Plymouth Buried City Tour Montserrat: Award-Winning Guide

The volcano that buried a city is still active, and you watch it from safe ground.

A 3.5-hour guided tour of Plymouth, Montserrat explores the ruins of the island's former capital and the volcanic landscape that destroyed it, with pickup from your accommodation included. The tour visits the Montserrat Volcano Observatory for a 25-minute film on the eruption, stops at Garibaldi Hill to view the buried city and Montserrat Springs Hotel from a distance, and ends at the Hilltop Coffee Shop and Museum. Groups run up to 30 people or one-on-one. Children must be 12 or older.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Montserrat's volcanic history

• Watch film on volcanic eruption
• Meet scientists monitoring volcano
• Visit abandoned port ruins

The experience

How do you see a city that's still too dangerous to enter? This tour keeps you at a safe distance while the guide explains what happened and what scientists are watching now. You start at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, where a 25-minute film walks through the eruption and the ongoing volcanic activity that shaped the island. From there, Garibaldi Hill gives you a vantage point to see the ruins of Plymouth itself and the abandoned Montserrat Springs Hotel: the physical evidence of what the Soufriere Hills Volcano did to the landscape.

The guide is an award winner, and the difference shows in how the stops connect: you're not just looking at rubble, you're learning how scientists monitor the volcano and what the eruption meant for the people who lived here. The tour wraps at the Hilltop Coffee Shop and Museum, where you can sit with what you've seen. Pickup and return from your accommodation or ferry are included, so you don't need to arrange transport.

What’s included

• Pickup and return from your accommodation or ferry.
• guided visits to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory with a 25-minute film on the eruption.
• a stop at Garibaldi Hill to view the buried city and Montserrat Springs Hotel.
• a guided stop at the abandoned port.
• time at the Hilltop Coffee Shop and Museum.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to Saturday

AgesUp to age 80

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Scriber's Adventures Tour

Is this one for you?Pickup from your accommodation or ferry means you don't need a rental car or local transport to reach the sites. The tour handles the logistics, so you can focus on what the guide is explaining about the volcano and the city it buried.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I see when we stop at Garibaldi Hill?

Garibaldi Hill is the vantage point where you view the ruins of Plymouth and the Montserrat Springs Hotel from a distance. The volcano made it unsafe to walk through the buried city itself, so this hilltop stop is where the guide shows you what remains and explains the scale of the eruption.

How long is the video at the Volcano Observatory?

The film runs 25 minutes and covers the eruption and the active devastation the volcano caused. It's shown at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory as part of the guided stop, and you also get the chance to meet scientists who monitor the volcano.

Can I bring my 10-year-old on this tour?

The tour is for children 12 and older. Younger children are not recommended for this particular experience.

Does the tour include a stop at the old port?

Yes. The abandoned port is a guided stop on the tour. It was the island's former gateway before the eruption left it silent. The guide explains its role in Montserrat's history.