Fascinating and regenerating, the Stiffe Caves, visitors will be enchanted by a unique spectacle accompanied by the constant presence of water which, over the millennia, has shaped a path where waterfalls and rapids touch stalactites and stalagmites.
Heritage of regional tourist interest recognized by the Abruzzo Region, they offer a breathtaking spectacle and represent a geological treasure to be admired.
Famous for their natural beauty, geological importance and uniqueness, these caves are located in the heart of the Velino Sirente Regional Park and near the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park.
The fascinating cave complex is located in the municipality of San Demetrio ne’ Vestini, in the province of L’Aquila, in Abruzzo.
Access to the caves takes place at the top of the Stiffe gorge, through a noticeable crack in the mountain, at the point where the Rio Gamberale rises to light again after a long underground journey.
No animals, even small ones, are allowed in the cave.
The caves are over 1000 meters long, not yet fully explored and partially open to the public. They constitute an active resurgence, that is, they were produced by the presence of an underground river that flows to the surface, an almost unique case in Italy.
The visit is always guided and will last 1 hour.
The internal temperature is 10 degrees all year round.
We recommend appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes, possibly with non-slip soles.
Near the cave it is possible to admire one of the most beautiful corners in all of Abruzzo: on one side the gaze rests on the placid, soft vision of the L’Aquila valley, dominated by the imposing mass of the Gran Sasso chain of Italy, on the other it climbs up the rugged rock face one hundred meters high, which overlooks the entrance to the cave, and is lost in the lush vegetation of the gorge, crossed by perfectly passable.
When entering the cave, the senses are suddenly struck by the unusual environment: the cool temperature and the play of light drag the mind back in time; the falling drops bring to life the phenomenon of dripping that gave shape to the unusual stalactites and stalagmites; the view focuses on the water that foams under the walkways, and is lost in the distance to capture every detail of the concretions, with the river acting as a noisy guide from the entrance of the cave, hiding just enough to make the silence heard, and then returns to perform with all its power, especially in winter, in a majestic hall where, falling with a thunderous waterfall, it offers a splendid and disturbing spectacle.
Stiffe Caves
Stiffe location
San Demetrio ne’ Vestini (L’Aquila)
Abruzzo – Italy
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