Grotta del Sasso Petruccio

Useful Information

Location:	Frazione Quintodecimo, 10, 63095 Quintodecimo AP. (42.7381876, 13.3744878)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Grotta del Sasso Petruccio, Tel: +39-0
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Grotta del Sasso Petruccio (Petruccio Rock Cave) is a huge horizontal shelter which was used by the locals to erect some masonry buildings. It seems they were used as barns for animals. The cave is a huge semicircular shelter, about 60 m wide and 10 m high, with a depth of 15 m. The ceiling is a horizontal layer of harder rock, which forms a vertical wall above the cave portal. The Noce Andreana forms a waterfall in the middle of the cave. The rivulet of today is too small form such a huge cave, but it seems

The cave is located high on the slopes of the Monti della Laga and reached on a trail from Frazione Quintodecimo, a small village on the SS 4 to Acquasanta Terme. The village name translates 15, it was named for the fact that it is located along the Salaria, 15 miles from Ascoli Piceno. Here the small brook Noce Andreana flows into the Tronto river. At the end of the village the trail follows the Noce Andreana upstream to the cave. This hike is definitely lengthy, although the distance is only about 3 km as the crow flies, the hike is about 15 km long and the elevation gain about 500 m. If you are used to walking such distances, you should plan about 4 hours for this hike.