Grotta dello Smeraldo by Boat from Amalfi

What it is

The Grotta dello Smeraldo is a partly flooded sea cave in the municipality of Conca dei Marini, a few kilometres west of Amalfi. It was discovered in 1932 by a local fisherman, Luigi Buonocore. It measures about 45 by 32 metres and is 24 metres high. Its name comes from the colour of the water: sunlight does not come in through the mouth, but through a submerged fissure that connects it to the open sea, and as it filters in from below it tints the water emerald green.

Inside there are stalactites and stalagmites that in places join into columns more than ten metres tall. They formed when the cave was dry; later, the slow sinking of the ground, known as bradyseism, partly submerged it, and today some columns rise straight out of the water. At the far end there is a nativity scene of ceramic figures placed in 1956: every Christmas a group of divers goes down to leave flowers for it.

What the visit is like

Inside, you travel by rowing boat. A boatman takes you round the cave, tells you its history and shows you the effects of the light and where the submerged nativity scene is. The visit inside the grotto is short; with the boat trip from Amalfi, the whole outing lasts around an hour and a half.

Getting there

By boat from Amalfi. This is the most comfortable option if you are staying in Amalfi or arrive on the scheduled boat. The Gruppo Battellieri Amalfi boats leave the harbour between 9:30 and 16:20. On the way you see the coast between Amalfi and Conca dei Marini from the water.

By road. The grotto can be reached from the coast road, the SS163 Amalfitana, where a lift goes down to the entrance. It is useful if you are travelling by car or on the coast bus, although parking on that road is difficult in summer.

Prices

According to the Gruppo Battellieri Amalfi's list of excursions:

• Boat from Amalfi: €15 adults and €10 children.
• Entry to the grotto: €10 adults and €5 children.

In total, €25 per adult and €15 per child, with boat and entry. If you come by road, you pay only the entry.

When to go

The grotto is visited in good sea conditions: in a swell the boats may not sail and the visit is suspended. The colour is best seen in sunshine, in the middle hours of the day, when most light comes in through the fissure. In July and August there are more people and you may have to wait your turn at the entrance; early or in mid-afternoon there is usually less of a wait.

With children

It works very well with children: it is short, you do it seated in a boat and the play of light and the underwater nativity scene catch their attention. Children pay a reduced fare for the boat and the entry. It is cooler inside the cave than outside: bring a T-shirt.

Accessibility

You have to get in and out of a rowing boat, which can be difficult if you have mobility problems. If that is your case, ask at the harbour before buying.

Combine it with

It is easy to combine with half a day at the beach: the boat to Santa Croce goes along the same coast. In the afternoon you can go up the valley with the lemon grove visit or take the boat to Positano.