Photos from Italy and its volcanoes

Updated: May 21, 2025 03:11 GMT - refresh

In 79 A.D. a violent eruption of Vesuvius volcano destroyed several Roman cities, burying them under thick layers of volcanic ash and conserving much of the structures and artworks. The most famous of it is Pompeii, which has been excavated during the past centuries. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Pompeii - the Roman city buried by Vesuvius' ashes (60 Images)

Naples & Vesuvius & Herculaneum & Pompeji May 2008 (Photo: Tobias Schorr)

Naples & Vesuvius & Herculaneum & Pompeji May 2008 (108 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 4): Valle del Bove (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 4): Valle del Bove (27 Images)

A selection of Markus Heuer's photos taken during the tour to Italy's volcanoes in Oct 2019: (Photo: Markus Heuer)

Volcanoes of Italy tour Oct 2019: impressions by Markus Heuer (72 Images)

Most autumns we organise a 15 days study and walking tour to the volcanoes of Southern Italy, starting in Naples where we visit Vesuvius and the Phlegrean fields before sailing of to the Aeolian islands to explore Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli before our grand finale on the summit of Mt Etna in Sicily. Besides an unrivaled diversity of volcanic deposits, structures and phenomena this tour also includes many archaeological, relaxing, cultural and gastronomic excursions - combining all the best aspects of southern Italy! Our 12 - 26 October 2018 tour was guided by volcanologist Dr Ingrid Smet who put together the below photo diary of the trip - we hope you enjoy it! (Photo: Ingrid Smet)

Volcanoes of Italy - The Grand Tour: photo diary of our October 2018 tour (212 Images)

Impressions from our recent tour to Vulcano, Stromboli, Etna (Oct 2016). (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 2016 - tour photos (36 Images)

Lipari, Eolian Islands: Porticello beach & pumice quarries (Oct 2014) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Lipari, Eolian Islands: Porticello beach & pumice quarries (Oct 2014) (24 Images)

Grand Tour April 2011: Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, Stromboli, Vulcano, Lipari, Etna - photos (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Grand Tour April 2011: Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, Stromboli, Vulcano, Lipari, Etna - photos (228 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 2010 (2) - tour photos (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 2010 (2) - tour photos (51 Images)

Etna to Stromboli tour Oct 2011 - tour photos (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Etna to Stromboli tour Oct 2011 - tour photos (95 Images)

A selection of Marco's photos who guided the trip From Stromboli to Etna from 9-17 Oct 2010. (Photo: Marco Fulle)

Tour Stromboli to Etna Oct 10 (1) (44 Images)

A selection of Marco Fulle's photos from one of the recent tours to Stromboli and Etna (May 2010) (Photo: Marco Fulle)

From Stromboli to Etna tour: photos from the 8-16 May 2010 trip (8 Images)

Stromboli, Eolian Islands, July 2009: colors (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli, Eolian Islands, July 2009: colors (4 Images)

From Stromboli to Etna, April 09 (2): tour photos (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

From Stromboli to Etna, April 09 (2): tour photos (148 Images)

Stromboli to Etna: tour photos (Oct 06) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna: tour photos (Oct 06) (138 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 5): Excursion to Grotta del Gelo (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 5): Excursion to Grotta del Gelo (57 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 3): Etna summit craters (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 3): Etna summit craters (28 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (Part 1): Vulcano & Lipari Islands (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (Part 1): Vulcano & Lipari Islands (63 Images)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 2): Stromboli (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli to Etna Oct 08 (part 2): Stromboli (39 Images)

Lightning over the Adriatic Sea (Trieste, Italy) (Photo: Marco Fulle)

Lightning over the Adriatic Sea (Trieste, Italy) (2 Images)

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Our correspondent Emilio Messina, photographer from Sicily, shared a set of pictures of the new lava flow on Etna as of 11 Feb 2025.
See more of his work at emiliomessina.com and on his facebook page. (Photo: emilio-messina)

Etna volcano photos (20 )

Along with our small tour groups, Tom visited Stromboli volcano repeatedly during 13-25 Oct. Activity was characterized by typical strombolian explosions from two principal vents, one in the eastern crater area (left in the pictures) in the form of a prominent cone, and a second one in the western end of the crater area.
The first showed impressive spatter-rich explosions ejecting abundant incandescent material, while the western vent produced ash-rich eruptions with much less glowing material although, mostly as passive emissons , but sometimes in the form of sudden explosions.
Weak spattering also occurred from the eastern vent as well at least one more, smaller vent in the center area of the crater terrace. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Stromboli volcano photos (20 )

Vulcano volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy): photos June 2014 (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Vulcano (Eolian Islands) (2 )

Guaranteed tours

9-25 Jun 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)

7-22 Jul 2025: From Krakatau to Bali - Java (Indonesia)

7-23 Jul 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)

1-17 Aug 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)

1-14 Oct 2025: Desert, salt and volcanoes - Danakil desert (Ethiopia)

4-12 Oct 2025: From Stromboli to Etna - Sicily and Eolian Islands (Italy)

6-21 Oct 2025: From Krakatau to Bali - Java (Indonesia)

3-19 Nov 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)

= spaces available = guaranteed = few spaces left = booked out

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