If you are tired of the beaches of Italy, then you might like sea caves, where you can also swim and cool off on hot days. Italy has several spectacular sea caves that can be found all along the coast. From the popular Blue Grotto on the island of Capri, to the vast Palinuro cave system, these are some of the world's stunning natural wonders. So, 10 sea caves of Italy in the photo feed.

Blue Grotto, Capri

One of the secret and natural wonders of the world. It is called blue because the light reflects upward from the clear blue sea, illuminating the cave with a magical blue light. Today it is a popular attraction, and the cave was known to the Romans, as Roman structures and statues have been found in this area. The interesting thing is that the grotto has only one entrance from the sea, so getting into this beautiful blue cave only possible by boat. The length of the cave is 56 meters and the width is 30 meters.

Grotto in Castro
Especially beautiful karst cave at sea, under special protection. The limestone topography of the area gives the cave a unique and subtle eco-system above and below sea level, and the colors of the area are breathtaking.

Blue Grotto, Taormina
On the Isle of Belle, close to Taormina in Sicily, there is another blue grotto that is very popular with locals, but it is still not open to tourists like the blue grotto in Capri.

Neptune's Grotto, Alghero
Discovered in the 18th century by local fishermen, Neptune's Grotto is part of a cave system that stretches for 4 km, including the underwater Nereo Cave, which is visited every year by thousands of scuba divers. Neptune's Grotto is accessible on foot and is an illuminated cave with spectacular stalactites, stalagmite formations and of course the amazing sea.

Grotto dello Poesie, Roca Vecchia, Salento
Legend has it that a beautiful princess loved to swim in the beneficial waters of the cave, and her beauty was so magnificent that news quickly spread throughout Puglia. Legions of poets from all over southern Italy flocked to the area to follow the news, gathering in this place to write poems inspired by its natural beauty. The large karst cave behind the cliff in Roca is the place to get some inspiration. The walls are covered with inscriptions in ancient Greek and Latin.

Blue Grotto Marino, Cala Gonone, Sardinia
This place is very popular among tourists due to its accessibility and vastness. Blue water is everywhere, you can walk along the constructed bridges from hall to hall, enjoying the cool air and water. You will get a lot of impressions from this place.

Sea caves of Cape Gargano, Puglia
This is a whole complex of caves: “Cave of Two Eyes”, “Cave of Tomatoes”, “Smugglers’ Cave” and many other different caves. Each of the caves in this complex has something special, something that distinguishes them from each other. Maybe it's the splendor of the flowers. This is an entire area of ​​unidentified treasures, natural wonders, where the caves are some of the most beautiful in all of Italy.

Sea caves of Palinuro
Tyrrhenian Sea at Cape Palinuro, Salerno is home to the most extensive system caves in Italy. Thousands of diving enthusiasts flock to the huge underwater caves for exciting snorkeling, but the above-water caves are just as exciting.

Emerald Grotto, Sardinia
A small but very pretty Sardinian grotto, the cave is illuminated by the emerald green of the waters around the island. If you are in those parts, then you should definitely visit this place, but the visit may be very short, because people come here a large number of tourists, and they all want to visit the cave.

Blue Grotto on Cavoli Beach, Elba Island
On the idyllic, quiet beach of Cavoli on the island of Elba lies the Blue Grotto. The cave is located at a distance of 600 meters from sandy shore, can be reached by jet ski or small boat. Not the most exciting grotto on the list, but the good thing about it is that there are few tourists here and it has an air of mystery about it!

In 1938, another miracle of the Apennine Peninsula was discovered. And today the Castellana grottoes, or Castellana karst cave, are on a par with the most visited caves in Italy, created by nature itself.

The Castellana Grottoes are located at a depth of 60 (this is the vertical entrance to it) to 122 meters from the surface of the earth (for visiting - up to 72 meters) and at an altitude of 330 meters above sea level. The total length of the underground labyrinth is about three kilometers. Geographically, the attraction is located in the commune of Castelanna Grotte, part of the province of Bari. It, in turn, is an administrative unit Italian region Apulia.

Description of Grotte di Castellana

A karst cave in Italy is considered the largest natural underground grotto. It consists of several halls of different shapes and sizes. These are the caves:

• La Grave, which means nothing more than the Abyss;
• Black;
• White - recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world;
• Owls;
• Capitoline Wolf;
• Dome;
• Madonnas;
• At the cliff;
• Leaning Tower of Pisa;
• Little paradise;
• Snake corridor, etc.

Here you can see fascinating stalactites and stalagmites, in some places connected into pillars, as well as fossils of various shapes, crystalline growths and absolutely fantastic colors, skillfully emphasized by special lighting. The temperature inside the caves is between 14-18 degrees Celsius. For the convenience of visitors, there are paths with stepped descents.

