Get ready for a journey in the historic underworld of Umbria’s Monte Cucco Caves! This experience is bound to add layers of fun adventure to your trip while discovering one of Europe’s most important caves in the heart of the mountains.
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What are the Caves of Monte Cucco?
The Caves of Monte Cucco is an underground complex of tunnels located on the eastern border of Umbria, close to the neighbouring region of le Marche.
The caves were formed over the course of millions of years by water. They are quite impressive in size, in fact, the complex exceeds 30km in length and goes deep down in the mountain for almost 1km.
As for most cave complexes, only a section of it can be visited with a regular organized tour, while other parts are only open for speleological tours. Word of the day! Speleological refers to the scientific study and exploration of caves.
The part that can be visited with a regular tour is about 800m long, but it feels like much more while you are inside. What’s interesting about this part is that the entrance and the exit are located on opposite sides of the mountain, so you don’t have to backtrack.
These eight hundred meters are a winding journey into the nooks and crevices of Monte Cucco. Along the trail you will marvel at the natural mineral and rock formations that look like giant icicles (known as stalactites and stalagmites), tunnels, labyrinths, and hidden passageways, that lead you through this underground world.
The Caves of Monte Cucco can only be visited with a group tour and there are gates with locks at each entrance to prevent hikers from getting lost.
There are 3 hike options at the caves of Monte Cucco:
– Monte Cucco Hike Details – “PERCORSO TRAVERSATA”
The best way to explore the Caves of Monte Cucco is by joining the “Percorso Traversata“, which we will describe in this chapter.
The hike is adventurous but not particularly difficult nor technical. The worst and most challenging part of the hike is a small series of tunnels at the end of the cave. This section of the tunnel gets very narrow going upwards for a few meters, which may make it a bit challenging for some to squeeze through. People are asked to take off their backpacks and hold them while climbing the steel ladder since they wouldn’t fit otherwise. Yes, it is THAT narrow!
The rest of the hike is quite easy. It takes about 4-5 hours to complete the loop trail on the Monte Cucco and into its caves.
🥾 MONTE CUCCO CAVES – PERCORSO TRAVERSATA HIKE DETAILS:
Difficulty: easy-moderate
Length: 4.5km in a loop
Duration: 4-5h
Elevation difference: +250m/-250m
– Monte Cucco Hike Details – “PERCORSO SCOPERTA”
“Percorso Scoperta” is an easier version of the same hike described above. Instead of doing it as a loop, however, you will only explore part of the cave before heading back to the same entrance. This way you will avoid the last, narrowest part of the trail.
🥾 MONTE CUCCO CAVES – PERCORSO SCOPERTA HIKE DETAILS:
Difficulty: easy-moderate
Length: 4.5km backtracking
Duration: 3h
Elevation difference: +180m/-180m
– Monte Cucco Hike Details – “PERCORSO AVVENTURA”
The “Percorso Avventura” trails involve some speleological knowledge and you shouldn’t mind getting dirty. You definitely need to be up for a new experience as you get to explore a different area of the Monte Cucco caves with speleological equipment.
While it may sound quite complicated, this type of tour is also suitable for beginners as the guides will teach you everything you need to know.
How to get to the Monte Cucco Caves?
The hike to the caves of Monte Cucco starts at the Mountain Guides hut, located up the mountain in a place referred to as “Località Pian di Monte” (see the exact location below). The same starting point is referred to as “Grotta di Monte Cucco” on Google Maps.
The only way to get up is by car, as there is no public service in the area. You need to reach the town of Sigillo, and follow directions to the mountain.
Reaching the Caves of Monte Cucco from Perugia
Sigillo, the town at the foot of Mount Cucco is located about 45 min or 50km east of Perugia. From here, you need to drive an additional 15 min or 10km up the mountain before reaching the starting point.
You can also reach Sigillo from Perugia by bus, by taking bus n°E001 to Gubbio and then bus n°E022 to Sigillo.
Entrance fee and opening times
The caves of Monte Cucco are open every weekend from Spring to Autumn. The guides are working to make the cave accessible all year round, but the demand isn’t there yet as the Caves of Monte Cucco are still relatively unknown in Italy, even among locals.
