Mount Circeo, Limestone summit in Province of Latina, Italy.
Mount Circeo is a limestone peak rising 541 meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea, forming an isolated promontory along the southwestern coast of Italy. Rocky slopes lead upward, dotted with numerous caves that open into the mountainside.
The Guattari Cave area contains remains of nine Neanderthals thousands of years old, discovered during excavations in 2021. These finds show that caves here were inhabited since prehistoric times.
The mountain connects to Greek mythology as the legendary home of Circe, the sorceress from Homer's Odyssey, linking the landscape to ancient stories. Visitors can feel this connection to mythological times as they walk across the slopes overlooking the sea.
The walk to the summit takes about five hours and is physically demanding due to rocky and steep terrain. Good footwear and plenty of water are essential, as the sun is strong on the exposed slopes.
The caves preserve traces of Stone Age settlements, making the site important for studying prehistoric human life. Archaeologists continue finding evidence of human activity from very ancient times.
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