Grotte di Castellana, Caves the most famous of Apulia

They were discovered in 1938 by Franco Anelli, and are regarded as the most magnificent in Italy. Long galleries alternate with spectacular caves, and all of them filled with many forms of stalactite and stalagmite.

Located near the town of Castellana Grotte, a few kilometers from charming villages such as Alberobello and Polignano a Mare, the Castellana Caves began to form about 90 million years ago. It is a complex of underground caves of karstic origin that extends for a length of 3348 meters and reaches a maximum depth of 122 meters from the surface

The visitable section of the caves covers about 3km, and the terminal point of the route is the spectacular White Cave, which is considered amongst the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, stalactite cave in the world.

If you are in the area a visit to the caves is a must. Many hundreds of visitors view the caves daily in the high season, but the tours conducted in English do not seem oversubscribed.

Although most people come to Castellana for the caves, the town, a couple of kilometers away, is well worth a visit on its own merits.

It has a historic centre rich in palaces of the 18th century. Many churches stud the town and its historic centre: the Chiesa del Purgatario is rich in renaissance and baroque paintings; the church of S. Francesco d'Assisi has rich baroque altars, decorated with stone statues and engravings .

The Convent of the Frati Francesci is interesting and the annexed church is dedicated to the Madonna della Vetrana, the patron saint of the town, venerated because she saved the inhabitants from the Black death in 1691. This event is remembered during the festival of the "falò" (bonfire) every January, when the picture of the Madonna goes from the convent to the mother church with a solemn procession and, after a week, comes back to the convent. The events are celebrated with bonfires.