If you grew up loving disaster movies like Dante’s Peak, Pompeii, or even the Star Wars prequels, you probably think volcanoes are either absolutely terrifying or the coolest thing ever. If you fall into the latter category, you will be glad to know that there are many active volcanoes around the world that you can actually visit. These volcanoes are highly monitored and have predictable activity, so they are relatively danger-free. Here are a few.
Nisyros, Greece
A bit of a calmer experience than others, Nisyros is an island in Greece with its own increasingly active volcano. There’s a 3-km-wide caldera (taking up a large portion of this tiny island) where active fumaroles, bubbling mud, and hot springs can be viewed. There’s a ferry and private boat transport available to the island, and a public bus to the crater.
Mt. Stromboli, Italy
Mount Stromboli is awesome for lovers of natural event displays, as it has a regular explosive activity which can be safely viewed from the mountain itself. There are guided hikes available each day that will get you to the summit at dusk when you can truly appreciate nature’s very own fireworks display.
Kilauea, Hawaii
Kilauea is one of the best-known volcanoes for active viewing. For the last 40 years, it’s had steady streams of slow-flowing lava on view as well as lava fountains and a beautiful lava lake.