Italy Made Easy
LEARN ITALIAN WITH AUDIO
Meraviglie sotterranee in Italia
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Are there any hidden gems to visit in Italy?

When you travel through Italy, it’s natural to keep your eyes turned upward, admiring the towering cathedrals, medieval towers, and sun-drenched vineyards. But some of Italy’s most breathtaking sights aren’t under the sun at all – they are right beneath your feet. Thanks to a geological phenomenon called karst (the dissolution of soluble rocks), Italy is home to over 33,000 caves. Nearly a third of the country sits atop a subterranean world of underground rivers, crystal-clear lakes, and limestone formations that have been growing for millions of years.

Italy's most breathtaking caves -

Any beautiful caves in Italy?

If you want to combine a boat trip with a cave exploration, Southern Italy is the place to be.

  • Pertosa-Auletta (Campania): Located near Salerno, these caves are unique in Europe. They sit 860 feet above sea level and feature an underground river that you can actually navigate by boat. The space is so majestic and “palace-like” that it is frequently used as a natural theater for live performances.
  • The Blue Grotto (Capri): Perhaps the most famous sea cave in the world. To enter, you have to lie flat on the bottom of a tiny rowboat as it slips through an opening less than three feet high. Once inside, the darkness is broken by an ethereal, neon-blue light reflected from the sea floor, making the water look almost electric.

For those who don't mind a workout, the Grotte di Nettuno in Sardinia offers a dramatic entry. You can take a ferry, but the adventurous choice is the Scala del Capriolo (Roe Deer Staircase). It’s a 656-step climb cut into a vertical cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean. Once inside the caves, which stretch for over two miles, you’ll finda stunning underground lake with a massive stalagmite column rising from its center.

If you prefer to keep your feet on solid ground but want to be overwhelmed by sheer scale, Central and Northern Italy hold the world records.

  • The Frasassi Caves (Marche): Since opening in 1974, over 12 million people have visited this eight-mile-long network. The highlight is the Abisso Ancona (Ancona Abyss), a cavern so enormous that the Milan Cathedral could fit comfortably inside it.
  • The Grotta Gigante (Friuli Venezia Giulia): Located near Trieste, this cave holds a spot in the Guinness World Records. It consists of a single, monumental hall that is large enough to house the entire St. Peter’s Basilica from the Vatican. A staircase of 360 steps allows you to view the cavern from both the roof and the floor to truly grasp its monumental size.