Top 5 Caves around Serre

Beautiful caves, don't hesitate to visit, nice

The Castelcivita Caves are a true natural wonder. The system is still active and continues to form stalactites and stalagmites. To visit, I recommend checking the website, as they only open at certain times of the day. It's definitely worth it!

This is the correct location of the hermitage. The location is incorrect on the maps. Location: Santa Maria La Nova di Campagna (SA) What remains of the hermitage of Sant’Erasmo and San Giacomo degli Eremiti (Ruins of a rock monastery – 12th century) is located near a cave at 860 meters above sea level, on the eastern side of Mount Ripalta near the Palmentara valley. Although documented starting from 1192, the historical story of the Benedictine rock monastery is rather fragmentary and we only know that, due to a dispute that broke out within it, a good part of the monks decided to abandon it to go and found the nearby church of Santa Maria La Nova in 1220. To reach the hermitage, trekking clothing, sturdy shoes, gloves and a fair amount of mountaineering experience are essential.

Location: Santa Maria La Nova di Campagna (SA) What remains of the hermitage of Sant’Erasmo and San Giacomo degli Eremiti (ruins of a rocky monastery - 12th century) is located near a cave at 860 meters above sea level, on the eastern side of Mount Ripalta near the Palmentara valley. Although documented starting from 1192, the historical story of the Benedictine rock monastery is rather fragmentary and it is only known that, due to a dispute that broke out within it, a good part of the monks decided to abandon it to go and found the nearby church of Santa Maria La Nova. To reach the hermitage, trekking clothing, sturdy shoes and gloves are essential.

To reach this place trekking clothing and sturdy shoes! The entrance to the Grotta di Sant'Elia opens onto one of the most evocative "balconies" of the Alburni. From here it is possible to see the Piana del Sele, the Amalfi Coast and in the clearest days, Capri, and obviously the underlying medieval village of Postiglione, faithful to the cult of the Saint for centuries. https://monacincammino.it/luoghi/la-grotta-di-santelia-a-postiglione/#:~:text=The entrance%20alla%20Grotta%20di,fedele%20al%20culto%20del%20Santo.

This is the cave where the Brigante Giardullo held the priest Giuseppe Olivieri hostage during the kidnapping which took place in 1864. To reach this cave at 850 m you have to overcome considerable difficulties. From Campagna the path was traced by Liberato D'Alessandro.

The "grotta dei Briganti", located at the foot of Monte Ripalta, is one of the many caves in the countryside of the countryside, it has been for years a safe haven for criminals, Brigands or for those who had problems in the town, as its position did not it was easy to access. In fact, until the 70s of the last century, the road below did not exist, the steep slope plunged directly into the nearby river Atri, it could be reached either via the river or from the Patia bridge located near the chapel of the Madonna dell Thanks to the fattening of the Old Town. In the present cave we can still see an opening at the top left, which leads to a path that, through considerable difficulties, at 850 m a.s.l., leads to the so-called 2grotta del Prete ", the cave where the" Banda Giardullo "held hostage the priest Giuseppe Olivieri during the kidnapping which took place in 1864. These events fall within the historical period of the "Brigandage" and what resulted from the unification of Italy.

to get to the cave, the path is not easy, follow the CAI signs. the path ends with the cave. to proceed on Ripalta go back.