Top 11 Caves around Grotte Di Castro

The Via Cava di San Rocco is one of the most impressive Etruscan paths in the area. The trail is entirely dug into the tuff, with vertical walls reaching up to 20 meters high, hosting lush vegetation of ferns and mosses. The route connects the Lente river valley with the plateau above. Along the ascent, you will encounter ancient water channeling systems and stairs carved into the rock. Once you reach the upper end, you arrive at the panoramic area of San Rocco, from which you can enjoy the most iconic view of the settlement of Sorano and the Orsini Fortress. The ground can be damp and slippery due to the cool microclimate of the walls.

Along the Vie Cave of Vitozza we can admire the caves that have been divided into three types: mixed-use caves (as a dwelling and stable); stables (recognizable by the presence of mangers, troughs and fences); caves for residential use (present especially on the south-west side, more sheltered and better exposed to the sun). The latter are characterized by jars for grain, wells for collecting water and chimneys. The first evidence dates back to the 11th century, when numerous castles were built throughout the area. At that time Vitozza must have been part of a large fiefdom that included 15 castles among which we remember Sorano, Pitigliano, Farnese, Mezzano, etc. (Guiniccesca land). The fiefdom must have had considerable strategic importance since thanks to the fortifications it was possible to control the natural access routes to the sea.

The area of Vitozza, near San Quirico, is one of the most important medieval rock settlements in Italy that developed on a tuff spur above the Lente valley. The settlement, already existing in the 12th century, was definitively abandoned around the 15th century due to wars and depredations. Traveling along the main dirt road you can admire the remains of fortifications, churches and also numerous caves (more than two hundred) that were used as stables, homes and places of work.

The Vitozza Caves in Sorano, Tuscany, are a thousand-year-old rock complex rich in history and mystery. Carved into the tuff rock, these caves have hosted ancient Etruscans, legends of hidden treasures and stories of fleeing bandits. Wrapped in an evocative atmosphere, these places bear witness to centuries of adventures and secrets, capturing the imagination of anyone who ventures to explore them.

The Via Cava di San Rocco goes up the opposite side of Sorano, skirting the remains of the church of San Rocco, a religious building in Romanesque style now reduced to ruins that maintain sections of the original wall structures. Behind these remains extends a vast Etruscan necropolis with tombs dug into the tuff. The Vie Cave, dug by the Etruscans about 3000 years ago in the tuff, are still shrouded in mystery regarding the technique used to sculpt the rock so precisely and vertically. This street represents the most important of the Vie Cave around Sorano, as it guided the Etruscans to their necropolis. Incredibly, for over six centuries, from the Middle Ages until 1940, it was the only road that connected the city of Sorano to Sovana. Every horse, cart and traveler had no choice but to travel this steep, damp road between its high walls.

Vitozza, a significant rock settlement in the municipality of Sorano, has medieval roots, presumably at the end of the 11th century, around the castle built by the Aldobrandeschi. This castle structure is located in a rock settlement which probably saw settlements already in the Etruscan-Roman era. Over the centuries, Vitozza has passed through various dominations, including Orvieto, the Basques, the Aldobrandeschi, Siena and the Orsini. Despite its historical importance, the settlement suffered a slow decline and progressive abandonment, with the population moving to San Quirico in the sixteenth century. However, the Vitozza caves remained inhabited until the eighteenth century, as documented by the 1783 census conducted by the Lorena family. The history of Vitozza is today told through descriptive panels at the entrances to the caves, highlighting the people and families who lived there centuries ago.

The Vitozza rock complex is a large network of over two hundred caves dug into the tuff along an isolated rocky ridge, immersed in dense woods. This cliff has hosted communities since protohistory, evidenced by the first houses, cisterns for collecting rainwater, wells and rudimentary canalization systems. Along this stretch there are easily over 35 caves, an impressive testimony to the past.

Vitozza is an important rock settlement located in the municipality of Sorano. Its location is in the south-eastern part of the municipal territory, a couple of kilometers north-west of the hamlet of San Quirico. The Vie Cave path is entirely cycleable, only the final part towards Sorano is more technical.