Caves of Pertosa – Auletta
The Pertosa-Auletta Caves are a remarkable karst show cave system in the municipality of Pertosa, province of Salerno, Campania, officially co-named after the neighbouring town of Auletta since 2012. Among the most important caves in southern Italy, they feature an underground river navigable by boat, vast limestone chambers adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, and evidence of prehistoric human occupation stretching back thousands of years.
At a glance
- Type
- Karst show cave system (grotte carsiche)
- Period
- Natural formation over millions of years; human presence documented from the Bronze Age
- Style
- Natural karst landscape with speleothem formations
- Location
- Pertosa, Province of Salerno, Campania, Italy
- Coordinates
- 40.5372° N, 15.4528° E
Overview
The Pertosa Caves, co-officially named the Pertosa-Auletta Caves since 2012, are one of the most significant natural attractions in southern Italy, carved by millennia of karst erosion in the Apennine limestone. The cave system is distinguished by an underground river, the Tanagro, which flows through part of the complex and allows visitors to experience sections of the caves by boat — a feature unique among Italian show caves. The site is managed as an educational and tourist destination, combining geology, archaeology, and speleology within a single visit.
History
Archaeological excavations within the caves have uncovered evidence of Bronze Age habitation, with finds suggesting the site served ritual or refuge functions for prehistoric communities in the Vallo di Diano area. The caves were known to local populations through the medieval period, but systematic exploration and documentation began in the modern era as speleological science developed across Italy. In 2012, the official co-naming to include nearby Auletta recognised the geographic and administrative significance of the broader cave system.
What you see
Visitors enter through a natural opening and descend into chambers of considerable scale, their ceilings and walls encrusted with stalactites, stalagmites, and other speleothem formations built up over geological time. The underground Tanagro river winds through the lower sections, and guided boat trips allow exploration of otherwise inaccessible galleries. Above the river galleries, passages open into large halls lit to reveal the textures of pale and ochre-coloured limestone, while small alcoves preserve traces of ancient occupation including pottery fragments and votive objects.
Cultural significance
The Pertosa-Auletta Caves are protected as a site of both natural and archaeological importance, forming part of the broader cultural landscape of the Vallo di Diano, a valley already recognised by UNESCO as part of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park — a World Heritage Site. The caves contribute to understanding prehistoric settlement patterns in Campania and represent a rare example of an accessible, river-bearing karst system in the Italian peninsula.
Practical information
- Address
- Via Grotte, 84030 Pertosa SA, Italy
- Opening hours
- Check the official website for seasonal timetables; guided tours are required
- Admission
- Ticketed; combined boat and walking tour available
- Contact
- Check official website for current information
Getting there
Pertosa is located along the A2 Autostrada del Mediterraneo; exit at Petina/Pertosa and follow signs for the caves. The nearest rail station is Polla-Pertosa on the Battipaglia–Potenza line; from there, a short road transfer is needed. The caves lie within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, approximately 100 km south-east of Salerno.