About a 40 minute drive from the apartment in Ponte a Serraglio is the Grotto del Vento. Cave of the wind.  Just like most of the roads we travelled in this area it is a very picturesque drive. Although the last 12 km to the cave are not necessarily for the faint-hearted. The road up to the Grotto is narrow and winding and hair raising to say the least.  Some parts of the road are only wide enough for 1 car.  Just be sure to honk your horn before going around the narrow bends to avoid a catastrophe. I actually found it very thrilling and a fun adventure.  The drive up does take time, but it is definitely doable.  Just take it easy and enjoy the ride and the views.

We were blown away by both the wind in one small section of the caves and by the incredible sights within. There are three different tours at least so you can pick one to suit. We chose the 1 hour tour which cost about €9  and it was perfect…the right amount of time for our interest level and there were stairs but they weren’t overly challenging.  The tour guides spoke perfect English and were really excellent and very informative; the various sites were stunningly illuminated and quite awesome.

Although the main commentary is given in Italian there are headphones which are supplied in several different languages. Of course I had an English speaking set.

Wear good shoes with rugged soles and also bring a sweater or jacket as you may find it chilly.   Also, you are not allowed to bring any bags or backpacks inside the cave. They have a wooden shed structure at the entrance of the cave that you can store your belongings in and the guide will lock with a key. Be prepared to be amazed at the beautiful stalagmites and “curtains” inside the cave and have a wonderful time!   Oh…and the wind inside is breathtaking…hence the name “Grotto del vento” which means cave of the wind!

There is an excellent shop for gifts and a café which appeared to be reasonably prices but we did not eat here.

The Grotto del Vento is about an hour and a quarter drive from Lucca.