UK Foreign Office travel advice: New warning for popular holiday destination Italy amid emergency planning after earthquake tremors

The Foreign Office has issued a new travel warning for popular holiday destination Italy ahead of the May half term and late bank holiday. UK holidaymakers travelling to the holiday hotspot have been warned over a "dangerous and unpredictable" threat.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has warned Brits regarding the possible risk of travelling to Italy this spring and summer due to increased volcanic activity and wildfires. 

It says: "There are several active volcanoes in southern Italy. National emergency planning has been updated for Vesuvius as well as the Phlegraean fields, an area that remains active and which has experienced tremors in 2024.

Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe west of the Caucasus, last erupted in November 2023. The most recent volcanic activity was on 20 May in the Phlegraean where the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported an 4.4 magnitude event.

Local media reports said cracks had formed in buildings and chunks of masonry had collapsed. Schools were closed on Tuesday (21 May) in Pozzuoli and a cluster of towns and districts of Naples.

The Foreign Office also issued a warning regarding wildfires. It warned: "Forest fires are a risk during the extended summer months. They are highly dangerous and unpredictable. Check the latest alerts and weather forecast and follow advice of local authorities if you’re considering travelling to affected areas.”

Several regions of Italy experienced devastating wildfires last year. According to a report published by the European Commission, the 2023 wildfire season in Europe was among the worst this century.