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Writer's pictureLuigi Ranieri

Visiting natural treasures in Italy

The natural landscapes of Italy are known throughout the world. Each Italian region has a great variety of parks, caves, waterfalls, and other natural environments to conquer any type of traveler.

Some attractions, however, are less well-known than others. In this article, we will show you some natural wonders that you could include in your travel itinerary in Italy.


The enchanting and evocative Resia Lake

We are in Val Venosta (South Tyrol), where the splendor and poetry of Lake Resia welcomes us in an atmosphere that appears still and silent, just like the waters of the lake itself. An ancient bell tower, belonging to the old town of Curon, which was submerged following the construction of a dam, rises from the waters giving the landscape something magical and fairytale-like.


The Blue Grotto, in Capri

If you are on holiday in Naples or in the areas of the Amalfi Coast, you cannot miss visiting Capri. Thanks to daily ferry connections from Naples, Positano, Sorrento and Salerno, you can reach one of the most beautiful islands in Italy and enjoy the spectacle of its Blue Grotto.

This cavity in the rock is 60 meters long and 25 meters wide, with a small entrance from which only rowing boats can access. At a certain point you will have to lie down on the bottom of the boat to be able to enter, and, after a few seconds of darkness, you will be able to admire the blue reflections of the cave.

Useful info: You can visit the Blue Grotto every day from 9am to 5pm, but only if the sea is not rough and the weather conditions are favourable!


Celano Gorges: a wonderful natural habitat

We move to Abruzzo, in the province of L'Aquila, more precisely to the Sirente-Velino natural regional park. The gorges were dug by the La Foce torrent, creating a wonderful natural route that exceeds 4 km and is easily accessible by hikers. If you are lucky you will also be able to glimpse some specimens of local eagles, a protected species that finds refuge on the highest part of the Celano Gorge.


The Frasassi Caves

In the municipality of Genga (Ancona), there are caves in which the limestone stratifications have formed wonderful natural works which over the years have become the object of study by many speleologists, who have renamed most of them according to their shape and dimensions. The Frasassi Caves not only could be compared to a natural museum, but they are also a vast reserve of animal species, including bats and small crustaceans!


The rock necropolis of Pantalica

In the province of Syracuse (Sicily), it is possible to admire the rock necropolis of Pantalica, a location whose value goes beyond the landscape one, since it is an archaeological and speleological location rich in history, which tells us about a part of Sicilian protohistory, that of the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age on the island. In the photo you can glimpse some of the 5000 cave tombs that inhabit the walls of Pantalica, and which make the latter a highly suggestive place. The Necropolis, together with the province of Syracuse, are now part of the UNESCO heritage, due to their indisputable historical importance and landscape uniqueness.


The Giant Cave

The Giant Cave, located on the Karst plateau a few km from Trieste, has the largest natural room in the world (a single room approximately 114 meters high, 280 meters long and 76.3 meters wide), for which it was entered be part of the Guinness Book of Records in 1995. Furthermore, during various explorations over the years, various finds belonging to different eras (Neolithic, Roman Empire, Medieval Age) have been found in the gallery, therefore it is also an important historical and archaeological source . In short, an experience not to be missed: undertake the 850 meter journey until you reach a depth of 101 meters below the surface, always under the control of highly trained escorts and tour guides, who will tell you every detail of the history of the cave!

 

The Scala dei Turchi

One of the most beautiful and breathtaking beaches in Italy, surrounded by a rocky wall that almost seems to be made of porcelain due to its splendid white color. The peculiar shape of the cliff is reminiscent of steps, with gently rounded edges, among which the Saracen pirates, from whom it takes its name, found shelter. La Scala dei Turchi, this idyllic place, is located in the province of Agrigento, between the coasts of Realmonte and Porto Empedocle.


Lake Carezza

Finally we arrive in the magical Trentino Alto-Adige, precisely in Val d'Elga (Alto-Adige), 25 km from Bolzano: here we find Lake Carezza, famous for its intense and brilliant colours, for which it is also called " rainbow lake” (in Ladin, Lec de Ergobando). The lake has no visible tributary and is fed by underground springs that bring water from the peaks of Latemar and in every season its extension and depth are always different!


The red rocks of Arbatax

No photo can do justice to the beauty of the Sardinian rocks of Arbatax, in the province of Nuoro, or rather the incredible natural sculptures that emerge from the sea at the entrance to the port, at the foot of the Bellavista Hill, delighting the eyes of tourists and citizens with their warm and reddish color that distinguishes them from all the others. The surrounding beach is made up of granite and red porphyry pebbles which reflect the shades of the rocks, also made of porphyry. The landscape becomes particularly spectacular at sunset, during which the colors are accentuated due to the fiery sky surrounding the rock boulders.


You can integrate these nature tips into your itinerary if you visit Italy.

Good inspiration and happy travels!

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