Starting from the cross dating from 1915 in the hamlet of Montarina in Cerro Veronese, heading downhill towards the hamlet of Busa below (whose name derives from the Venetian dialect term for 'hole' due to its location), a short distance into the woods and accessible via a path that winds through the dense vegetation, you will find one of the most intriguing karst caves in the area: the Còale del Mondo, or more precisely the Còale di Edmondo, from the name of its owner.
The cave is located in the Vajo della Carcarèta (a valley named after a lime kiln or 'calcara' found there). As you descend into the woods to the south, the landscape becomes increasingly evocative and wild. It is well worth a look, because the extraordinary green colour of the valley floor reflected in the air creates a backdrop not unlike a tropical landscape. Archaeological evidence attests that the Cerro region, like Lessinia, was densely populated in prehistoric times, especially in the period between the end of the Neolithic Age and the beginning of the Bronze Age. In terms of the type of settlement, the region's inhabitants established both open-air camps and rock shelters and caves such as the Còale del Mondo, which were used more frequently as a dwelling. A series of Upper Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic stone artefacts have been discovered right here: arrowheads, blades and scrapers.
The Còale del Mondo is part of Trail no. 8, the Sentiero delle Sorgenti (Spring Trail) – Cerro Veronese.
