Excursion to the Grottoes of Iz Zuddas.
The Grottoes of Iz Zuddas are located 60 kilometres from Cagliari. On the way you will get to know the southern part of the island – the Sulcis region and see the real, wild Sardinia: Serpentine mountains, bays with clear azure water, white beaches, green mountainsides, granite cliffs, mysterious grottoes, mountains covered with juniper bushes, groves of cork trees, eucalyptus and cacti growing along the roads, mandarin, orange and pomegranate trees, vineyards and olive plantations – the nature of Sardinia will not leave you indifferent.
After enjoying the panorama and the beautiful views of nature, you will reach the Grottoes of Iz Zuddas, discovered by chance in the 1960s.
The Grottoes of Iz Zuddas, with its extensive system of corridors, is located 6 kilometres from the Italian municipality of Santadi. In the 1960s it was a quarry, and in the 70s the grotto became a natural heritage of the country.
The age of the local dolomite rocks is more than 530 million years, and it is, without exaggeration, the oldest monument of the island. The total length of corridors, halls and caves is 1,650 metres.
Only 500 metres are open to tourists, and the duration of the tour inside is about 45 minutes. The temperature in the caves is 16 degrees Celsius and humidity is 100 per cent.
The fairy-tale atmosphere inside will enchant you from the first minute. Stalactites and stalagmites will amaze you with their size. Giant columns formed by the combination of stalactites and stalagmites, large crystals of water calcite, the finest “angel’s hair” and the main treasure – aragonite, which resembles a crystal snowflake, will amaze you with their beauty.
The most picturesque is the “Organ Hall” with a stalactite-stalagmite column that clearly resembles a majestic musical instrument. For the past few years at Christmas, the hall has been transformed into a stage set where the story of the miraculous birth of the baby Jesus unfolds.
The “Eccentric Hall” is decorated with rare horizontal aragonites. They defy gravity and grow in all directions.
The huge “Theatre Hall” was opened in 1971. The stalactites form a bizarre “chandelier” that shimmers in all the colours of the rainbow.
An informative and entertaining tour of the Iz Zuddas caves is suitable for adults and children.
At the end of the tour you can have lunch in an authentic Sardinian trattoria.
Wear: sports shoes with fluted soles, a light jumper or jacket – the caves are chilly.
