イスキア・ディ・カストロ周辺のアトラクション＆必見スポット - トップ20

Is cut deeply into the underlying volcanic rock, excavated in ancient times and used as an alternative route to the Via Cava San Giuseppe, which connects the towns of Pitigliano and Sov.ana. Along the path, in addition to countless botanical species, you can also observe an underground columbarium. Inside, the many niches in the walls were used to keep pigeons for breeding purposes during the Renaissance At the top of the path, which winds through the vegetation, there is a shrine dedicated to SS. Annunziata. The structure is crowned by a simple profile lintel, in them you can still draw traces of overlapping religious images. From the artificial terrace to the left of the altar you can observe an ancient hermitage (16th century). In the seventeenth century the care of the Via Cava was organized by the Confraternity of SS. Sacramento Pitigliano, which in addition to keeping the Via Cava itself in charge, held religious ceremonies related to the equinox on March 25, the day dedicated to the Annunciation and the beginning of the liturgical cycle. The traditional celebration includes young people lighting small fires along the path and starting the procession to the church of S. Mary now to the church of S. Rocco in Pitigliano. In 1785, due to the "instability of the religious structure", the Confraternity abandoned the care of the Via Cava and the procession, but the ancient path remains today and is a popular route used by many tourists and trekking enthusiasts.

The Vie Cave, sometimes also called Cavoni, form a suggestive road system from the Etruscan era that connects various settlements and necropolises between Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano. They mainly develop between steep tuff rock walls, some of which exceed twenty meters in height. In Roman times, these streets became part of a road network connected to the main trunk of the Via Clodia, an ancient road that connected Rome to Saturnia, passing through the city of Tuscania and branching off from the Via Cassia in Lazio. The Via Cava di San Giuseppe is one of the most evocative in the area, as well as the longest, leading up to Pitigliano. This street is associated with the traditional torchlight procession of San Giuseppe, which is held on March 19th. The link between ancient pagan rites and the dark atmosphere along the route, which still persists today, dates back to Christian times, when small niches with painted sacred images, known as "devil chasers", were dug to protect travellers.

If you want to get a glimpse of the chocolate side of Pitigliano on foot, you have to walk through the Cava di Madona to the other side of the valley. The cava itself is a special experience. When wet, the stone is sometimes quite slippery. Appropriate footwear is then recommended.

Via Cava very suggestive

Short, steep but worth the hike

A little steep but very spectacular

Carved out of the tuff by the Etruscans. Very impressive

Beautiful descent back to the starting point.