{"id":11203,"date":"2018-06-04T19:17:26","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T17:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it\/visit-the-park\/the-paths\/il-vallone-della-profica\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T16:01:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T14:01:28","slug":"the-profica-valley","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.parconazionaledelvesuvio.it\/en\/visit-the-park\/the-paths\/the-profica-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"The Profica Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The trail, which is partly agricultural, climbs the eastern slopes of Mount Somma, starting from Santa Maria La Scala Church, where the entrance to Via Profica Paliata is located. <\/p>\n

The first section crosses a diverse rural environment: on the left-hand side there are fruit trees, including fig trees, apricot trees, cherry trees and plum trees, while on the right-hand side there are vineyards, hazelnut groves and some chestnut trees. The most common birds in the area are the flycatcher, the common whitethroat, the nightingale and the serin, which are joined by the beautiful golden oriole with its shiny yellow and black feathers and melodic singing in summer.<\/p>\n

The trail proceeds on a gentle hill, in the background you can admire the Cognoli of Ottaviano and Levante and later on the eastern slopes of Mount Vesuvius. At both crossroads along the route (400 metres and 700 metres from the starting point of the trail respectively), you need to keep to the left.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Please be extremely careful on the trails, always check weather conditions and wear appropriate shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>

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The Park Authority has no competence for safety and so it is not responsible for any damage to people and things that may occur during the use of the Park territory.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\tLength\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t4.382 metres in total<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tMaximum altitude\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t730 metres above sea level<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tDuration\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t3 hours in total<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\tDeparture\/arrival\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\tSan Giuseppe Vesuviano<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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From the second crossroads, the countryside gradually gives way to the mixed broadleaf forest, with a prevalence of downy oaks and a rich and diversified undergrowth. The typical birds of the countryside are replaced by the forest ones, such as the red-headed woodpecker, the green-headed woodpecker, the short-toed treecreeper and the wood nuthatch. <\/p>\n

After passing a stone pine forest, continue on the right, and you\u2019ll get to a chestnut grove rich in undergrowth. Reaching 410 metres above sea level, you\u2019ll find wooden steps which will facilitate your ascent to the ridges of Mount Somma from the western side - they\u2019re characterised by a mixed forest, predominantly holm oaks and chestnut trees. If you walk along them, you\u2019ll be able to take in the valleys of Mount Somma, with Vallone Tagliente on the right and Vallone della Profica on the left. <\/p>\n

Keep walking along the ridges on a substrate of lava and pyroclasts of the old volcanic apparatus for about 900 metres. If you want to continue your hike, arriving at an altitude of 730 metres the trail intersects with trails 1 and 2, otherwise it resumes in the opposite direction until it gets you back to the parking area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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