The clitoris sits at the top of the vulva, right where the inner lips (labia minora) meet. The visible part, called the glans, is a small rounded nub positioned above the urethral opening and well above the vaginal entrance. In many people it’s partially or fully covered by a fold of skin called the clitoral hood, which means you may need to gently retract that skin to see or feel it directly.
Where Exactly It Sits
If you’re looking at the vulva straight on, start at the top where the outer lips come together. The inner lips extend upward and join at a point just beneath the pubic bone. Right at that junction, underneath a small hood of skin, is the clitoral glans. It feels like a firm, rounded bud, roughly the size of a pea, though this varies from person to person.
Below the clitoris, moving downward, you’ll pass the urethral opening (where urine exits) and then the vaginal opening. These three landmarks sit along the midline, and the clitoris is always the topmost of the three. If you place a finger at the very top of the vulva’s slit and apply gentle pressure, you’ll typically feel a small firm structure beneath the skin. That’s it.
Why It Can Be Hard to See
The clitoral hood comes in a range of shapes and thicknesses. In some people the glans peeks out visibly; in others it’s completely hidden beneath the hood, even during arousal. A thicker hood or one with more tissue on the sides can make the glans difficult to spot by sight alone. Age also plays a role: over time the hood tissue can loosen and drape more fully over the glans.
There’s also a wide range of glans sizes. Studies measuring healthy adults found an average glans length of about 13 millimeters and an average width of about 8 millimeters, but both measurements varied by several millimeters in either direction. A smaller glans beneath a thicker hood can be genuinely difficult to locate visually, which is completely normal. Touch is often more reliable than sight.
How to Locate It by Touch
Start by placing your index or middle finger at the top of the vulva, where the outer lips meet. Slide your finger gently downward along the midline. Within the first centimeter or two, you should feel a small, firm, rounded structure beneath the skin. It may feel like a tiny bead or button. That’s the glans.
If you can’t feel it right away, try using two fingers to gently pull back the clitoral hood. Place one finger on each side of the hood and draw the skin upward, toward the belly. This retracts the hood and exposes the glans. You can also try pressing lightly rather than searching for something visually. The glans is dense with nerve endings (more than 10,000 nerve fibers, according to a 2023 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine), so even light pressure in the right spot will produce a distinct sensation.
During arousal, blood flow to the area increases and the glans swells and becomes more prominent. The internal tissue that surrounds the vaginal canal (more on that below) also engorges, which can push the glans outward. This makes it easier to find, and also means it’s more sensitive to touch.
Most of the Clitoris Is Internal
The glans is just the tip. The full clitoral structure extends inside the body in the shape of an upside-down wishbone. A short shaft (the body) runs from behind the glans downward and then branches into two legs called crura, which are actually the longest parts of the clitoris. These legs straddle the vaginal canal and urethra on either side.
Tucked between those legs and the vaginal wall are two bulbs of erectile tissue. During arousal, these bulbs fill with blood and can double in size. This internal swelling is part of why the entire vulvar area feels fuller and more sensitive when someone is turned on. It also explains why stimulation around the vaginal opening or along the inner lips can feel pleasurable: the internal clitoris is right beneath the surface in those areas too.
Understanding this internal structure matters for a practical reason. Direct stimulation of the glans is one approach, but the clitoris can also respond to pressure applied through the surrounding tissue, along the inner lips, or even through the front wall of the vagina where the internal legs and bulbs sit close by.
Sensitivity Varies Person to Person
The glans is the most nerve-dense part of the entire structure, but that doesn’t mean direct contact always feels good. For some people, touching the glans directly (especially without arousal or lubrication) is too intense or even uncomfortable. Indirect stimulation through the hood, or circular pressure around the glans rather than on top of it, is often preferred.
What works also changes with arousal level. Early on, lighter and more indirect touch tends to feel better. As blood flow increases and the tissue engorges, firmer or more direct contact may become comfortable and pleasurable. There’s no single technique that works universally, which is why paying attention to physical responses (muscle tension, breathing, movement toward or away from touch) matters more than memorizing a method.
Positions That Make It Easier to Access
Body position affects how easy the clitoris is to reach, whether you’re exploring on your own or with a partner. Lying on your back with knees bent and legs apart gives the most straightforward visual and manual access. Propping a pillow under the hips can tilt the pelvis and make the glans more visible.
During partnered sex, face-to-face positions where the person with the clitoris is on top allow them to control the angle and pressure of contact. In other positions, a hand (either partner’s) can reach the front of the vulva to provide direct stimulation. The key anatomical point to remember: the clitoris is at the front and top of the vulva, so positions or angles that expose the front of the body make access easier.
Using a mirror during solo exploration can help connect what you feel with what you see, especially the first few times. Place a handheld mirror between your legs while gently retracting the hood, and you’ll be able to see the glans directly. Pairing that visual with touch builds a clearer mental map of the anatomy, which makes locating it by feel alone much easier over time.