From the Alps to the pink beach of Sardinia, Italy is full of natural wonders. But when traveling outside of Bari, I was introduced to one in Puglia that I had never heard of: the grotte di Castellana. The cave system can be found near the town of Castellana and it is absolutely mesmerizing.

The grotte were officially discovered in 1938 though it is likely that local residents suspected that something existed down there. However, it is incredible to think that before then people must have been casually passing over the area, never really knowing what was below their feet.