Monte Nuovo and Lake Averno Walk, Campi Flegrei

Monte Nuovo and Lake Averno lie in the Campi Flegrei Regional Park, a volcanic landscape west of Naples in Campania, Italy, near the Lucrino and Arco Felice districts of Pozzuoli. Monte Nuovo, "New Mountain", formed in about a week in September 1538 and is regarded as the youngest volcano in Europe. The trail starts around Via Campana and Via Virgilio in the Lucrino-Averno area. Visitors usually reach it from Naples by the Cumana railway from Napoli Montesanto to Lucrino or Arco Felice, about 35-45 minutes. After the 31 July 2026 earthquake, the Bagnoli-Torregaveta stretch was closed with replacement buses, so the service status should be checked at eavsrl.it before travelling. As an alternative, Metro Line 2 reaches Pozzuoli, followed by a local bus or taxi. Parking is possible along nearby roads for those who drive. The combined loop is about 4-5 km, with roughly 130 m of ascent to the crater rim of Monte Nuovo, and takes 2-3 hours at a relaxed pace. Technical difficulty is low and the route suits first-time hikers. The surface is a mix of dirt path, volcanic soil and some rooty sections through pine and Mediterranean scrub, with partial shade that helps in warmer months. From the rim, the views take in the Gulf of Pozzuoli, Capri, Ischia and Procida on clear days. The crater interior is wooded and can be walked at the rim only along signed paths. Lake Averno, a roughly circular crater lake associated in Roman times with the entrance to the underworld, offers a flat shoreline walk that can be added after the climb. A reasonable turn-around point is the Monte Nuovo rim if time is short. No refuge huts exist on the route, and drinking water is not reliably available on the trail, so visitors should bring their own. Cafes and restaurants are found in Lucrino near the start. Trails can close during seismic swarms in the Campi Flegrei, so the INGV Osservatorio Vesuviano bulletin at ov.ingv.it should be checked the day before.