The Grottos at Equi Termi

Equi Termi is a small village in the Lunigiana Region of Tuscany. Known for its caves, prized in prehistoric times for cave fauna and good water, it's an interesting visit for those wanting to know more about the Apuan Alps and how their famous marble deposits were formed. Equi Termi is also a spa town, for those who want a spa cure for their ills.

Our story starts around 10-20 million years ago, when pressure from tectonic plates forces the sea floor to buckle in northern Italy, and the Apuan Alps begin to form. The enormous, slow pressure on the limestone compresses it into the famous marble this part of Italy is known for. Since Equi Terme is in a very wet area, lakes and underground streams start carving caverns into the soft limestone, and eventually the fascinating cave system provides fodder for human exploration.

The first people arrive in search of water and good hunting grounds. They look for fissures, entrances into Mother earth, which they find in abundance here. One other thing they'll find: Ursus spelaeus, the cave bear. They'll hunt it, along with wolves, red deer and other animals. Later, shepherds will use the area.

You can visit the Grottos of Equi Terme for the "Brief" tour--a half hour short tour that will give you a good history of what happened in the caves--for 5 Euros. For 8.50 Euros you can go deeper into the mysteries of the caves, literally, as the tour takes you into the lower and wetter areas of the mountain. Your visit includes the little museum, ask for an English translation.

Tour guides, however, will give you a passable explanation of the caves in English. While there has been a fascinating history of human occupation here, the archaeology hasn't returned the information scientists wish for--the area has been too jumbled by water and earthquakes to know for certain the exact provenience of found artifacts, so cultural sequences are difficult to determine. One thing is for sure: Neanderthals lived and hunted here, giving way to Homo Sapiens later. Still, you'll come away with a much better understanding of the landscape of northern Tuscany.

When you enter the cave, you're shown a rack of hard-hats. Your guide will point out the hats, then tell you you have a choice to wear a hat or use prudence with your head. You'll end up using a lot of prudence, as the passageways are very low for much of the tour.

The Parco delle Grotte is open at 10:30 most mornings in July and August. See the Comune web site for more prices and schedules, or to book.

Equi Terme's Grottos - The Bottom Line A trip to Equi Terme is interesting, but the short grotto tours aren't compelling enough to make me recommend Equi Terme as a day trip from destinations further out than, say, Pisa. If you're in the Lunigiana though, by all means check out Equi Terme. Restaurant food and spa visits will cost much less than you'd pay in the rest of Tuscany.

There is a spa, which you can enjoy on a day visit or on an overnight stay at the Hotel delle Terme, a three star hotel and spa (tel: 0585.97830 fax: 0585.97831). The two restaurants on the main road are both good. Ristorante/Albergo la Posta serves good, homemade pasta. At Ristorante da Felice (also a locanda offering 5 rooms for rent) skip the pasta and order the antipasto, plate upon plate of local favorites. (Tel. 0585.97916). One of our favorite Lunigiana restaurants, da Remo, is close by in Monzone, on the main road through town. Many hiking and trekking trails start from Equi Terme, including a marked trekking trail to the hermitage of Saint George.

People also bathe and wallow in the (evidently) healing mud of the river, right in the heart of town. There are activities at Christmas in Equi Terme as well, including living nativity scenes, presepi viventi, at night. See more Living Nativity Scenes in Italy.