Grotte di Toirano (Toirano Caves)

The Grotte di Toirano are a spectacular karst cave complex in the limestone hills behind Toirano, in the hinterland of Savona province in western Liguria. Discovered and progressively opened over the 20th century, the show caves are famous on three counts: the richness of their dripstone formations, the long galleries of stalactites, stalagmites and shimmering crystal-lined chambers; the prehistoric cave-bear remains, with bones, claw marks and even a so-called bear cemetery in the Grotta della Basura; and the human footprints and traces left by Palaeolithic people some 12,000 years ago, among the most important such finds in Europe. Visitors explore on guided tours of around 70 minutes that lead through illuminated chambers along a made-up path, with the highlight the vast Antro di Cibele, hung with alabaster-white formations. The ticket also includes the Toirano Ethnographic Museum in the village. A visit takes around an hour and a half including the museum. The caves hold a constant cool temperature of around 16 degrees Celsius year-round, so a light jacket is needed even in summer, and shoes with grip help on the damp surfaces. Tours run daily except some closures, so checking the next departure on arrival is wise. The caves are popular with families and school groups and busiest on summer afternoons and rainy days; mid-morning is calmer. The dramatic formations of the Antro di Cibele are the photographic highlight. A premier prehistoric and geological site in inland Liguria, the caves make an excellent all-weather outing from the western Riviera coast.