- PERCORSO TRAVERSATA: This version of the hike is possible every Saturday, Sunday and on National Holidays. The hike begins at 9:30 am, and reservations are mandatory. You can book the hike by sending an email at info@grottamontecucco.umbria.it. The entrance ticket costs €20 EUR ($20.40 USD)/ per person, and includes access to the caves, a local guide, a helmet, and a headlight. It is a group tour so you will be with other people.
- PERCORSO SCOPERTA: Similarly to the previous option, the Percorso Scoperta is available on weekends and festive days. The hike however starts at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, and it costs €14 EUR ($14.30 USD)/ per person. Booking in advance is also required for this option.
- PERCORSO AVVENTURA: The more adventurous version of the tour is only available upon reservation and it costs €50 EUR ($51 USD)/per person. There is no schedule as each tour is different, so make sure to plan it by email before going.
Our experience at the caves
We went for the slightly more challenging Percorso Traversata option, so we got to see the entire cave.
The hike is divided into 3 main parts: the hike to the east entrance, the caves, and the hike back to the starting point.
After making our reservation, we met up with the guides at the mountain guide hut about 15 min prior to the start of the hike. Here we paid for our tickets and we waited for the guides to give us a short briefing.
The group was made of about 20 people and we had 2 guides with us. Each guide can take a maximum of 15 guests. Everyone but us in the group was Italian so we really felt merged into the local culture.
HIKE TO THE EAST ENTRANCE
The first part of the trail is the one you can spot in the photo above. It goes in the up-right direction of the mountain, making its way into the forest.
After some 20 minutes, we reached another hut, where the guides store helmets and headlights. At this point, each of us was given a helmet and a headlight. We were given headlights since the caves are only partially lit. Works to upgrade the lighting system were recently finished, but unfortunately, they were still not running.
From the hut, the trail continues through the forest towards the side of the mountain. The view is great when you reach the clearing!
This first section of the hike is about 1800m long with a positive 180m elevation gain, and it doesn’t take much to complete. Along the way, the guides stopped a few times to explain to us the morphology of the area, the rocks, and the different mountains we could see in the distance.
Once we reached the East Entrance, we got ourselves ready to explore inside the cave! The guide opened up the gate which secures the entrance, and we proceeded to wear our jackets.
THE CAVE
We finally got into the actual cave! The entrance is made of a steel ladder that’s very steep, it felt like we were going down a ladder of 180 degrees in the heart of the mountain.
This first staircase is relatively wide and easy to descend. Also, the light from the outside illuminates it for the most part. However, if you suffer from vertigo or heights scare you, this will be the most challenging part of the trail.
This access is called “Pozzo Milani” and is 27m deep!
Once we reached the bottom, our eyes saw a whole different secret world. The water shaped the rocks in the most marvellous way, and everywhere we looked we discovered a new shape, tone and colour of rocks and minerals.
The temperature was also very pleasant. While 6°C may seem cold, if dressed properly the caves are actually a great place to spend a few hours during the hottest summer months.
While walking and making your way through the cave you will encounter several main rooms (called “Sala” in Italian) in a sequence. They are the Cattedrale, the Sala Margherita, the Sala del Becco, the Sala delle Fontane, the Passaggio Segreto, and lastly the Sala Terminale.
The floor is wet and slippery in some parts, while others are more exposed and there is a risk of falling off the trail. Luckily, a wire fence is present where needed, so make sure to grab onto it if you feel unstable.
Unlike in the neighbouring – and more popular – Frasassi Caves, there isn’t a load of stalactites and stalagmites along the way. Some however are present on the sides of the caves and they are stunning!
It’s always impressive how nature is able to create such intriguing shapes and figures.
The last part of the cave is where the tunnels become narrower and narrower, with some passages right in between the rocks.
The headlight comes in handy in those places, so make sure it’s fully charged.
Lastly, the final step ladder leads you upward to the north exit of the cave. This is the narrowest spot in the whole cave.
This last tunnel is only 8m long, but it felt endless because of how narrow it is. Once you reach the top, you’ll finally be out of the Monte Cucco Caves.
THE WAY BACK
Once outside, we took our time to change again and have a short break. The view from up here is so green.
At 1.566m above sea level, Monte Cucco is the tallest mountain in the area, so it’s fun to watch everything from above. The north gate sits at about 1.450m above sea level.
From here, we had to walk about an hour with a negative elevation gain of 250m before reaching the starting point again.
The last point of interest along the way was a metal cross that dominates the area, overviewing the Chiascio Valley and its small towns.
