The Windy Cave

The Windy Cave (Le Grotte del Vento) is situated in Fornovalasco, near Vergemoli, in the middle of the Apuane Alps nature reserve. It is famous for being one of the most fascinating and unique caves in Europe, thanks to an incredible variety of phenomena found inside.

The cave takes its name from the strong air currents (often reaching 40km/h) that travel through it caused by the difference between the inside and outside temperatures (there is a constant inside temperature of +10.7°C).

Inside, visitors can choose one of three trails that vary in length and time. The first and flattest route takes one hour and follows a series of chambers adorned with multi-coloured limestone formations including stalactites, stalagmites and colomns. The second route takes two hours and continues on where the first one ends and follows an underground stream. The third route, the longest trail inside a cave found in Italy, lasts three hours and covers the whole cave including some vertical slopes.

The first documented evidence of the cave dates back to the 17th century when it was noted that a strong current came out of a fissure in the rock. Only 4kms of the cave’s depths are known today and at least 30 tunnels still remain to be explored.