An endless view of the Mediterranean and 600 steps separates you from Neptune’s Cave in Sardinia

We’ve already talked about the Italian islands once, but not about the gems that are hidden on them, so on this occasion, I’ll take you to Sardinia, the second largest, to tell you something about a hidden cave that you simply have to experience at least once in your life.

It is located in the very northwest of the island near the city of Alghero, approximately 30 minutes away, but you will still have to walk a bit to get to it, that is, cross 600 steps across the cliff to experience it.

Neptune’s Grotto, Photo: adwo, Depositphotos

No one knows who actually discovered it or when, because in its embrace were found remains that even go back to the 1st century after Christ. It is still not certain whether the Romans used it.

According to various local stories, it is believed that Neptune’s Cave, also called Neptune’s grotto, was found by a local fisherman in the late 1700s.

Neptune’s Grotto, Photo: adwo, Depositphotos

Neptune’s Cave, one of the largest of its kind in Italy, is a gem that is believed to have been created 2 million years ago and is 2.5 kilometers long. The cave consists of halls, galleries, tunnels, stalagmites, stalactites, and a clear salt lake called La Marmora, but visitors can only see a part of it.

Its entrance is located 1 meter above sea level and slowly descends to the level of the sea and the sea entrance, which can be accessed by boat from Alghero itself.

Neptune’s Grotto, Photo: adwo, Depositphotos

In the first part, you will be greeted by stalagmites up to 2 meters high, small pools where fresh water collects, and, of course, lake La Marmora. Then follows the hall called the Hall of Ruins (Sala Delle Rovine), which got its name from the damage to the stalactites caused by tourists in the 19th century.

It is followed by the hall of the Royal Palace, which shines like a mirror and is supported by columns up to 9 meters high.

In the next part, Neptune’s cave is also decorated with the highest ceiling as high as 18 meters, a stalagmite formation in the shape of a Christmas tree, and the beach on lake La Marmora, which is decorated with pebbles. In the past, visitors from local towns used to gather on this very beach to enjoy the bandstand and dance together, and thousands of candles were lit in this part of the cave to illuminate it.

Neptune’s Grotto, Photo: adwo, Depositphotos

And when you think that the end has come, then you realize that there are also pillars that take the shape of an organ, a dome, a hall of trine and lace, and thousands of stalagmites and stalactites that have been forming for centuries.

The visit and tour of Neptune’s Cave lasts an hour, it can be very crowded during the summer months, and the ticket, that is, the tour, costs 14 euros.

If you get the chance, definitely take it!