# Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca Trail **At a glance:** The Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca trail starts at the Gradoni near Piazza Maio, in upper Casamicciola, and crosses the Celario chestnut wood and the Monte Cito fumarole field to the Crateca area, towards Fango in Lacco Ameno. It is an easy walk of about 3 km, past dry-stone walls, colourful fumaroles and views of the gulf. ## Useful information - **Type:** Trails and hiking routes - **Area:** [Upper Casamicciola](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/areas/upper-casamicciola/) - **Address:** Partenza: località Gradoni, nei pressi di Piazza Maio, 80074 Casamicciola Terme NA - **Coordinates:** 40.742290, 13.900810 - **Start:** Gradoni area, near Piazza Maio (upper Casamicciola) - **Finish:** Crateca and Fango (Lacco Ameno) - **Distance:** About 3 km - **Duration:** About 3 hours with stops - **Difficulty:** T/E; highest point about 300 m - **Don't miss:** Celario chestnut wood, Monte Cito fumaroles, green tuff dry-stone walls ## The route at a glance This is a short, varied hike linking the upper part of Casamicciola Terme with the countryside of Fango, a village in Lacco Ameno. The meeting point given by hike organisers is the “Gradoni” (big steps) area near [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/); the walk crosses Celario, reaches the fumaroles of [Monte Cito](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito/) and descends to the Crateca area, as far as Fango. According to the fact sheets for the hikes offered by the Amici del Maio, the route is about 3 km long, takes about 3 hours with stops and is graded T/E (tourist-hiking), with a maximum altitude of about 300 metres. The last stretch, towards Crateca, now largely coincides with a road open to traffic. ## Stages and what to see ### The Celario chestnut wood The first part runs through the chestnut wood covering the hills above upper Casamicciola. Along the path run the “parracine”, Ischia's typical dry-stone walls built without mortar from blocks of green tuff, which support the terraces and let rainwater drain away. ### The Monte Cito fumaroles The heart of the hike is the [Monte Cito fumarole field](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito-solfatara-fumaroles/), where ground altered by hot fluids takes on white, purple and yellow hues. According to Italy's Civil Protection Department, the Monte Cito fumaroles are among the hottest on the island, with maximum temperatures close to 100 °C. A distinctive flora grows here, including the fumarole papyrus (_Cyperus polystachyos_), and the view opens out over the Gulf of Naples. Alunite, the stone from which alum was obtained, was also mined in this area. ### Towards Crateca and Fango The descent partly follows the old Via Crateca, which locals called the “via dei carri” (cart road): it was the route along which alunite was carried to the processing areas and then to the port of Casamicciola. Along the sides grow dog roses, valerian, broom, myrtle, heather and mastic; further down, vineyards appear. Fango is an old farming village, also linked to the gathering of the muds used in the island's spa treatments. ## Before you set out: trail conditions Before setting out, check with the Town Council of Casamicciola Terme or local guides on whether the trails above the town are passable, and always respect any access bans. ## How to get there Piazza Maio can be reached from the centre of Casamicciola by climbing from Piazza Bagni to the upper part of town. At the finish, walk down from Fango towards Lacco Ameno, where public buses along the coast road will take you back to Casamicciola. ## Useful tips - Wear hiking shoes and bring water: there are no drinking fountains along the route. - Near the fumaroles the ground is hot and crumbly: stay on the path and hold children by the hand. - The best seasons are spring and autumn. ## Nearby If you want a longer route, you can walk the [Alum Trail](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/alum-trail/), which leads from Fango back to Piazza Maio via Monte Cito and the Piazza della Pera or, if you are experienced, tackle the climb from the [Maio towards Monte Epomeo](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/trail-from-maio-to-monte-epomeo/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is the Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca trail? Hike fact sheets give about 3 km, taking around 3 hours with stops. The difficulty is T/E, i.e. suitable for people with some walking experience. ### Where does the trail start? The given starting point is the Gradoni area, near Piazza Maio, in upper Casamicciola. The trail ends at Crateca, towards Fango in Lacco Ameno. ### Are the Monte Cito fumaroles dangerous? They are among the hottest on the island, with temperatures close to 100 °C according to the Civil Protection Department. Observe them from the path, without touching the hot ground or going near the vents. ### Is the trail always passable? Before setting out, ask the Town Council or local guides for up-to-date information on whether the trails in the Celario area are passable and respect any bans. ## Also worth seeing - [Monte Cito](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito/) - [Monte Cito Solfatara and Fumaroles](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito-solfatara-fumaroles/) - [Alum Trail (Sentiero dell'Allume)](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/alum-trail/) - [Trail from the Maio to Monte Epomeo](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/trail-from-maio-to-monte-epomeo/) - [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/) ## Sources and further reading - [Ischia.it – Celario, Montecito, Crateca](https://www.ischia.it/celario-montecito-crateca) - [Ischia.it – Andar per sentieri, pieghevole del programma escursionistico (Amici del Maio)](https://www.ischia.it/components/com_rseventspro/assets/images/files/Pieghevole_andarpersentieri_v2495.pdf) - [Ischia.it – Il sentiero dell'Allume](https://www.ischia.it/sentiero-dell-allume) - [Dipartimento della Protezione Civile – Ischia, rischio vulcanico](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/en/approfondimento/ischia-0/) - [Komoot – Campo fumarolico di Monte Cito](https://www.komoot.com/highlight/3916268) - [OpenStreetMap – coordinate dei luoghi](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)