Grotte di Castellana

Grotte di Castellana srl is the company that runs the visit to the caves of Castellana Grotte, about 1.5 km from the village and about 45 km from Bari. The caves were discovered on 23 January 1938, when the caver Franco Anelli went down the Grave, the great chasm by which you now enter. They can only be toured with a guide.

How the visit works

There are two routes. The partial one covers 1 km in about 50 minutes: it goes down into the Grave and continues through the first caverns. The full one covers 3 km in about 100 minutes and ends at the Grotta Bianca, the white cave of calcite crystals. Departures are in turns at fixed times, with guides who, according to the company, speak several languages; each day's turns are published on the calendar on its website. Inside it is about 16.5 °C all year.

Prices in 2026

At the ticket office, the full route costs €25 (€22 for ages 6 to 14) and the partial one, €22 (€19 for ages 6 to 14). Under-5s enter free with a document proving their age. The family ticket, online only, costs €61 for two adults and two children aged 6 to 14. Online you also pay a handling fee.

How to buy

Online you buy at the latest the day before: the same day it is no longer sold on the internet. At the ticket office, tickets for the day are sold until the turns are full, and you cannot buy there for another day. The ticket arrives by email and you go straight through the turnstiles; you must be at the indicated entrance a quarter of an hour early. Groups of more than 20 people book by email.

Rules

Pushchairs are not allowed on the route: at the ticket office they lend baby carriers for free. Small animals only enter in a carrier or in arms. Photos and videos are only taken at the stops, without professional equipment. The floor is slippery in some stretches: wear closed shoes with a gripping sole. The full route to the Grotta Bianca is not recommended for pregnant women or over-70s, and the visit is not advised for people with heart problems.