Grotte di Castellana

The system was explored in 1938 by Franco Anelli, who descended the Grave, a natural shaft about sixty metres deep open to the sky where locals had long thrown rubbish, and found galleries running for kilometres beyond. The tourist route covers around three kilometres and ends at the Grotta Bianca, a chamber of alabaster-white calcite formations often described as the whitest cave in the world. Chambers along the way carry names from the shapes of their formations. A shorter route stops before the white chamber. The caves are also used for concerts and, occasionally, astronomical observation from the open shaft.

What you actually see

• La Grave - a 60-metre natural shaft open to the sky at the entrance.
• The Grotta Bianca - a chamber of white alabaster calcite at the far end.
• The three-kilometre route - galleries of formations along the full tour.
• The named chambers - halls called after the shapes of their concretions.

When to go

Year-round; the caves hold about eighteen degrees. Tours run at set times in Italian and English, with the long route less frequent. Booking is advisable in summer.

Honest expectations

The short route does not reach the white chamber; check which tour you are buying. There are many steps and no lift. Photography is generally not allowed.

Nearby

Alberobello lies south; Polignano is on the coast.