Abisso Città di Udine

Abisso Città di Udine is one of the deepest caves of the Canin massif, located in the municipality of Chiusaforte (Italy, Julian Alps). It's a speleological site rather than a conventional tourist attraction — the inside is accessible only to trained cavers with technical vertical-caving gear. For a regular visitor, the appeal lies in the surrounding high-mountain plateau and the approach hike, not in going underground.

Where exactly is it?

The cave entrance sits on the Canin plateau, on the massif's northern slopes, near Col Lopic. Canin straddles the border between the province of Udine (the municipalities of Resiutta, Chiusaforte and Resia) and Slovenia, and the plateau is known for some of the deepest karst caves in Europe — several nearby systems exceed a thousand metres in depth.

How do you get there?

The starting point is Sella Nevea. From there you can either walk the trail via Pian delle Loppe, or take the chairlift toward Rifugio Gilberti and continue on foot to Col Lopic — the whole approach takes under two hours. This is a route for people prepared for high-mountain hiking, with proper footwear and comfort moving across karst terrain riddled with fissures and shafts.

What's notable about the cave itself?

Abisso Città di Udine follows a fault running ENE-WSW (a subvertical fault at a bearing of 236°, with roughly ten metres of displacement). The upper section consists of large vertical shafts that narrow into tight meanders further down. The first exploration campaign, involving F. Savoia and S. Modonutti, reached a depth of -525 metres in 1982. A later campaign in 1991 pushed through to the currently known bottom at -625 metres.

When should you visit?

The Canin plateau sits at high altitude and holds snow for much of the year, so winter exploration is discouraged. The terrain is generally free of snow and ice from August to October — the best window to head up toward Col Lopic, whether you're a caver or simply a hiker wanting to see the plateau and the views across the Julian Alps toward the Slovenian border.

Who is this for?

Two groups get the most out of this destination: experienced cavers, for whom Abisso Città di Udine is one of the region's classic deep systems, and mountain hikers who want to experience Canin's karst landscape without going underground. The cave itself stays off-limits to anyone without technical caving training and rope-climbing equipment.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit Abisso Città di Udine without caving experience? No. It's a technical vertical cave, accessible only to trained cavers equipped for rope climbing underground. Anyone without that training and gear should not attempt to enter.

How do I reach the area around the cave? Start at Sella Nevea, then either walk the Pian delle Loppe trail or take the chairlift toward Rifugio Gilberti and continue on foot to Col Lopic — the full approach takes less than two hours.

How deep is the cave? The first exploration in 1982 reached -525 metres. A follow-up campaign in 1991 found a continuation and reached the currently known bottom at -625 metres.

When is the best time to visit this area? Between August and October, when the Canin plateau is usually free of snow and ice. Winter exploration is discouraged due to high-mountain conditions.