Top 8 Caves around Monteviale

The Grotta dell'Orco, also known as the Grotta del Boscòn, is the largest natural cave in the area: a large cavern of about twenty meters that originated from the intersection of various fractures in the rock and shaped by meteoric erosion. Frequented by men since prehistoric times, it was used over the centuries as a shelter for shepherds and a humble home for poor families. Legend has it that a disturbing ogre lived here who took it out on travelers with his cries and his lugubrious laugh.

An extremely evocative and interesting site, hidden and unexpected, almost surreal: it surprises with its vastness and the slender square columns supporting the titanic ceiling... it feels like being inside a temple in ancient Mesopotamia or in the mines of Moria from Tolkien's memory! The Priàre (from 'pria', meaning stone in the Venetian dialect) are a complex of underground quarries and tunnels for the extraction of the renowned "soft Vicenza stone," active from Roman times until the mid-20th century. During the bombings of World War II, the quarries were used by the inhabitants of Montecchio as a refuge; between 1972 and 1985, they were exploited as a mushroom farm, thanks to the humidity and constant temperature throughout the year; Afterwards, they were abandoned until their redevelopment and safety measures in 2000. Vicenza Stone is a highly prized material, always highly appreciated and sought after in architecture and construction: beyond its aesthetic appeal, it is soft and malleable when freshly quarried, but upon contact with air, it "seasons," hardening and becoming extremely resistant over time. This rock was used to build the Montecchio fortresses and by Andrea Palladio for his works. It has always been quarried strictly by hand, using the same technique for millennia, in square blocks; this is why the quarries have such a geometric appearance. Open Sunday afternoon; entry is only possible with a (very interesting) guided tour lasting about 40 minutes; admission is €3. Please note that payment by POS is not possible due to the lack of signal. https://www.prolocoaltemontecchio.it/cosa-vedere/le-priare/

To admire this curious phenomenon, a detour from the main road is necessary. Once you reach the place, just look out into the well (with a diameter of about 50 cm) from which what is sometimes called "dragon's breath" seems to emerge from. It is nothing more than a karst cavity (characteristic of the Faedo-Casaron plateau) from which fresh air comes out (which varies between 7 and 13 degrees). Especially in the summer period, the typical rustle of the exchange of hot and cold air masses at the mouth of the cave is clearly audible. The cavity, commonly called "Buso del Lucio", was discovered by the Maladense speleologist Lucio Zanini. The valley that you travel along following the Campipiani-Faedo path is called “Valle dei Vischi”. The origin of this name is not known but it probably refers to the sound effects (breathing, hissing, moaning) that the blowing caves produce in particular climatic conditions.

The site can be visited in the summer

path that runs along the mountain with splendid views of Brendola alta with Castello and Incompiuta. The path is quite steep and narrow where you have to be careful not to slip into the bush below.

https://www.magicoveneto.it/vicenza/malo/Sentiero-Naturalistico-Priabona-Campipiani.htm

Nice technical descent, in some points dangerous passages due to landslide. Challenging climb.

Nice descent, on the technical finish. Uphill the initial part is challenging