UPDATE 22nd AUGUST 2018: THE CEILING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAVE HAS COLLAPSED, IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE CAVE!
The Grotta Cassone is on the road leading from Zafferana to Sapienza Refuge, in the "Piano del Vescovo" area. It was discovered during the street building in the 1964, it was generated more than 200 years ago, during the 1792 eruptions.
Leave the car in the starting point of the Acqua Rocca degli Zappini trail and walk upwards on the street for a few meters, until you find the entrance behind a guard-rail with no indication.
Some signs warns visitors about a collapsing area in the ceiling : we strongly recommend to use a helmet and a torch. Some sections of the ceiling shows some little concretions above the lavic rocks, but there are also many cracks in the stones and some big collapsed stones on the floor
We also find some nice, tiny bats , even hanging on some smooth areas of the ceiling . Please, DON'T USE FLASH to take picture, don't disturb bats or insects inside the cave
The cave is collapsing due to many reasons. The the roots of the plants from the external ground had been digging for years until they reached the cave, cracking the ceiling. the infiltration of water goes inside the magma layers , like old plaster in dump wall. In most of the cave there are big rifts , the cave destiny's is clear: as any other magma cave, it will collapse or will be covered by another magma flow. The cave is quite big, is possible to stand up almost in every place inside the cave, which suddenly ends at the old magma source .
Point of interest: Cassone Lava cave
Difficulty: easy
Difference in height: 0 m
Maximum height: 1500 m
Length: 200 meters inside the cave!
Duration of journey: 1 hour
Suggested season: all seasons
Technical equipment : Helmet and torch required