Best time to visit
There is no such thing as the best time to visit the Monte Cucco Caves since they are only open from Spring to Fall and the conditions in the cave are stable all year round.
Also, the time of the visit is fixed so once again there aren’t many options to choose from.
The only variable is the weather, for instance, the hike could be cancelled if the weather is bad. For this reason, we highly suggest keeping an eye on the weather forecasts before making your reservation.
Where to stay near the Monte Cucco Caves
Monte Cucco is a quiet, hilly area dotted with local agritourism and traditional homestays. Find out which are the best accommodations:
ON A BUDGET: “Tra Montana”, the guides’ association that also manages the visits to the Caves has two “hostels” in the nearby towns. Ostello del Parco is located in the heart of the beautiful town of Costacciaro, at the foot of Mt. Cucco. A double room here costs only €40 EUR ($41 USD)/night and sleeps two people.
The other hostel is called La Casa del Borgo, which was a former monastery. It’s been renovated to accommodate groups who like to share a stay in dormitories and large common rooms. Read more about it here.
MID-RANGE: A great option on the hills just outside Costacciaro is Borgo Umbro, a recently renovated old complex. A double room here goes for €84 EUR ($85.50 USD)/night, and the place features a great restaurant with local products and a pool.
Another great option in the mid-range level is Villa Costanzi, a clean and modern apartment in a rural building. A night here costs €76 EUR ($76 USD)/night and sleeps 2 people.
FOR GROUPS: If you’re travelling with friends check out Panoramic Apartment Sigillo, a 2-bedroom 1-living room unit with a beautiful view that can sleep up to 6 people. The price for 6 people is €135 EUR ($137 USD)/night, which comes to €22 EUR ($22.40USD)/per person.
LUXURY: Looking for something unique? Don’t miss Gino’s House. This accommodation is located in Gubbio and it is quite pricey (€153/night for 2 people), but check it out before discarding the option.
Places to eat near the Monte Cucco Caves
The best and nearest place to eat something after a hike on Monte Cucco is the restaurant “Il Nibbio“. This place is situated on top of Mount Cucco, within walking distance from the starting point of the hike. The food is great, and the view is even better! Booking in advance may be required on weekends, especially during high season.
Another solid option not far from the starting point is “Da Tobia“, which perhaps also has rooms. The food is tasty and is good value for the money.
On the other side of the mountain, you will find “Rifugio Mainardi“, a place with the best meat in the area, great homemade pasta and fair prices. This is a mountain hut located in Pian delle Macinare, a spot chosen by many to relax, camp, have some bbq and enjoy some fresh air.
If all you want is something quick and cheap, then stop at “La Locanda“, the local budget-friendly restaurant in the town of Costacciaro.
What to bring
The hike to the caves only lasts a few hours, so there aren’t many things you should worry about. However, make sure to bring the following items so you don’t get caught unprepared.
WATER & SNACKS: Bring your own food and water as there are no water sources or food stalls along the way. Do this especially if you go for the longer version of the hike.
EXTRA T-SHIRT: You don’t want to get into the cave with a sweaty t-shirt. The temperature inside the cave is 6°C year round so pack accordingly.
HIKING GLOVES: Gloves aren’t strictly necessary (we didn’t have them), but they are quite useful especially when you need to grab onto the wire fence. The wire is so thin and wet, which may hurt your hand after some time.
A SMALL BACKPACK: You don’t want to carry something bulky inside the narrow caves.
A RAINCOAT: Bring a raincoat + something warm so you don’t freeze inside the caves. The raincoat helps keep the water drops away from your skin.
Our tips for the Monte Cucco Caves
- Excursions are available to children from 8yo. All minors must be accompanied by adults.
- The hike can be cancelled in case of rain or bad weather since it is not safe to be in the cave under such conditions.
- Each guest is provided with a helmet.
- Do not bring a cumbersome backpack, or you won’t fit in the cave.
- The internal temperature of the cave is 6°C (42.8°F), so it is important to dress in layers, especially during warmer months.
- Internal humidity is circa 90% every season, so dress accordingly.
- Long trousers and proper waterproof trekking shoes/hiking boots are highly recommended.
- Tours are available in English and Italian.
Did you enjoy the Monte Cucco caves? Then it’s time to plan your trip to Umbria! Do so with our Umbria Travel Guide.