Grutas de Santo-António

A new Visitors' Centre has been built at the cave entrance and contains all the usual visitor facilities including, restaurant, snack bar gift shop etc.

After leaving the Visitors Centre an artificial tunnel leads into the cave. The first point of interest is the "Lake of Happiness", a small pool of water. The passage turns sharply to the left into a small chamber with a large stalagmite. This in turn leads to a vast chamber with an area of about 6000 square metres, with a length of 80m, a width of 50 m and a height of 43 m, it is truly an amazing sight. A circular tour around the edge of the chamber takes in a number of tourist attractions. First a large stalagmite comes into view, this is named after "Our Lady of Fatima". Next is a column about 2.5 m high and 5 cm in diameter. A brief stop is made at the end of the chamber to admire the view before going on to the next stalagmite called "The Cypress Tree". This is followed by "Bat Corner" with numerous little animals squeaking somewhere in the roof of the chamber. Finally the route meets the path at the entrance to the chamber and exit from the cave is by the same route as entry.

Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.