While there are lots of cultural gems and wonderful manmade things to be discovered in Italy, the country boasts an incredible natural beauty that is well-worth mentioning and exploring too. If you are planning a trip and browsing our vacation rentals in Campania then you should definitely set aside some time to head to the stunning Caves of Pertosa, also known officially as the Grotte dell'Angelo (Caves of the Angel). A series of caves located between the villages of Auletta and Pertosa, around 70 km from Salerno, the Caves of Pertosa are immense, impressive, and utterly otherworldly and magical. If you are spending time in this part of the world, you should definitely plan a visit.
Unfolding as a series of tunnels and cavernous subterranean chambers that stretch out for almost 3km (which has yet to be fully explored), the caves date back about 34 million years and have been used by humans for various purposes throughout the millennia, always connected to mysterious, ceremonial, or religious uses and purposes. The ancient Greeks and Romans, for example, assigned the caves as the seat of religious cults and the Christians later consecrated them and dedicated them to the Archangel, St Michael. Today, however, they are simply used as a tourist attraction and are the only caves of their kind in Europe that are accessible to tourists.
The whole practice of visiting the caves is quite the adventure. You enter by crossing an underground river on a boat, heading down 100m into the depths of the earth on said boat, and arriving at the docking point. Once you have docked you will explore a path winding through stalactites, stalagmites, and waterfalls. With multi-coloured lights now picking out the details of the caves, the whole experience of walking through the space is truly magical and feels as though you have stumbled into some fairy land or other world. Better yet, this incredible space is now put to excellent use by hosting theatre productions of Dante’s Inferno and Homer’s Odyssey so, if you’re planning a visit, check and see if you might be able to have the unique experience of catching a performance in one of Italy’s most extraordinary natural gems.
The whole practice of visiting the caves is quite the adventure. You enter by crossing an underground river on a boat, heading down 100m into the depths of the earth on said boat, and arriving at the docking point. Once you have docked you will explore a path winding through stalactites, stalagmites, and waterfalls. With multi-coloured lights now picking out the details of the caves, the whole experience of walking through the space is truly magical and feels as though you have stumbled into some fairy land or other world. Better yet, this incredible space is now put to excellent use by hosting theatre productions of Dante’s Inferno and Homer’s Odyssey so, if you’re planning a visit, check and see if you might be able to have the unique experience of catching a performance in one of Italy’s most extraordinary natural gems.
