Though Italy is famous for a great many of things, one famous attribute that you are less likely to have heard of or associate with the country is its incredible number of caves. In fact, it is one of the countries that has the most caves in the entire world – more than 35,000 in number – and, among them, the largest tourist cave on Earth: the Grotta Gigante. Officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, the main underground chamber of the Grotta Gigante measures 98.5m in height, 76.30m in width and is 167.6m long.
Located near Borgo Grotta Gigante, in the municipality of Sgonico in the lesser-known Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it has been a popular tourist attraction since it opened to the public in 1908. Seeming like something plucked from the beautifully illustrated pages of a fantasy novel, it makes for an extraordinary sight. Just find a vacation rental in Friuli Venezia Giulia and set a day aside to go explore this underworld kingdom.
Located near Borgo Grotta Gigante, in the municipality of Sgonico in the lesser-known Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it has been a popular tourist attraction since it opened to the public in 1908. Seeming like something plucked from the beautifully illustrated pages of a fantasy novel, it makes for an extraordinary sight. Just find a vacation rental in Friuli Venezia Giulia and set a day aside to go explore this underworld kingdom.
“Grotta Gigante” literally means “giant cave” and while it is, indeed, that – a single giant cavern that is estimated to be around 10 million years old and part of a huge underground system that enters the karst in Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia – there is more to it.
The whole facility has been excellently set up so that you won’t have to don a pair of overalls and a headlamp for some real spelunking. You will, instead, be able to pleasantly wander and navigate down 500 steps, divided into comfortable ramps along the way, to the cave floor 80 metres deep.
Visits are only possible with guides and it takes about 45 minutes to reach the bottom, with electric lighting and a wide path allowing you to easily observe the stalactites, stalagmites, and calcite flows along the way. The 500 steps back up are a little more challenging and tiring.
The whole facility has been excellently set up so that you won’t have to don a pair of overalls and a headlamp for some real spelunking. You will, instead, be able to pleasantly wander and navigate down 500 steps, divided into comfortable ramps along the way, to the cave floor 80 metres deep.
Visits are only possible with guides and it takes about 45 minutes to reach the bottom, with electric lighting and a wide path allowing you to easily observe the stalactites, stalagmites, and calcite flows along the way. The 500 steps back up are a little more challenging and tiring.
For those with physical impairments, there is an interactive tour allowing you to explore the cave, thanks to a detailed laser scanner realized by the Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics. Additionally, there is an educational centre and the Science Speleological Museum, where you can get to know more about the scientific, speleological, archaeological and geological aspects of the cave, should you wish.
If you are looking for a sense of adventure but, perhaps, aren't quite physically or mentally ready for anything overly draining or frightening, this is the perfect alternative that Italy has to offer.
If you are looking for a sense of adventure but, perhaps, aren't quite physically or mentally ready for anything overly draining or frightening, this is the perfect alternative that Italy has to offer.
