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DINNER & DETOUR
A 250,000 year old grotto, vineyards, and a Michelin starred dinner
See a cave with prehistoric hearths dating back around 250,000 years, then continue through the vineyards to a Michelin starred table.
Near Mossano, in Vicenza province, prehistoric hearths survive inside the limestone of the Berici Hills. A few kilometres away, one of Veneto’s Michelin starred restaurants serves a very different idea of fire and food.
Thilo Parg, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Know before you go
Why is the Grotta di San Bernardino important? It preserves evidence of very early human occupation in the Berici Hills, including hearths dated to around 250,000 years ago. Were the hearths Neanderthal? The cave was used by pre Neanderthal and Neanderthal groups over a very long period. Local archaeological sources associate the approximately 250,000 year old hearths with early Neanderthal occupation. Can you visit the cave? Yes, on selected guided dates. Group visits can be arranged through Pro Loco Mossano. Where can I eat nearby? Aqua Crua in Barbarano Mossano is a Michelin starred restaurant listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide. How far is this from Vicenza? Mossano lies south of Vicenza in the Colli Berici, in the municipality of Barbarano Mossano.
About
Above Mossano, in the southern Colli Berici of Vicenza province, the Grotta di San Bernardino preserves traces of human occupation dating back roughly 200,000 to 250,000 years.Excavations uncovered several hearths containing layers of ash, dated to around 250,000 years ago. These finds belong to the long prehistoric use of the cave by early humans and Neanderthals, ranking among the oldest known hearths discovered in Europe. The cave later served as a medieval hermitage, a wartime refuge, and, during the conflicts of the early sixteenth century, a shelter for the local population. Today, it remains a primary prehistoric site within the Veneto region. WHY GO ↓THE MICHELIN REWARD↓VISIT THE CAVE ↓The valley presents an unusual culinary timeline. The hearths contained ash and traces of repeated burning, offering direct evidence of how early inhabitants used fire for warmth, protection and food preparation. Within the same small geographic territory, you can examine hearths lit a quarter of a million years ago, walk through vineyards rooted in ancient marine limestone, and dine at a Michelin-starred table in Vicenza province.For the cave itself, guided visits are organized on specific dates by the Pro Loco Mossano. Private group visits can also be arranged directly through the association.
THE MICHELIN REWARD↓
A few kilometers away, in Barbarano Mossano, that relationship with heat and ingredients continues in a contemporary setting.Ristorante Aqua Crua
Piazza Calcalusso 11/a
36048 Barbarano Mossano, Vicenza
Tel. +39 0444 776096
Cell. +39 388 3908060
Email: info@aquacrua.itAqua Crua holds a spot among the Michelin-starred establishments in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide for Veneto. Chef Giuliano Baldessari’s menus center on highly creative, research-driven cooking. The restaurant structures the dining experience as a progression through three distinct, surprise tasting menus.
VISIT THE CAVE ↓
Grotta di San Bernardino
Via Colli Berici
Mossano, Barbarano Mossano, VicenzaPro Loco Mossano
Via Carmignago
36048 Barbarano Mossano, Vicenza
Tel. +39 347 2914152
Email: prolocomossano@gmail.comThe schedule for guided visits updates annually; confirm the current calendar dates before traveling to the site.