Interestingly, the Castellan grottoes have their own fauna, including bats that are completely harmless to those present. Smaller species of living organisms have managed to adapt to a not entirely simple ecosystem. These are crustaceans, bugs and even grasshoppers.

IN different time the cave complex was visited by such celebrities as Aldo Moro and Luigi Einaudi, Gina Lollobrigida and Enrico Mattei. Eight feature films were filmed at Grotte di Castellana.

Grotte di Castellana: history of discovery

The famous caves of Italy have included the Castellana grottoes in their list since the first half of the last century, although the history of the cave goes back more than one million years. For a long period of time, the territory of modern Apulia was immersed in the abyss sea ​​waters, so sediment accumulated here over thousands of years, eventually turning into a layer of limestone mixed with sand several kilometers thick. When, as a result of movements, the surface of the earth's crust rose above sea level, precipitation and ground currents gradually washed away the limestone in the weakest places. This led to certain splits and the appearance of cavities characteristic of caves. Residents of a nearby town avoided a gaping hole in the ground, which they called the gate to the abyss. Lost domestic and wild animals often fell into it and died, so a fetid odor emanated from inside. Why not the underworld?

A serious attempt to penetrate the Grotte di Castellana was made by local residents at the end of the 18th century. But the pioneers stopped a few meters from the huge, foul-smelling hole, not daring to go down. For future tourists, a karst cave in Italy called the Castellana Grottoes was discovered by an Italian speleologist, a native of Bari, Franco Anelli. This happened during a research expedition under his leadership in January 1938. It should be noted that today not all the secrets of the Castellana cave are known. The grottoes are still being explored and studied by specialists, so they remain partially closed to ordinary visitors. In 2000, the speleological museum opened its doors, named after the pioneer Grotte di Castellana - Franco Anelli. By the way, his bust is installed in one of the cave halls, above which is the same gaping hole.

Visiting the cave: ticket prices and opening hours

Most of the complex is open to tourists all year round, but access to the grottoes is exclusively organized groups accompanied by a guide (Italian, English, German, French). There are currently two routes you can visit.

Fondo Casella, discovered near San Pietro a Maida. People have lived here for several historical periods.

The image of a bull, made by the hand of a prehistoric man at the entrance to the cave of Rom Ito (Papasidero, province of Cosenza), 19 thousand years ago (Paleolithic) is considered the most famous artifact of this kind in Europe. All the walls here are covered with similar drawings, but none of them can compete with the “bull” in accurately depicting the anatomical structure of the animal.

In the center of the Sibari valley, amazing finds of the Neolithic era (VI millennium BC) were made. Objects discovered by archaeologists in the area of ​​Lamezia and in the burial grounds of Caria di Girifalco, as well as fragments of ceramics from the caves of Sant'Angelo near Cassano Ionio, date back to approximately the same period. In the Grotto of the Madonna (Praia a Mare), in the Upper Grotto (Romito), in the cave of Manca (Papasidero), other evidence of the presence of prehistoric man was discovered. The ancient historians Strabo, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Diodorus mention the tribes of the Iapidae, Italians and Oenoters, who inhabited Calabria from the 17th to the 8th centuries BC. Then a leader, or king, named Italo (this male name is still often found in the south of the country) ruled here. Various chroniclers (including Aristotle) ​​attribute the legendary ruler either to the Oenotri or to the Siculi, but they are all united in the opinion that Italo founded an ethno-political state structure in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, This was a period of fruitful trade relations between the Calabrians and the peoples living in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. Around the same time, the legendary Trojans wandered after the defeat hometown throughout the Mediterranean, Landed on the Calabrian shores, The landing is confirmed by discoveries made in Borgo di Trebisace, in Francavilla Maripima, in Praia a Mara, in Santa Domenica di Ricadi and near Tropea, Homer mentions in the Odyssey the Calabrian city of Temezu, Athena talks about it, having penetrated into the palace of the king of Ithaca under the guise of Mentes, the son of king Anchial, the ruler of the “oar-loving Taphians.” He tells that he brought his ship to Ithaca, “... traveling on the dark sea to the peoples of another tongue..." and wants to "...get copper in the Thames by exchanging shiny iron for it...”. It has already been proven that such a settlement really existed on the territory of ancient Calabria and was located between the Amsato and Korace rivers.

The authorities of the Greek city-states supported further expansion in every possible way. Volunteers seeking to found a new colony were supplied with money and ships. Having received the prophecy of the oracle (usually the Delphic one) and having chosen a noble leader, they set off on their journey. The choice of location for the new city was determined by its convenience, availability fresh water and the instructions of the oracle.

