Grotta del Bue Marino

Location

Cala Gonone
Italy
40° 14' 48.6204" N, 9° 37' 23.0844" E
IT
General info: 

The Bue Marino Grottos are considered some of the most beautiful grottos in all of Italy, with kilometers of galleries, rivers and subterranean lakes, stalactites and stalagmites, fossils and Neolithic graffiti.
The caves are among the biggest in Sardinia with total length of about 5km. On a guided tour only about 900m meters is visited however. The visitors follow the way the sea penetrates into the mountain creating a salt lake of more than 1squarekilometer of surface. The place is very rich of stalactites and stalagmites. Only underwater speleologists may go further from here.
The name of the cave comes from the presence of Monaca seal, the extremely rare Mediterranean seal (that local people call private://sea oxprivate://, Bue Marino), which till to the '80ies came to grow its puppies in this cave.

Getting there: 

In the harbour of Cala Gonone, there are several companies offering boat trips to the destinations along the coastline, including Grotta del Bue Marino (Bue Marine Cave).

Costs: 

There are many companies but here one price example: Bue Marino: round-trip from Cala Gonone €17, ages 6-12 €10. Bue Marino and Cala Luna: €24, ages 6-12 €16. Ferry fees include guided tour.

Interesting places nearby

With less than 600 year round residents, the resort of Isola 2000 is nestled at the gateway to the Mercantour National Park; only 4km from the Franco-Italian boarder (not open through the winter).

This mountain village is a winter holiday resort too. The beautiful skiing area is open to skiers of all categories and ages. There is an illuminated cross-country skiing trail and many popular stops for ski tour enthusiasts.

Because of it’s altitude (2700 m) and sunny exposition the ski area Kappl is not only popular with skiers and snowboarders but also with freeriders who get their money’s worth in Kapp on the nearly endless, unspoiled slopesl.

Well-prepared slopes for all skiers. Exciting runs (at your own risk!) in wonderful powder snow in the middle of a breath-taking mountain world. Fun and rail park with straight jumps and slope style for snowboarders and freestylers.

The Gstaad ski resorts are situated in the heart of the ski region Gstaad Mountain Rides in the Bernese Oberland at the east side of Lake Geneve The glacier private://Glacier 3000private:// can be accessed either by helicopter or skyride

Just above the mundane Gstaad (about 4 km away), the top ski Gstaad region is the peaceful ski holiday resort Saanen. Saanen like Gstaad is not the cheapest choice for a skiing holiday, but the accommodations are a lot less expensive.