Andrano, Apulia, Italy

Grotta Verde

Grotta Verde at Marina di Andrano is one of several limestone sea caves carved into the cliffs of the Salento Adriatic coast in Apulia. The cave entrance opens at the surface beneath dramatic karst cliffs and continues underwater into a chamber where sunlight, filtered through a submerged side opening, gives the water its characteristic green glow that names the cave. The seabed at the cave entrance lies around 12 metres on a sandy and rocky base, with the outer reef continuing to about 18 metres. The walls inside and around the cave host encrusting orange Astroides calycularis, yellow Parazoanthus axinellae and red and yellow sponges; small Eunicella cavolini fans appear on the outer rock. Resident species include slipper lobsters, shrimp, scorpionfish, octopus, moray eels and conger eels, with damselfish swarms and salema schools at the entrance. The shallow profile and weak currents make the site suitable for beginners and freedivers, with visibility typically 10–18 metres in summer.