Descend Into The Antro Del Corchia Caves In Lucca

The Antro del Corchia is part of the cave system of Monte Corchia in the Apuan Alps Regional Park and is the largest cave system in Tuscany and one of the biggest in Europe. It is made up of over 60km of galleries which go down to a depth of 1200m into the earth. Exploration of the cave began in the 19th century but it was not opened to the public until 2001. Since then, it has become a popular tourist destination, attracting crowds who want to descend into the otherworldly magic of the caves and you can now even take tours in multiple languages. This is a particularly good family activity as it is informative and interesting with stunning visuals that are sure to keep even the strongest nay-sayers in the group happy. Just find a vacation rental in Lucca and spend a day underground in these astounding natural wonders!

Tuscany has one of the richest underground network of grottos in Italy with more than 1,200km of the region having extensive underground cave systems. There are more than 1,500 identified caves in 53 different areas of the region. The cavern or system of caverns in the Antro are a relatively recent, and utterly accidental, discovery. In the 19th century, a local was looking for new veins of marble to exploit and, while walking the valleys of the area, was surprised by a strong rush of wind which came from a hole in the ground. Discoveries are still on-going as the caves have not yet been fully explored. It is believed that the network of caverns and ravines actually extend over 60 km but this figure may be even greater. The entirety of these passages, of course, are not open to the public but what is open astounds.

When you reach the village of Levigliani di Stazzema you can take a shuttle bus that will drop you off at the entrance of the Antro del Corchia. The site is well-accustomed to visitors and has been altered to provide access to the cave but the work was carried out in a way that respects the sensitive subterranean environment. The lighting system is made up of diffused lights dotted along the trail and is regulated so that it only turns on when visitors pass through and there are three monitoring posts to constantly control the microclimate. Due to the limitations of the alterations, however, access is not possible for those with mobility problems as the route includes around 1800 steps. The main, and most common, route that people take lasts around two hours and is described as medium difficulty.

Be ready to dress warmly as the temperature is lower than above ground and be prepared for plenty of walking. You can take tours in Italian, English, German, French, Spanish and the caves are open morning and afternoons throughout the year and, additionally, at night during the summer. Just check out their website and the calendar of opening days before planning a visit. If you find yourself (somehow) tiring of the Tuscany above ground, this will seem like a trip to another world!