A cave crossed by an underground river with internal waterfalls
In the village of Stiffe, in the municipality of San Demetrio ne' Vestini, about 20 kilometres from L'Aquila, the Grotte di Stiffe are one of the most fascinating show caves in central Italy, because they are not a dry cave, but a cavity still crossed by an underground river, which over hundreds of thousands of years has dug it into the limestone of the Altopiano delle Rocche. The water, which disappears into a sinkhole on the plateau above, flows through the cave forming waterfalls, rapids and small lakes, before coming out at the foot of the mountain, near the village, where it feeds a small stream.
The visit, along a walkway of about 700 metres, accompanied by guides, takes about an hour and leads through a sequence of halls and galleries rich in stalactites, stalagmites, columns and calcite concretions of various shapes and colours, illuminated to bring out their beauty. The most spectacular moment is the Sala della Cascata, where the river falls from a height of about twenty metres with a roar that fills the cave, especially in spring, when the snowmelt increases the water flow. The cave, opened to the public in the 1990s, also hosts small animals adapted to underground life. The temperature inside is about 10 °C all year round, so warm clothing is recommended even in summer. In the surroundings, the area offers other interesting sites, such as the nearby Lago Sinizzo, the Rocche plateau and the medieval villages of the Vestini.
Tip: bring a jacket and non-slip shoes; visit in spring to see the waterfall at its most powerful.
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