The caves of Fátima region: Caves of Santo António

The Moeda Grottoes are located in S.Mamede, near Fátima, and are open to the public all year round. During the visit an area 350m long and 45m deep can be reached, and the temperature inside the cave is approximately 18°C. The visit is guided and takes about 25 minutes.
The Grottoes were discovered in 1971 by two hunters while chasing a fox. Soon the cave became a tourist attraction; geologists and other technicians were contracted to rigorously maintain the natural features of the cave, including the mountain landscape above ground. The names given to the chambers are very suggestive of the images that each one presents to the visitor: Nativity Scene, Shepherd, Cascade, Virgin, Red grottoes are formed by erosion and corrosion, containing crystals, and the predominant rock is limestone. Studies confirm that it dates back to the middle Jurassic period.
In the exterior of the Park there are also some facilities available, such as a picnic park surrounded by the forest, a cafeteria, toilets and a shop.

Grutas Da Moeda (Moeda Caves)

Fátima’s caves offer a refreshing change from the religious sites and are easily accessible. The caves lie 45m below the surface and conceal several stunning limestone formations and an underground waterfall. Bring a rain jacket if you go in the winter, as cave showers are frequent. (☎244 70 43 02 or 244 70 38 38. www.grutasmoeda.com. Call ☎800 20 56 18 from the tourist office to schedule a free pick-up. The number does not work outside of the tourist office. Caves open daily July-Sept. 9am-7pm, April-June. 9am-6pm, Oct.-Mar. 9am-5pm; last tickets sold 30min. before closing. €5, cartâo jovem €3.50, children 6-12 €2.50.)

Mira de Aire Caves were the first caves discovered in the region, quite rich in this important kind of heritage, due to the chalky soil, sculpted for centuries by nature forces, back in 1947, and are situated in the Serra de Aires e Candeeiros Natural Park.
The entrance to the cave is situated at 200 meters high, and it interior reaches about 180 meters depth.
The formation of this caves dates back mote than 150 million years ago, in the Middle Jurassic Period, when dinosaurs inhabit the region, as it is still visible nowadays in the Dinosaurs Footprint Monument, nearby.
The Caves are constituted by several rooms and galleries with a large number of stalagmites, stalactites and water courses, enhanced with a special lightning and background music and a special water, light and sound show in the end of the visit.

Timetables
Oct - Mar: 9.30am to 5.30pm / Apr - May: 9.30am to 6pm / Jun and Sep: 9.30am to 7pm / Jul and Aug: 9.30am to 7.30pm

Ticket office closes 30 minutes before the closing time.

The Alvados Caves were discovered in 1964 by a group of workmen from the surrounding chalk quarries that, as throwing a stone to a small hole, realised that it actually was quite deep.
Situated in a chalky region, right in the heart of the Serra de Aires e Candeeiros Natural Park, the Alvados Caves are comprised by a sequence of rooms of stalagmites and stalactites with quite suggestive names.

According to several studies, this Caves might have more than 180 million years old, formed in the mid Jurassic period, when dinosaurs inhabited this region.
The average temperature inside the Caves is about 17ºC, and throughout the Caves a special lightning and background music enhances the beauty of this natural wonder.

Discovered by accident by two men working nearby, in 1955, the Santo António Caves are part of a group of caves situated in the Minde mountain range, in the area of the Serra de Aires e Candeeiros Natural Park.
This caves occupy an huge area of about 6,000 square meters, comprising several rooms adorned with stalagmites and stalactites, the biggest gallery has 80 by 50 meters wide, and the depth reaches 43 meters.
The temperature in the interior of the Caves rounds 16 and 18ºC, and throughout the caves a special lightning and background music enhances the beauty of this natural wonder, with several special and curious spaces.

According to studies, this Caves probably exist for about 50,000 years, and its stalagmites and stalactites are plausible to grow on a velocity of 1 centimetre each century.

This caves are the smaller in Fátima region, but in opposition far from to be the less beautiful.

Timetable:
Jun-Aug -10am to 8pm
Sep-Mai - 10am às 17h