Dante's Inferno in Devil's cave at Castelcivita

« Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita

mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,

ché la diritta via era smarrita. »

We all know this incipit... But what about gettin lost actually, just for one day, in a mysterious and adventurous place, and travel with Dante and Virgilio? 

photo by https://www.grottedicastelcivita.com/

Today we will guide you to Castelcivita, in the province of Salerno, where, under the Alburni mountains, the karst erosion has created an amazing underground landscape: the ideal natural set where a company of actors put on a suggestive performance, and they have no need for scenography, because the nature itself provided for it! It blends with music and plays of lights, to carry you literally into the story: Dante, personified by an actor, will welcome to in the cave and he will declaim the first Canto. With him you will meet Virgilio, who will guide you into the tunnels, through the door with the famous inscription

"Per me si va nella città dolente, per me si va nell’etterno dolore…"

photo by www.zonalocale.it

While you move from one "room" to another, you will admire the change in the landscape, because every "room" has its own peculiarity: a monumental stalagmite called "pagoda", the "Prince of Piedmont room" , with its column made of horizontal disk elements, or "Death wells", deep vertical caves almost full of water.

into the cave; photo by www.grottedicastelcivita.com

the columns; photo by www.grottedicastelcivita.com

stalactites and stalagmites; photo by www.grottedicastelcivita.com

The route is five km long, and the touristic path measures about 1.7 km; along the road you can admire weird-shaped stalactites and stalagmites: crocodiles, turtles, lemons, vegetables, also a Holy Virgin with child... They are really surreal elements!

Dante's travel; photo by www.napolitime.it

It's no wonder  if, in these evocative caves, you meet one by one Paolo and Francesca, Farinata degli Uberti, Pier delle Vigne, Ulysses, Earl Ugolino and other Dantean characters, who will entertain you with dances, songs or poems, and in the end... 

" E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle"

photo by www.napolipost.com

photo by www.ecampania.it

Another curiosity: this place, famous as "Devil's cave" , is also known as "Spartacus' cave", because, according to a legend, the gladiator rested  here, while he was arming the slaves against Rome. 

How to reach Castelcivita:

-from North: A3 highway, Campagna exit.

-from South: A3 highway, Petina exit.

-SS18: follow the signals for Capaccio, then reach Roccadaspide and continue to Castelcivita.