海王星石窟，撒丁岛， 意大利 Neptune's Grotto, Sardinia, Italy (© Carlo Murenu/Getty Images)

海王星石窟，撒丁岛， 意大利 Neptune's Grotto, Sardinia, Italy (© Carlo Murenu/Getty Images)

一座适合神居住的石窟 A grotto fit for a god

海王星石窟，撒丁岛，意大利

沿着654级台阶俯瞰撒丁岛海面，令人惊叹的景象尽收眼底。海王星石窟是一座距海平面仅约3英尺的钟乳石洞穴。这座洞穴由当地渔民在18世纪首次发现，以罗马海神尼普顿命名。整个洞穴系统全长约4023米，游客可进入的区域仅约304.8米。洞内有迷宫般的小径，灯光照亮蜿蜒穿过钟乳石与石笋的路径，最终通向一个约119米长的咸水湖。

海王星石窟位于地中海第二大岛撒丁岛西北海岸的阿尔盖罗镇附近。撒丁岛的历史可追溯至1万年前，努拉吉是最重要的古代文明，努拉吉人在公元前1800年至公元2世纪期间生活于此。当时，村庄围绕着一种称为努拉吉塔的圆形塔楼要塞建造。如今，岛上保存着约7,000座努拉吉塔，已成为撒丁岛的象征。除了丰富的历史遗迹，撒丁岛还以其原始的海滩、崎岖的山脉和美味佳肴而闻名于世。

Neptune's Grotto, Sardinia, Italy

Down 654 steps, perched perilously over the sea in Sardinia, Italy, you'll find a surprise waiting for you. Neptune's Grotto is a stunning stalactite cave that sits just over 3 feet above sea level. First discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century, the grotto was named after the Roman god of the sea. The entire cave complex stretches on for around 2.5 miles, although visitors can only access about 1,000 feet of the total. Inside, there's a labyrinth of lit pathways winding past stalactite and stalagmite formations, leading to a 390-foot-long saltwater lake.

Neptune's Grotto is near the town of Alghero on the northwest coast of Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean. It has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years, but its most important ancient civilization, the Nuragic peoples, lived there from around 1800 BCE until the 2nd century CE. At this time, villages were built around nuraghes, a kind of round tower fortress. Today, there are still around 7,000 of these nuraghes across the island, and they have become a symbol of Sardinia. Beyond its history, Sardinia is known for its beaches, mountains, and cuisine.