: Take the Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano Scavi station. From there, walk to the bus stop for the Vesuvio Express shuttle. The bus stop is easy to miss because the route number is not always displayed clearly, so ask locally or look for the Vesuvio Express signage near the station square. The shuttle runs every 30 to 40 minutes starting around 9am and takes about 30 minutes to reach 1000 meters altitude. From there you walk the final stretch to the crater entrance. ENTRANCE TICKETS: There are two ways to get in. Book online in advance through the official website, or arrive in person and scan the QR code at the entrance area for free WiFi and another QR code that lets you enter a kind of live lottery system to grab an available entry slot for the next 30 minutes. I managed to get one this way and even helped two other travelers who did not have a credit card to do the same. WHAT IS IN THIS VLOG: 00:00 Intro from the hostel in Ercolano 01:30 Taking the Circumvesuviana train, prices and which station to get off 03:00 Finding the Vesuvio Express bus stop, the tricky part nobody tells you 04:30 The bus ride up to 1000 meters altitude 06:00 Two ways to enter: pre-booked tickets vs the QR code lottery system 08:00 Helping two travelers without a credit card book their entry 09:30 The short hike up and the first incredible views 11:00 Seeing the volcano actively releasing smoke from the crater 13:00 Why this volcano matters: it destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 AD 15:00 The three main viewpoints around the crater rim 17:00 The secret hike: walking the entire way around the crater 19:00 Almost everyone stops at the last station, here is why you should not 21:00 Taking the bus back down to Ercolano 22:00 A 1.20 euro espresso, because Italy 23:30 Pizza in front of the sea 25:00 Swimming in the sea right after, possibly the best decision of the whole trip 26:30 Back to the hostel, shower and round two exploring the city 27:00 Churches, the city center and the area near the train station facing the port 27:30 Finding the perfect sunset spot at the edge of the port 28:00 Dinner: pasta with seafood because seaside plus Italy equals no other option 29:30 Final thoughts and rookie mistakes from the day ROOKIE MISTAKE: Assuming you need a tour to visit Mount Vesuvius. You do not. Public transport plus the QR code entry system works perfectly fine and costs a fraction of the price. The only real mistake is not asking at the entrance whether you can walk the full crater loop. Almost nobody asks, so almost nobody does it. NEXT VIDEO: I am going back to Ercolano to properly explore the ruins of Herculaneum, the ancient city buried by this same volcano. If this helped you plan your trip give it a like and subscribe. It means a lot. Hugs! Oscar The Rookie ______________________⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇_____________________ WHO IS OSCAR THE ROOKIE? Hey hey! My name is Oscar. I am Colombian, I have 2 passports, I have visited 51 countries and I have been completely broke 3 times in my life. I am still going. I am a PADI Divemaster, I have done skydiving twice, walked the Camino de Santiago, visited Petra, the Pyramids of Giza, Chichen Itza and the Colosseum. I love bouldering, rock climbing, cycling, via ferratas and swimming in lakes in winter. On this channel I post honest travel vlogs, real budget breakdowns and all the rookie mistakes I made so you do not have to. No fake perfect life. Just real travel from a real person. If this video helped you or made you smile, please give it a like and subscribe. It helps a lot and it means a lot. I read every single comment. FOLLOW ME: Instagram:   / oscartherookie   TikTok:   / oscartherookie   Facebook:   / oscartherookie   Support my journey: https://paypal.me/oscartherookie Thank you for watching. Hugs! Oscar The Rookie _______________________ #MountVesuvius #Vesuvius #Ercolano #ErcolanoItaly #VesuviusHike #VesuviusEruption #PompeiiVolcano #ItalyTravel #ItalyTravelGuide #ItalyTravelVlog #NaplesItaly #GulfOfNaples #SoloTravel #BudgetTravel #TravelVlog #OscarTheRookie #EuropeTravel #TravelTips #RookieMistakes #ActiveVolcano #HerculaneumItaly _______________________ Vesuvius without a tour, Vesuvius self guided, Vesuvius public transport, Vesuvius from Naples, Vesuvio Express, Ercolano Scavi, Ercolano Italy, Ercolano travel guide, Ercolano travel vlog, Mount Vesuvius entrance, Mount Vesuvius price, Mount Vesuvius crater, Mount Vesuvius eruption, Vesuvius 79 AD, Pompeii volcano, active volcano Italy, volcano hike Italy, rookie travel mistakes, hidden hike Vesuvius Ancient Roman history