Grotte di Montevicoli, Ceglie Messapica

The caves of Montevicoli are a system of natural cavities located in the district of the same name about 1.5 km from the town of Ceglie Messapica. Discovered in the early 1960s during the rearrangement of a dry stone wall, the caves were intensively visited until 1996. Inside from the opening year until 1996 an artistic nativity scene was set up every year at Christmas time. After the year of closure the caves were opened only occasionally and for short periods. On December 30, 2014, the civic administration purchased the area above ground at the caves. After the purchase of the portion of land in the last months of 2015, the civic administration using European funding under the Greece-Italy Cooperation Program 2007-2013 carried out work inside the caves on upgrading and securing the approximately 100 m long tour route. As a result, the caves were reopened on December 19, 2015.

The cave is accessed through a gate that protects the artificially enlarged entrance in order to facilitate access. Descending the first thirteen steps, one reaches the first room. Six meters from the entrance one notices the first stalagmites and columns. To the right is a small room containing a pool fed by trickling water. Continuing along the path one skirts a central column that serves as a prelude to the hall full of impressive and striking speleothems. The cave is about 50 m long.