Overview

Italy’s most renowned chalk caves

A few kilometres from Rimini sits a picturesque village perched atop the hills of the Conca Valley: Onferno, made all the more unique by the karst complex of the Caves of Onferno, a stone’s throw from the town centre.

Here, within the Onferno Nature Reserve, you can explore one of the most renowned chalk caves in Italy, home to the largest colony of bats in the Emilia-Romagna region. You can admire over 6,000 bats belonging to eight different species, alongside a unique spectacle of crystalline chalk formations protruding from the ceiling and large chambers that you can explore equipped with torch and helmet.

You can only visit the caves on a guided tour, which lasts about 90 minutes. Visitors should wear comfortable clothing, walking shoes and, regardless of the time of the visit, a waterproof jacket, since the temperature inside is 12 degrees Celsius. For the Christmas holidays, a small nativity scene is set up in the caves, making them even more atmospheric.

To complete the experience, be sure to visit the Castle of Onferno, which looks out over the town from above, and the nature museum.