Located in the province of Lucca, in Garfagnana, in the middle of the Natural Park of the Apuan Alps, the Grotta del Vento has an exceptional variety of aspects of underground karst and attracts thousands of visitors every year.Me, too.

The name of the Cave derives from the draughts due to the presence of two entrances placed at different altitudes.

It’s suitable for everyone, thanks to 3 main itineraries. Due to the lack of time, I chose the second itinerary.
But I will definitely come back for the third one. And, the adventurous one!!

The itineraries

The first itinerary is mostly flat and comfortable and the tour proceeds slowly.

The second itinerary continues on where the first one ends, going down over 50 meters following a winding staircase down the Giants’ Chasm – absolutely safe with handrails along the side.

The third itinerary allows to visit a 90-metre well, perfectly vertical, which is climbed from the bottom up to a terminal hall, followed by a short underground canyon.

During the journey into the grotto, you’ll have a lot of stops when it is possible to take photographs.

The experience in the grotto

The most exciting aspect of this grotto is certainly its size and the multitude of scenarios that you’ll experience.

From the first part of the visit (even through the only artificial passage created by man) you will immediately notice the circular shape, due to the water erosion.
All the rocks here will appear as something between marble, ice and wax.
How is it possible? Thanks to the small droplets of water that still drip from the stalagmites.

The few shapes that are dead, abandoned by streams of water that changed course, no longer grow, are opaque and destined to crumble.

While walking through the cave, you’ll might think it’s all about the same rock and water. And you might also think that’s all so flat here. Well, definitely not.

At the edge of the Baratro dei giganti, or the Giants’ Chasm, the second itinerary continues on down into the large tunnel that falls for 50 meters.
If you suffer from dizziness, here you may have some moments of instability.
The steps have different dimensions, are very narrow and turn like a spiral staircase, with a very, very low balustrade.
You will seem to descend to the bottom of a large well.

The river river came out through this way and even today, the river comes back here. (the last one was in 1996)
As the water has not completely left this area, the rock presents itself in a completely different way. Here everything is more muddy and spectacular shapes are created in the rock.

At the end of the chasm, you’ll be in what is called the Room of the Voices.
The name comes from what the speleologists thought to hear while here at what used to be their base camp during explorations. The continuous drops of water in the darkness gave them here the impression of hearing voices in the distance.

The itinerary ended at the point where the river, called Acheronte, passes nearby.
Remember when I told you that the river comes back in the grotto? Well, that seems to be the main entrance of the river!

The frequent floods continuously bring debris to this area and prevent us from continuing on.

From here we head back towards the entrance again. And during the way back, photos are not allowed and no other stops are planned.

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.  –  cit. T.S. Eliot  (& me)