Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano located in southern Italy, near the city of Naples. It is the only active volcano on mainland Europe and is most famous for its catastrophic eruption in 79 AD that buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and lava. Today, Vesuvius is part of the Vesuvio National Park and remains an important geological site, offering guided tours to its crater and breathtaking views over the Bay of Naples.