Ammonites, dinosaur footprints and cave bears are just some of the traces of bygone eras in the Camposilvano Museum of Geopalaeontology, located just three kilometres north of the town of Velo Veronese in the province of Verona. The museum, together with the neighbouring Covolo (cave), is one of the most significant places for the history of the area. In the heart of Lessinia, visitors can embark on a journey in the footsteps of bygone eras, exploring rocks and caves and discovering ammonites, dinosaur footprints and cave bears. The perfect place to see the geological evolution of the area up close and to admire unique pieces of this landscape.
The Camposilvano Museum and Covolo (cave) represent the legacy left behind for future generations by Attilio Benetti, the founder of the museum, who was able to combine his innate curiosity with great passion thanks to the paleontological material discovered here over the years (some ammonites and fossils even bear his name).
Inside the museum, you can admire fossils from Lessinia and beyond! The well-structured exhibition offers an in-depth look at the evolution of life in the various geological eras, starting with a vast collection of ammonites. These fossils are the spiral shells of a group of molluscs that populated the sea around the world, evolving in different shapes and sizes from 400 million years ago until their extinction at around the same time as the dinosaurs (65 million years ago). But there's more on offer! As well as ammonites, many other types of fossilised animals and plants have been preserved and are on display at the museum, such as the remains of marine saurians (don't forget that at the time when the dinosaurs inhabited the earth, the rocks of Lessinia were at the bottom of a tropical sea), dinosaur footprints, and the complete skeleton of a cave bear (Ursus spelaeus), which is over three metres tall upright.
How to get there: getting to the museum is simple. Once you reach Camposilvano, along the main road that leads from Velo Veronese to San Giorgio, watch out for the signs in front of the 'Don Calabria' holiday home. A secondary road, Via Covolo, leads directly to the museum, which is accessible by car and has parking spaces in front of it, just before a campsite and the hamlet of Cunek.
From the museum, you can access the neighbouring cave directly or take a pleasant stroll in the nearby Valle delle Sfingi (Valley of the Sphinxes). In addition, several paths depart from the museum for walks in the surrounding area, taking in hamlets, farmsteads and shelters.
July and August: open every day except Monday.
Morning: 9.30am – 12.30pm Afternoon: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Groups, including school groups, can book guided tours during the week and during periods when the museum is closed (with advance notice). The price depends on the number of people, the itinerary, etc.
Visitors must wear a mask and gloves to enter the museum.
Full price: €4.00
Concessions: €3.00 (for groups of at least 10, children aged 6 to 15 and people over 70)
People with disabilities: free The price includes admission to the Museum of Geopalaeontology and the Covolo (cave) and applies to self-guided tours.
Groups, including school groups, can book guided tours during the week and during periods when the museum is closed (with advance notice). The price depends on the number of people, the itinerary, etc.
