This National Park in Naples Was Just Named the Most Photogenic in Italy — Here’s How to Visit

While we firmly believe that every national park is gorgeous, some are a bit more photogenic than others. That includes Vesuvius National Park in Italy, which was recently named the most Instagrammable national park in the country. 

In June, Amalfi Coast Tours released its list of the most Instagrammable national parks in the nation. To finalize its list, it analyzed the average number of Instagram posts tagged with hashtags for each Italian national park, including the term “#[parkname]nationalpark.” After looking at the numbers, Vesuvius came out on top, with an average of 381,785 posts on Instagram across the three common hashtags it searched.

And really, it’s easy to see why the park would rank so highly. After all, it does have the unfair advantage of being home to an active volcano. But there’s so much more to this park than just the slight threat of Mother Nature’s dangerous side. 

At the park, visitors will find endless spaces to explore, including through its 11 curated walking paths that go on for more than 33 miles, which not only allow for fantastic viewing experiences but also explain the terrain along the way via the signage posted along the paths. The paths, the park’s website explained, include six circular nature trails, one educational trail, a panoramic path, and an agricultural path so you can choose your own adventure. 

Visitors can also dig deeper into the region’s history by visiting the nearby Virtual Archaeological Museum of Herculaneum, which offers an interactive path guests can follow to learn more about life before the eruption of 79 C.E. 

Back inside the park, travelers can also count how many different species of flora and fauna they can spot, including 138 bird species and 29 mammals like foxes, weasels, and bats, along with some rather stunning orchids that bloom throughout the spring. 

But perhaps the biggest not-to-miss feature is the Crater of the Vesuvius, which visitors can see by walking the No. 5 nature trail, “Il Gran Cono,” which begins at the Piazzale di Quota 1000 parking area. Tickets to enter the trail are about $10, which must be purchased online before the visit. You may want to book early, as ticketing is limited to 360 guests per hour to ensure both guest safety and prime viewing experiences. So, next time you’re in the region, carve out an entire day to explore the park and take a few Instagram-worthy photos along the way, too.