Cave Zinzulusa - Castro (LE) - Salento - Puglia
Updated: Oct 12
It is among the ten most important caves in the world... #tuttitaly
Cave Zinzulusa - Castro (LE) - Salento - Puglia
Entering the Cave Zinzulusa is impressive: the arrival entrance is vast and gradually tightens as if it wants to swallow you.
The cave is located under an overhang, and the path leading to the cave is equally impressive: dug into the rock, with stairs and corridors that line the rocky wall and overlook the sea. The way is safe and protected by substantial stakes and stone walls.
As you enter the cave, it is inevitable to look up. The particular form of the stalactites, called "zinzuli," that hang from the ceiling like rags creates a hostile but fascinating entrance. Inside the cave is an enchanting landscape of ponds, stalactites, stalagmites, and various limestone formations.
Curiosities
About a century ago, when the cave entrance was discovered, it was full of bat droppings that had been deposited for millennia, especially inside the Crypt.
The bats, which have inhabited this cave for several centuries, had filled the cavity with droppings equal to 7 meters high; these droppings were then taken out by the workers, who took many years to clean everything up.
At the end of the enterprise, the workers, using the same bat excrement, left their names engraved on the cave walls, memorable and still visible today.
Another curiosity about the cave is that the last stretch was closed to the public. A particular species of "white and blind shrimp" already existed in prehistoric times, so it was decided to close it to preserve this rare species.
Once the underground magic of the Zinzulusa Cave is over, a short drive of less than ten minutes is all it takes to find yourself among the Moorish atmospheres of Santa Cesarea Terme. Don't miss a visit to this charming coastal town, famous for its sulfur springs and magnificent nineteenth-century villas overlooking the Adriatic. It is the perfect and closest destination to best complete your itinerary in the southern Salento area.
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Cave Zinzulusa - Castro (LE) - Salento - Puglia
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