20 Best Volcanoes to Visit for World Travelers

The best volcano destinations in the world offer stunning panoramic views and rugged landscapes. These are the top volcanoes for travelers ranked by users of the travel app Visited, which has over 2 million users. The app allows you to check off places you’ve been and find incredible destinations to add to your bucket list. You can optimize your travel plans with Visited. Elevate your travel and plan your dream getaway using the popular travel app.

The best volcanoes in the world, according to Visited, are:

1. Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius is a somma-stratovolcano in Campania, Italy. Mount Vesuvius is one of the few active volcanoes in Europe and stands 1,281 meters (4,203 feet) above sea level. The volcano is famous for its eruption in 79 A.D., which buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and lava, preserving them for centuries. The volcanic activity can change quickly at Mount Vesuvius, so travelers should plan their visit around the conditions and weather. Visiting Mount Vesuvius National Park offers stunning views of the iconic volcano and surrounding lush landscape.

2. Mount Etna

Mount Etna, nicknamed Etna, is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. The volcano is the most active stratovolcano in the world, often fuming and erupting. The volcano has created a unique landscape of black volcanic ash, lava flows, and cinder cones. Mount Etna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its frequent activity and cultural importance. The volcano stands 3,329 meters (10,926 feet) and is the tallest mountain in southern Italy.

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3. Santorini

Santorini caldera is an active volcanic complex in the Aegean Sea, 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Crete in Greece. The unique water location of the volcano has caused a flooded caldera, a large basin formed by the collapse of the volcano’s center. Santorini is visible from the nearby Greek villages that line the Aegean coastline. Hiking trails along the caldera rim offer panoramic views of the volcano and the Aegean Sea. The hike from Fira to Oia is a tourist favorite for its iconic views. The nearby beaches have a unique black sand color due to the volcano’s past eruptions.

4. Mount Teide

Mount Teide, nicknamed Teide, is a volcano in the Canary Islands, Spain. The volcano is located on the island of Tenerife. It is 3,715 meters (12,188 feet) tall, making it the highest mountain in Spain. The volcano is a popular tourist attraction for hikers, bikers, and climbers. Teide National Park is one of Spain’s most visited national parks, and offers breathtaking views of the night sky and unique plants and wildlife during the daytime.

5. Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is an active volcano on the island of Honshu in Japan. The volcano is located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Tokyo. The iconic mountain is the tallest in Japan, at 3,776 meters (12,388.5 feet). Most of the year, Mount Fuji is snow-capped, and it is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, climbers, and anyone seeking beautiful views. The volcano is surrounded by scenic lakes, hiking trails, shrines, forests, and hot springs. In the spring, the famous cherry blossoms bloom around the area.

6. Arenal

Arenal is an active andesitic stratovolcano located in the lush landscape of Costa Rica. The Arenal Volcano is surrounded by endless natural beauty, including Lake Arenal, rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and hot springs. Adventurous travelers can enjoy hiking, white-water rafting, horseback riding, and exploring the rainforests near the volcano. The volcano stands 1,670 meters (5,479 feet) tall.

7. Kilauea

Kilauea is an active shield volcano in Hawaii Island, U.S. The ancient rock formation is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and erupts on average every two or three years. The name Kilauea comes from the Hawaiian word Kīlauea, which means “spewing” or “much spreading,” reflecting how active the volcano is. The area around Kilauea includes black sandy beaches, solidified lava flows, steam vents, calderas, and rainforests.

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8. Eyjafjallajokull

Eyjafjallajökull, also called E15, is a volcano with the caldera covered by an ice cap in Iceland. “Eyjafjallajökull” is Icelandic for “glacier of the mountains of the islands.” The Stratovolcano is located under an ice cap and stands 1,651 meters (5,417 feet) tall. Travelers can see the volcano by hiking the scenic Fimmvörðuháls trail. Guided tours are also available, with stops at breathtaking sites like Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls and views of Eyjafjallajökull. The nearby black sandy beaches offer a unique landscape where the sea meets the Earth.

9. Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa, located in Hawaii, is the world’s largest active volcano in terms of mass and volume. The shield volcano’s name, Mauna Loa, means “long mountain” in Hawaiian. The sprawling Mauna Loa has an estimated area of 75,000 cubic kilometers (18,000 cubic miles). The volcano rises 4,169 meters (13,679 feet) above sea level. The area has a range of landscapes, with rainforests at the lower levels and alpine tundra near the summit. Much of Mauna Loa is protected within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, making it a popular destination for hiking, camping, and exploring volcanic landscapes.

