La Grotta del Mortale

Off we went the other day for a walk in the woods in the Monti Prenestini. I love this time of year because the woods are full of scented flowers and wild cyclamens. After driving past Castel San Pietro, we turned down the road called Via Valle Pantana, a few kilometers down that road is the entrance to the hiking area. After a quick salute from a group of adorable donkeys, we followed a well-marked path for 2km which led up hill. Along the way, we passed an old fountain and then up, up, up all the way to the cave, which is actually a Roman cistern. It was a short but lovely hike. We even passed a truffle hunter who was training his puppy dog to hunt for truffles; they had actually found some brown truffles! For those looking for an easy hike, this is definitely a good option.