Monte Nuovo
Pozzuoli (NA)
Hidden gemVolcanoes
The story
Born in a single night from a sixteenth-century eruption, the youngest mountain of the Campi Flegrei holds within its crater a green silence looking out over the gulf of Pozzuoli.
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The story
Monte Nuovo, near Pozzuoli, is the youngest volcano in Europe: it formed in a few days, between 29 September and 6 October 1538, in a violent eruption that erased the medieval village of Tripergole. Today its crater is a nature oasis, covered by the pine wood planted in the 1930s.
What to see
A path climbs among the pines up to the rim of the crater, at one hundred and thirty-three metres, with a view over the gulf and the whole Flegrean area; you can also go down inside the crater. On the southern slopes, small fumaroles recall that the volcano is not extinct.
Tips
You climb up on foot by a path (from Arco Felice): comfortable shoes, water and a hat in summer. You are in the Campi Flegrei in active bradyseism, on a volcano with fumaroles: check the access status of the oasis on the official channels before going and do not leave the paths.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Monte Nuovo famous?
It is the youngest volcano in Europe, born in a few days in the eruption of 1538 that destroyed the village of Tripergole; today the crater is a nature oasis.
Can you climb up Monte Nuovo?
Yes, by a path that climbs to the rim of the crater and allows you to go down inside; being in an active volcanic area, it is best to check the access status and stay on the paths.
Are there fumaroles on Monte Nuovo?
Yes, small fumaroles on the southern slopes recall that the volcano is only quiescent.
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