Prospero's Cave

Island Cave - Prospero's Magic Cave


Useful Information

Location: Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Hamilton Parish.
(32.3532271, -64.7128567)
Open: Open for hotel guests for swimming.
All year daily.
[2023]
Fee: free for hotel guests.
[2023]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Spa, 11 Blue Hole Hill, Bailey's Bay, CR04, Bermuda, Tel: +1-441-293-8333. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1609/1610 discovered by Sir George Somers.
~1920 opened to the public under the name Prospero's Magic Cave.
1960s Hotel built.
2002 featured on the 80 cent stamp.

Description

Prospero's Cave is another of the five caves in the Joyce's Dock group situated in the grounds of the Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Hamilton Parish. It is reputed to have been discovered by Sir George Somers in 1609-10. While this claim is unsubstantiated it was most probably the first cave to have been discovered in Bermuda. This cave was originally known as Island Cave and later; Prospero's Magic Cave when it was first opened to the public as a show cave for an admission charge of three shillings and tuppence. In more recent years the name of the cave has been shortened to Prospero's Cave.

Prospero is a central character in Shakespeare's play The Tempest, which is commonly thought to have been based on William Shakespeare's account of the stay of Sir George Somers and his party in Bermuda following their shipwreck on 28th July 1609. Another story is that apparently many years ago, a carriage driver told a visitor: "Oh, that's where Mr. Shakespeare took shelter in a storm." A bust of the Bard is set in the rock near the entrance.

The cave is entered by a short flight of steps which leads to deep lake which fills this part of the cave. Overhead there is a fine display of stalactites.


Prospero's Cave contains an underground bar and discotheque.


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