Italy is a country rich in natural beauty that fascinates anyone who wants to go to their discovery. But there are some places, that more than all, have something magical and surreal, the caves. Over the centuries, nature has shaped the territory, thus forming natural cavities that tell the whole story that accompanied them. Speleological tourism is an evocative experience, able to transport the visitor to the center of the earth and where the most mysterious nature is carefully guarded by caves. There are many caves scattered throughout Italy, but below we describe only 5, considered the most beautiful.
Bus of Tacoi of Gromo
In Lombardia, exactly in the municipality of Gromo, there is the Bus di Tacoi cave that preserves the best karst formations of the whole region. The cave can be reached both from Milan (in about 2 hours) and from Bergamo, arriving up to Mount Redondo at 1500 meters above sea level. Its name, deriving from the Bergamo dialect, means “Buco dei Gracchi”. The origin of this curious name is due to a bird typical of the area, precisely the gracchio, a big crow that created its nests in the most external areas of the cave.
The Bus of Tacoi is one of the most challenging caves to visit in fact the visit lasts about 6 hours and is allowed access only to cavers and those who have the right equipment and those who have a minimum of experience. The climate that is encountered inside is rather extreme, very deep darkness and humidity of 100% with a constant temperature of 10 °. The cave is divided into different sectors: the first one is called “Superior” or “Entrance”; the second one is called “Intermediate” or “Labyrinth”, where there are wells and galleries; the third sector is called “Profondo” or “dei Saloni”, to reach the Green Lake, located in the fourth sector, called “Profondissimo” or “del Laghetto”: a small lake formed by water generated by humidity and characterized by stalagmites and stalactites.
Photo by gromo.eu
Cave of Neptune in Alghero
Situated on the promontory of Capo Caccia, in Alghero, the Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune’s Cave) can be reached both by land, going along a staircase of more than 600 steps on the rocky ridge, and by sea, reaching the entrance of the cave directly with boats that leave from the sea village.
The itinerary begins with the first room, the one that houses Lake Lamarmora, one of the largest salt lakes in Europe. It is here that you can see the Acquasantiera, a majestic set of stalagmites 2 meters high. The itinerary continues with the Sala delle Rovine (Hall of Ruins) and the Sala della Reggia (Hall of the Royal Palace), the most evocative thanks to the colonnades that rise up to the ceiling and are reflected in the lake below, ending with the Spiaggia dei Ciottolini (Beach of Pebbles).
Among great flows and calcitic festoons we remember the characteristic stalagmite formation called Christmas Tree. Continuing the itinerary in the Smith Room which houses the largest column of the entire cave. This room owes its name to the English captain who at the beginning of the 1800s was one of the first explorers of the Cave. After having admired the small columns that adorn the Hall of Trine and Lace, the tour ends with a visit to the Tribuna della Musica, an evocative balcony from which you can enjoy the view of the Reggia area and Lake Lamarmora.
Frasassi Caves in Genga
In the province of Ancona, in the municipality of Genga, there are the Caves of Frasassi, one of the most known and visited caves in Italy. The visit includes paths of different degrees of difficulty but always accompanied by speleologists. Immediately after the entrance you can see one of the largest chasms in the world, the abyss Ancona, which could even contain the Cathedral of Milan. The route in the Ancona Abyss is composed of large spaces where there are limestone formations and small lakes and then ends with the Niagara Waterfall. The itinerary continues with the Room 200, a corridor exactly 200 meters long, the Grand Canyon marked by crevasses and a cavity that contains the waters of the river Sentino, the Room of the Bear and the Room of Infinity.
Caves of Toirano
In Liguria there is the complex of the Toirano Caves, one of the major tourist attractions of the region. The route includes a visit to the Basura Cave, which for thousands of years was the place of refuge for the cave bears and where in fact you can admire the remains of the bones found and the footprints engraved in the walls of the cave and the Lower Cave of Santa Lucia.
Place the path, in the Hall of Mysteries you can also see some traces of ancient men (man sapiens) as there are signs in the clay that show footprints of hands, feet and knees. The visit ends with the Lower Cave of Saint Lucia which is characterized by a large stalagmite of small aragonite crystals. The duration of the guided tour is about 70 minutes.
Basura cave, photo by halleyweb.com
Cave of the Wind in Garfagnana
In the north of Tuscany, near Lucca, there is an area of multiple karst phenomena that shape the rocks of the territory and dig deep. This is how the Grotta del Vento was formed. The visit to the cave includes 3 routes completely different from each other and with different difficulties.
The entrance is characterized by the Hall of the Bear, and then continue to the Chasm of the Giants. The Hall of Voices is the most suggestive because the lights are turned off and, in the darkness of the cave, you remain in silence. After that, you get to the Hall of Acheronte and the Well of Infinity, a vertical well 90 meters deep that ends with a canyon.
Photo by toscana.info
Main image: Cave of Neptune of Alghero, photo by grottadinettuno.it
