The Caves

The area between Castellammare del Golfo and Scopello is rich in caves, many characterized by a system of interconnected well-like entrances both horizontally and vertically. Many of these caves were inhabited or used as sanctuaries; today, they are accessible by land or sea. Some caves are difficult to access or no longer reachable but visible from the outside, like the Grotta di S. Margherita, towards Punta Pirale, on a sheer wall fifteen meters above sea level. Here, the walls, on a preparation of lime and tuff, are decorated with medieval paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries, depicting a Madonna with Child. The caves are also found underwater, like the Grotta della Ficarella, in the Oriented Nature Reserve of Zingaro, where you can admire the rocky walls in a unique marine setting. Closer to the entrance of S. Vito, along the mid-slope path, you will encounter the Natural Cave of Uzzo, a monumental karst cavity of exceptional paleontological and archaeological interest. Prehistoric artifacts have been found here, attesting to human presence since the Upper Paleolithic (now preserved at the Regional Museum A. Salinas in Palermo). For those on Mount Inici, several caves can be found, including the Hermit’s Cave or Horse’s Cave, where you can admire lakes, stalactites, and stalagmites. This cave was also inhabited during the Neolithic (artifacts are preserved at the Archaeological Museum, Castello di Castellammare), or the Cave of the Gorghi Neri, the Gola dell’Inferno, on the southwestern slope of the mountain.