Grotta all’Onda in Camaiore

The Grotta all'Onda is located in Camaiore, in the town of Casoli. It is reachable by an easy CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) path which winds through the oak woods of Mount Matanna. The cave is interesting both geologically and historically.

This cave is of karstic origin, in fact, it was a prehistoric settlement. The first people to use the cave were Neanderthals; they hunted throughout the surrounding area and probably used it to hoard their tools and weapons, together with the bones of the animals they cooked. In the Neolithic and Copper Age, our ancestors used it for longer stays than a simple hunting camp. Permanent settlers 5,000 years ago were involved in agriculture and rearing livestock.  

The cave is also a vivid account of what life was like around 170,000 years ago, allowing us to learn about the sediments and even the weather. Today, the cave is a single large space, measuring 40 meters on one side and 60 on the longest. It is located about 700 meters above sea level and is accessed directly from the CAI path that reaches this point. On the external walls, impressive waterfalls flow continuously, feeding a small stream right at the foot of the cave.