The Greeks quite peacefully integrated into the life of the indigenous population of the Apennine Peninsula. Their culture, which was more high level, influenced further development southern Italy. In the science and art of the ancient Mediterranean, such natives of Magna Graecia as Pythagoras, Herodotus and Protagoras are known.

Colonies formed allied coalitions with local residents. This is how the Alleates, Lucan, Brutsian and Syracuse unions of cities appeared, which later entered into a single League under the patronage of the goddess Hera of Lucan.

The decline of Magna Graecia begins with the fact that the Italic tribes began to unite with other peoples, for example, with the Lucanians or Brettians. In 111 B.C. the southern part of Italy, including Calabria, became part of the Roman Republic. But it is surprising that such a powerful ancient culture did not leave behind any significant traces, in comparison with Greek civilization. Almost all the few finds dating back to the Roman period in the history of Calabria are collected in several local museums.

Among the architectural heritage we can mention the ruins of the theater in Gioiosa lonica and the ruins of villas in Pian delle Vigne, in Casignana Bianco.

It was only during the reign of Emperor Augustus that Calabria was finally assigned the status of a province of the Roman Empire, which was named Lucania and Brutium. The Romans brought many innovations to the life of the remote region and, above all, the legal system.

Calabria gradually became a trade bridge between Rome, Africa and the Middle East. During this period, new cities appeared, and old Greek ones were renamed in the Latin manner: Vibo Valentia, Regium Iulium, Blanda. The mountains in the vicinity of Cosenza remember the campaigns of the soldiers of Spartacus, when the Bruci joined the rebellious slaves, and the streets of Reggio witnessed the expulsion of the dissolute sister of Emperor Augustus.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, times of decline began. Little has survived from the barbarian times of the dominance of the Goths, Visigoths and Lombards. Except that old legend about the treasures in the tomb of Alaric, securely hidden by the waters of the Busento River.

With its appearance in the 6th century. The Byzantines in Calabria begin their period of economic and cultural upsurge. The southern Italian possessions, fragmented by the Lombards, are united under the banner of the County of Benevento (province of Cosenza). In the Ionian part of Calabria there arise one after another settlements oriented towards the culture of the East. Monuments of architecture and art of the Byzantine period are best preserved in the cities of Stilo, Rossa and San Severina.

Thanks to the Byzantine monks, who fled from the devastated Constantinople from Muslim persecution and found safe refuge in the territory of Calabria, Christianity was preserved here. But for five centuries the coastal lands of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas were regularly attacked by Arabs. The Calabrians called all invaders, for example, the Turks, Arabs. Frequent attacks by restless maritime neighbors forced local residents to move their homes to mountainous areas, leaving the inhabited coasts. During these times, a chain of watchtowers was built on the banks, giving the landscape a menacing look.

The Calabrian epic is rich in colorful legends about the struggle of the local population with the Turks. One of them talks about a traitor who sold himself to the Turks, who appointed him commander of their fleet. He robbed and destroyed his hometowns. To force his fellow countrymen to pay the ransom set by the pirates, the traitor did not even stop at stealing a small child.

There is a legend about how the famous Turkish pirate Barbarossa kidnapped a little boy from the city of La Castella. The kid, who received the Muslim name Ullachi-Ali, eventually became an admiral and commanded the left wing of the Turkish fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. The Norman rulers returned relative calm to the Calabrian lands, giving a fitting rebuff to the pirates. Once again, the inhabitants of southern Italy experienced the influence of an alien culture. Now Latin was accepted as the official language state language, and old Greek was considered illegal. During this period, many Catholic monasteries appeared, among which the monasteries in Serra San Bruno and San Giovanni in Fiore are especially famous. The cathedral in Gerace is considered a brilliant example of the architecture of the Norman period, in addition, it is worth noting such monuments as the cathedral in Umbriatico and the church of St. Demetrius in Corona.

Following the Normans, the Suevi (Germanic tribes) became interested in Calabria, then the Angevins and Aragonese. But neither the Spanish-Moorish nor the French culture left significant traces here. And yet it is necessary to note such monuments as the Gothic church of Santa Maria in Altomonte, the cathedral in Tropea, the facade of the Certosa in the city of Serra, the cathedral in Montalto Uffugo, the Aragonese castle in Reggio, the castles in Pizzo and Belvedere Marittimo.

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Blue Grotto, Capri

One of the natural wonders of the world. The grotto is called blue because the cave is illuminated by a bluish light reflecting from the sea waters. Today it is a popular attraction. The cave was known to the Romans. Roman buildings and statues were found in these places. The grotto has only one entrance from the sea, so getting into this The cave is accessible only by boat. The length of the cave is 56 meters and the width is 30 meters.

Grotto in Castro

The karst sea cave is protected. Limestone creates a unique eco-system in the cave.

