The only active volcano in Europe, this 4000 foot monster is hard to ignore anywhere you are in the Bay of Naples area. Knowing that it created the circumstances that has made Pompeii and Ercolano (Herculaneum) the major tourist attractions they are today should inspire respect and awe.

At the crater rim, Ye Olde Photographer noticed an occasional whiff of sulfur compounds.

(You can imagine our relief to read that "Parc Nazionale del Vesuvio is closed during eruptions.")

NOTE: The August 2007 issue of National Geographic had quite a sobering article about this volcano.