» Alassio | » Toirano grottas | » Genova Acquarium


TOIRANO GROTTAS
Coming back up into the Val Tanarella, not far from Toirano, there are the buttresses of solid grey limestone dolomites, carved into a series of valleys, into which more than 50 natural caves have been opened, today still an object of international study.

The cave complex of Toirano, open to the public since 1953, after the restoration works, is overseen by the municipality and today constitutes one of the major attractions that the entire Ponente Ligurian Riviera offers to Italian tourism, with visitors numbering more than 150,000 per year.

How to get there
Not far after the houses, there is a signpost on the right which leads to the large parking lot facing the Grottos. In the arrival area, there is a welcoming Prehistoric Museum of the Val Varatella. A short walk up leads to the entrance of the Bàsura, where you will find the ticket office. At the exit there is a short descent leading back to the Santa Lucia parking lot. The inside electrical lighting is limited, but the continued use has led to the growth of moulds. This problem, tied to the excessive flux of visitors, brings, as with other tourist caves, a hypogeal/climactic and biological imbalance which should be protected by maximum regulation of visiting hours and number of tourists.

While visiting the Grottos, we recommend a visit to the medieval town of Toirano and the Museum of Local History, Culture and Tradition of Val Varatella, rich in mostly original tools and detailed reconstructions of the various phases of the production of oil typical of the valley. The Museum is open all year, Mondays excluded.