# Grotta dello Smeraldo by Boat from Amalfi

What to do en Amalfi Coast · Amalfi Coast

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/things-to-do/grotta-dello-smeraldo · Revisado: 2026-11-12

- Desde: 25 € per adult, boat and entry
- Duración: 1 h 30
- Temporada: Departures 9:30 to 16:20
- Para quién: All ages

Sea cave at Conca dei Marini whose water glows green from light entering under the sea; boat from Amalfi and entry, €25 per adult.

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.

Lo organiza: Gruppo Battellieri Amalfi, desde 25 € per adult (€15 the boat + €10 cave entry) (https://gruppobattellieriamalfi.com/elenco-escursioni/)

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 40.617, 14.555

## Cerca de aquí

- [Sentiero degli Dei, from Bomerano to Nocelle](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/things-to-do/path-of-the-gods), a 1.9 km
- [Beata Solitudo](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/where-to-stay/beata-solitudo), a 2.2 km
- [Boat to Santa Croce Beach from Amalfi](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/things-to-do/boat-to-santa-croce-beach), a 2.2 km
- [Hotel Santa Caterina](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/where-to-stay/hotel-santa-caterina), a 4.0 km
- [Ristorante Glicine](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/where-to-eat/ristorante-glicine), a 4.0 km
- [Ristorante Marina Grande](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/where-to-eat/ristorante-marina-grande), a 4.3 km
- [From Amalfi to Positano by Boat, Instead of by Road](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/things-to-do/amalfi-to-positano-by-boat), a 4.4 km
- [Visit to a Family Lemon Grove in the Amalfi Valley](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast/things-to-do/amalfi-lemon-groves), a 4.5 km

## Consejos

### Go when it is sunny
The green depends on the light entering through the submerged fissure: under cloudy skies you see less.

### Bring cash
Boat and entry are paid separately; have some cash just in case.

### Look for the nativity scene
Ask the boatman to point it out: it is on the bottom and hard to find from the boat.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much is the Grotta dello Smeraldo?
From Amalfi, €25 per adult with boat and entry, and €15 per child, according to the Gruppo Battellieri Amalfi.

### Can you go without the boat?
Yes. From the coast road, the SS163, a lift goes down to the entrance of the grotto.

### How long does it last?
The visit inside the cave is brief. With the boat trip from Amalfi, allow an hour and a half.

Destino: [Amalfi Coast](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/campania/amalfi-coast.md)