Blue Grotto, Taormina

On the island of Belle, close to Taormina in Sicily, there is another blue grotto, very popular with locals. But it is not yet as popular with tourists as the grotto in Capri.

Neptune's Grotto, Alghero

Discovered in the 18th century by local fishermen, Neptune's Grotto is part of a cave system that stretches for 4 km, including the underwater Nereo Cave, which is visited every year by thousands of scuba divers. Neptune's Grotto is an illuminated cave with stalactites, stalagmite formations and of course, the amazing sea.

Grotto dello Poesie, Roca Vecchia, Salento

Legend has it that a beautiful princess loved to swim in the waters of the cave. Her beauty was so brilliant that her fame spread throughout Puglia. Hearing about this, legions of poets from all over southern Italy rushed to those places. They gathered here to write poems inspired by its beauty. The large karst cave behind the cliff in Roca is a place of inspiration.

Blue Grotto Marino, Cala Gonone, Sardinia

This place is very popular among tourists due to its accessibility and vastness. Blue water is everywhere. You can walk along the constructed bridges from hall to hall, enjoying the cool air and water.

Sea caves of Cape Gargano, Puglia

This is a whole complex of caves: “Cave of Two Eyes”, “Cave of Tomatoes”, “Smugglers’ Cave” and others. Each of the caves of this complex has something special, something that distinguishes them from each other. Maybe it's the splendor of the flowers. This is a whole area of ​​unidentified treasures, natural wonders.

Sea caves of Palinuro

The Tyrrhenian Sea at Cape Palinuro, Salerno, is home to Italy's most extensive cave system. Underwater caves are popular with divers. However, the caves above the water are also worth visiting. They are also interesting.

Emerald Grotto, Sardinia

A small but very nice grotto in Sardinia. A cave in emerald green tones. If you are in those parts, be sure to visit this place. However, the walk may not be long because the cave is visited by a large number of tourists.

Blue Grotto on Cavoli Beach, Elba Island

On the idyllic, quiet beach of Cavoli on the island of Elba lies the Blue Grotto. The cave is located 600 meters from the sandy shore. You can get there by water moped or small boat. The good thing about the grotto is that there are few tourists here.

Not far from the city of Alia (province of Palermo) are the Gurfa Caves (Le grotte della Gurfa), created by man in the Bronze Age.

The name "Gurfa" is of Arabic origin and means "room". There are a total of 6 rooms in the cave, carved into the red sandstone rock. The height of the large hall of the cave reaches almost 16 meters, and the domed vault is crowned with a small hole through which light passes inside.

An ancient legend says that the Cretan king Minos, who ended up in Sicily in search of the inventor Daedalus, was buried in the cave. The Sican king Kokal and his daughters, who invited the Cretan king to stay with them, are believed to have had something to do with the murder of Minos. However, danger awaited Minos while visiting - insidious women boiled him in boiling water.

Located in the commune of Alia, Grotte della Gurfa is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Sicily.

We present Anna Casis' interview with Professor Carmelo Montagna about the extraordinary caves of Gurfa. Majestic underground structures carved into the rock, testifying to ancient civilization in Sicily - the desire of scientists and the pride of archaeological tourism in the province of Palermo.

They are called Grotte della Gurfa, but they are not caves, or even granaries or ancient warehouses, at least in their original use. They are certainly of Arab origin in their topography, but there is much doubt about the meaning of their name: pit, "sloping mountain wall" or even "chamber on the upper floors." There are even doubts about who built them and when they were built. However, despite all these doubts, there are people who consider the architecture of the Grotte della Gurfa "on a large scale, imbued with archaic sanctity" for the size of the underground structures. A sanctuary or perhaps even a tomb of King Minos of Crete, who arrived in Sicily to capture Daedalus. The explanation of the art historian Carmelo Montagna, who in his books (“Sulle tracce di Minosse”, “Thòlos e Tridente”, “Il Tesoro di Minos”) tried to reveal the thousand-year-old secrets of these mysterious structures, contains a fascinating and convincing interpretation...

First of all, attention is drawn to the monumentality of this hypogeum, in particular the bell cave, such as the tholos, whose dimensions make it the largest in the Mediterranean...

As soon as I saw the photos of the Bell CaveGrotte della Gurfa is almost in the center of Sicily, so I immediately decided to go there. Because the bell caves are the most important objects our research on archaeoacoustics. We found the Gurfa caves quite easily and were able to get through the open door into the amfilade of underground halls on the second floor, and also look at the bell cave from there. However, individual entrances to the halls of the first floor, including the bell cave itself, were locked. When we were already desperate to get into them, a group of local young Italians with girls arrived and opened both doors. After that we entered them.

Bell CaveGrotte della Gurfa is very similar to the bell caves we previously explored in