Cave of the Genovese

Cave of the Genovese | © Natale Castiglione

This famous cave – a cavern of karst formation that is located along the northwestern coast of the island – overlooks a cove that bears the same name, inserting itself in a picturesque landscape covered with Mediterranean scrub. The cave is one of the most important prehistoric sites of the Mediterranean, whose fascinating rock paintings of the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic graffiti were discovered by chance in 1949 by a Florentine painter named Francesca Minellono. The important testimonies of cave art in this cavern suggest how the cave space united both a daily dimension and a ritual aspect and for this reason it was a suitable place for figurative manifestations.

The visit takes place by boat (if weather conditions are favorable) or off-road and then on foot for 700 m from the end of the dirt road, along a steep but extraordinarily scenic descent.

For info and reservations: www.grottadelgenovese.it