Travelling to Sorrento and anxious about Vesuvius

Eight major eruptions reported in the last 17,000 years, the last being in 1944. I would be a whole lot more anxious getting in a cab without seatbelts.

Traveling internationally with a young child the fear of Vesuvius erupting should be pretty far down on your list.

Am I being irrationally anxious about concerns regarding a volcanic
eruption and all the distarous effects effects it could have.

I would say so. Vesuvius hasn't had an eruption since 1944, and the oldest Volcanology Observatory the world is in nearby Naples. They constantly monitor conditions not just at Vesuvius but other volcanic centers in the region as well. Let's just say that many thousands travel to the region every year without much concern, and many climb up for a peek into the cone every day.

Shoot, pickpockets are probably a bigger concern and I don't even worry about them very much.

This article is a little less optimistic (probably more realistic), but as with all travel, you have to accept some remote risk. You do it every time you get into a car. I accept I can't control the timing of nature (or its wrath) and live my life accordingly. Outsized scale, dramatic disasters are always seared more in the mind than the more run-of-the-mill, low-level stuff that is actually more likely to happen just based on probabilities.
https://www.wired.com/2015/03/70-years-silence-italys-vesuvius/

We visited Sorrento in late 2012, after a week on Sicily, a big island a couple hundred miles south of Sorrento. Mount Etna on Sicily is a much more active volcano, and, in fact, erupted a few months after our trip, but we didn't preoccupy ourselves too much before or during that trip. As with any location and vacation, it's prudent to have emergency contacts established so that if something happened, you could stay in touch with loved ones, but you'll stand a better chance of winning the Italian Lottery than having Vesuvius erupt during your trip. Have a great time!

Rachel

No idea where you live, but would you ask the same question about Mt St Helens if you were planning a trip to Seattle or Portland?

Statistically, you probably are in more danger of harm on your drive to the airport

I have to comment. This is the first time I have ever seen this question on this forum. I don't think I can say that about any other question asked on here. The only questions I've seen asked about Mt Vesuvius are should they hike up or not.

I'm not belittling your concerns Rachel, I just agree with the others that that would probably be my last concern when going on a trip to that area; so many more catastrophes (big and small) are likely to befall you before this one would.

Hmmm, the odds of Mt. Vesuvius erupting during a particular trip. Depends, do you believe in climate change, or deny it?