10. Stromboli

Mount Stromboli is an active volcano located off the north coast of Sicily on an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The volcano is 926 meters (3,038 feet) above sea level and covers an area of 12.6 square kilometers (4.9 square miles). The volcano is much larger than it appears, however, as the base starts over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) below the surface of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Although the island of Stromboli is small (only about 12.6 square kilometers or 4.9 square miles), the island is beautiful, with black sandy beaches and rugged cliffs.

11. Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania, Africa. The mountain is the tallest in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level. Mount Kilimanjaro is a prime climbing and hiking destination, offering a challenging journey to the top with magnificent views. The mountain has distinct ecological zones, with rainforests, wildflowers, alpine deserts, and snow and ice at the top.

12. Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano in the state of Washington in the U.S. It erupted in 1980, and it was the deadliest volcano to hit the country, killing 57 people. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was created to commemorate the lives lost during the volcanic eruption and offer scenic trails and protected wilderness areas. The area is a popular hiking destination with a wide range of trails, including the Pumice Peak Trail, the Lava Canyon Trail, and the Castle Lake Trail.

13. Mount Hood

Mount Hood is Oregon’s tallest mountain. The active stratovolcano is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in the Cascade Mountains. The volcano is located in the scenic Pacific Northwest, 80.5 kilometers (50 miles) east of Portland. Hikers and drivers can enjoy panoramic views of wildflowers, evergreen forests, cascading waterfalls, and sparkling lakes. Mount Hood National Forest has over 1,609 kilometers (1,000 miles) of trails to explore.

14. Mount Batur

Mount Batur is an active volcano on the island of Bali, Indonesia. The volcano’s first documented eruption was in 1804, and the most recent was in 2000. The hike to the top of Mount Batur offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Batur, a caldera lake. Travelers often trek to the peak in the morning to see the breathtaking sunrise over the mountains. The picturesque landscape around the volcano includes vibrant rainforests, black lava fields, and traditional Balinese villages.

15. Diamond Head

Diamond Head, also known as Lēʻahi in Hawaiian, is a volcanic tuff cone on the eastern end of Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Diamond Head offers some of the most incredible views on the island. From the summit, visitors can see Honolulu and Waikiki Beach to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Koolau Mountains to the north. Kapiolani Park is located at the base of Diamond Head and includes the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Shell, and the Kapiolani Park Bandstand. The volcano stands 232.3 meters (762 feet) tall.

16. Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo is an active volcano in the Tengger caldera complex of East Java, Indonesia. Mount Bromo, which stands 2,329 meters (7,641 feet), is part of the Tengger Massif, a complex of several volcanoes. Mount Bromo shares a caldera with other volcanic peaks, including Mount Batok and Mount Semeru. The caldera floor, known as the Sea of Sand, is full of volcanic sand. Travelers can embark on Jeep tours of the caldera or ride on horseback across the stunning landscape.

17. Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano nestled in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. The volcano is the second tallest peak in Ecuador, at 5,897 meters (19,347 feet). Cotopaxi has a nearly symmetrical cone shape and a snow-capped peak surrounded by glaciers. Cotopaxi National Park offers scenic climbs up the volcano. Visitors can also enjoy mountain biking and horseback riding to explore the park’s diverse terrain. The volcano is surrounded by a variety of ecosystems, ranging from high grasslands to Andean forests at lower elevations.

18. Haleakala

Haleakala is a shield volcano on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Haleakala means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian. The expansive volcano forms more than 75 percent of the island of Maui. The summit caldera, Haleakala Crater, is 11.3 kilometers (7 miles) wide, 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) wide, and nearly 914.4 meters (3,000 feet) deep. The area has a unique ecosystem with cinder cones, volcanic ash fields, and rare plants and insects.

19. Agung

Mount Agung is a sacred mountain and the highest point in Bali, Indonesia, at 3,031 meters (9,944 feet). The active volcano is a holy place in Bali and is believed to be a dwelling place of the gods. The village of Besakih is located on the slopes of Mount Agung. The town includes Besakih Temple, also known as the “Mother Temple” of Bali. Travelers can hike to the top of the mountain for stunning panoramic views of lava fields, rainforests, and rice paddies.

20. Volcan De Fuego

Volcan De Fuego, also known as “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is an active stratovolcano in Guatemala. The volcano stands 3,768 meters (12,362 feet) tall. Fuego is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America, with frequent eruptions spewing ash and lava. Since the volcano is so active, climbing it is not recommended. However, hikers can scale neighboring Volcan Acatenango to see stunning views of Fuego’s eruptions.

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