Vesuvius has erupted many times since and is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years. Today, it is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people living nearby and its tendency towards explosive (Plinian) eruptions. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.
| Date | Eruption type | Notes |
| 79 | explosive | Ash-fall, pomices and lahars |
| 472 | effusive-explosive | Lava flow and lahars to north-western flank |
| 512 | ??? | —– |
| 26 February 685 | effusive | Imposing lava flow |
| 787 | effusive-explosive | Lahars and imposing lava flow |
| 968 | ??? | Lava flow to sea |
| 27 January 1037 | ??? | Lava flow to sea |
| 29 May 1139 | explosive | Ash-fall |
| 1500 | explosive | Ash-fall |
| 16 December 1631 | effusive-explosive | Cone collapse; lava flow to sea |
| 3 July 1660 | explosive | Ash-fall to north-east flank |
| 13 April 1694 | effusive | Lava toward Torre del Greco |
| 25 May 1698 | effusive-explosive | Damage by ash-fall to south-east flank |
| 28 July 1707 | effusive-explosive | —– |
| 20 May 1737 | effusive-explosive | A lava flow invades T. del Greco; ash-fall and lahars |
| 23 December 1760 | effusive-explosive | Opening of lateral vents on southern flank (150 m asl) |
| 19 October 1767 | effusive-explosive | Two lava flows toward T.Annunziata and S. Giorgio a C. |
| 8 August 1779 | explosive | Ash and bombs over Ottaviano |
| 15 June 1794 | effusive-explosive | Opening of lateral vents on SO flank (470 m asl) |
| 22 October 1822 | effusive-explosive | Two lava flows toward T. del Greco and Boscotrecase |
| 23 August 1834 | effusive-explosive |
A lava flow toward Poggiomarino |
| 6 February 1850 | effusive-explosive | —– |
| 1 May 1855 | effusive | A lava flow invades Massa and S.Sebastiano |
| 8 December 1861 | effusive-explosive | Opening of lateral vents on SO flank (290 m asl) |
| 15 November 1868 | effusive | —– |
| 24 April 1872 | effusive-explosive | A lava flow invades Massa and S.Sebastiano |
| 4 April 1906 | effusive-explosive | A lava flow toward T.Annunziata, strong explosive activity |
| 3 June 1929 | effusive-explosive | A lava flow toward Terzigno |
| 18 March 1944 | effusive-explosive | A lava flow invades Massa and S.Sebastiano |
Vesuvius Tour:
At the top of the volcano is a crater rim that affords a view into the crater that still fumes slightly. Besides that you will have a stunning panorama overseeing the Bay of Naples, Capri, Ischia, the edge of the Sorrento coast and more. Everyone has to walk up the last 500m steeply uphill. Closed-in shoes are essential.
Pompeii and Herculaneum tours with an archaeologist 