Grotte di Falvaterra

Useful Information

Location:	Via Mazzorile, 03020 Falvaterra FR. Autostrada A1 Milan to Naples, exit Ceprano, follow signs 5 km. (41.511312, 13.498763)
Open:	APR to JUL Sat, Sun 10:30-13:30, 15:30-18:30. AUG daily 10:30-13:30, 15:30-18:30. SEP to OCT Sat, Sun 10:30-13:30, 15:30-18:30. NOV to MAR Sat, Sun 10:30-13:15. Closed 25-DEC, 01-JAN. Cave Trekking: only after appointment. [2023]
Fee:	Tourist: Adults EUR 5, Children (6-12) EUR 4, Children (0-5) free, Disabled free. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 4. Short Tour: Adults EUR 35, Children (10-12) EUR 30. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 30. Long Tour: Adults EUR 50, Children (10-12) EUR 40. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 40. [2023]
Classification:	Karst cave River Cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=5 km, Twater=14 °C.
Guided tours:	Tourist: D=40 min, L=250 m. V=10,000/a [2019] Short Tour: L=600 m, D=2 h, Min=2, MinAge=10. Long Tour: L=1200 m, D=3 h, Min=2, MinAge=10.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Grotte di Falvaterra, Via Mazzorile, 03020 Falvaterra FR, Tel: +39-333-622-0609, WhatsApp: +39-328-3413876. E-mail:
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

JUL-1964	Lamberto Ferri Ricchi and Carlo De Gregorio, speleologists and cave divers, discover the cave behind the karst spring.
1970s	1st artificial tunnel built to drain the water from the cave.
2007	declared a Monumento Naturale della Regione Lazio (Natural Monument).
MAY-2009	sales point for handicraft products, speleological museum and ecomuseum in an abandoned quarry opened to the public.
2007-2010	2nd artificial tunnel built.

Description

The Grotte di Falvaterra, named after the homonymous village, is actually the Monumento Naturale Grotte di Falvaterra e Rio Obaco. The cave is connected to the Caves of Pastena which are 2.5 km southwest, on the opposite side of a karstified limestone hill, Monte Lamia (370 m asl). The tourist tour is rather short, only 250 m long, but the trail has no steps and shallow slopes and is thus wheelchair accessible. That's definitely an alternative to nearby Grotta di Pastena.

This is one of the youngest show caves in Italy. It seems the visits started as cave trekking tours, which are still offered. As this is a river cave those tours include a ride on a gum boat. The tours are offered even for small groups, equipment including helmet, headlamp, life jacket, diving suit and neoprene socks, trekking shoes is provided. As the cave is connected to the Grotta di Pastena, the operators plan to offer 2.5 km long through tours.

From the ticket office with its speleological museum and ecomuseum, which is located in an abandoned quarry, a 500 m walk leads to the Rio Obaco karst resurgence. The natural entrance is through the sump behind the spring and accessible only to cave divers. The show cave was made accessible by an artificial entrance tunnel. This tunnel was built in the 1970s for the development of the Pastena Cave. However, the cave becomes accessible by the second tunnel, which was built 2007-2010. The tourist trails ends at a waterfall. Currently, it is planned to overcome the waterfall by a third tunnel to complete the tourist trail.

The Pastena Cave is the underground drainage of a large karst polje. The water flows underground across the hill and reappears in the spring of Rio Obaco, which then flows into Sacco river.

The ticket office is also the starting point of a 2 km long karst trail. It is named Dalla sorgente al fiume : storia di una gocciolina d'acqua (From the source to the river : the story of a droplet of water). The topic is the protection of the Sacco river and all its sources.