Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta

The Pertosa-Auletta Caves are a karst system in the Monti Alburni, where the Negro River flows through underground passages. Archaeological remains at the entrance include evidence of a pile-dwelling settlement dating to the second millennium BCE.

Why it matters

The caves preserve an unusual combination of subterranean river, geological formations and prehistoric settlement evidence. The operator describes the Negro as the only underground river in Italy navigable by boat. The cave system also forms part of the wider geological and cultural landscape of the Alburni.

What to notice

The underground waterway and its waterfall are among the defining features of the caves. The passages include large chambers with stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone. Formations include the column known as Il Bacio, where a stalactite and stalagmite have joined, and porous formations in the Sala delle Spugne. Archaeological material documents a prehistoric pile-dwelling community near the cave entrance.

Context and history

Human use of the caves reaches back to the second millennium BCE, when the entrance area supported settlement over the underground river. Organised visits began in 1932. The caves are associated with the Fondazione MIdA, which also established the Museo del Suolo and the Speleo-Archeological Museum in Auletta. These institutions connect the natural history of the caves with the archaeology and landscape of the surrounding territory.