They are located on Avenida Dr. Luciano Justo Ramos, in the parish of Mira de Aire, Municipality of Porto de Mós, District of Leiria, Central Portugal
The Mira de Aire Caves, in addition to their natural beauty, are the largest tourist caves in Portugal.
The Caves intended for the public are 600 meters high with 11 km of tunnels and only 600 m of which can be visited by the public.
Currently, the Mira de Aire Caves receive around 6 million visitors, including 15% from national and foreign study visits from various levels of education.
The dimensions, beauty and ecological importance of these caves associated with a polje with periodic floods allowed them to be classified as a Property of Public Interest (1955) and RAMSAR Site (2005) and as a place of interest for speleological studies and investigations that take place regularly
The Caves intended for the public are 600 meters high with 11 km of tunnels and only 600 m of which can be visited by the public.
Currently, the Mira de Aire Caves receive around 6 million visitors, including 15% from national and foreign study visits from various levels of education.
The dimensions, beauty and ecological importance of these caves associated with a polje with periodic floods allowed them to be classified as a Property of Public Interest (1955) and RAMSAR Site (2005) and as a place of interest for speleological studies and investigations that take place regularly
History of the Mira de Aire Caves
The Mira de Aire Caves were discovered in 1947 by a group of local men who noticed a strange vapor that seemed to be released between the rocks.
The Mira de Aire Caves were explored by locals throwing ropes, they descended to a small gallery where tens of meters away there is an open window on a cliff.
The darkness did not allow them to have a clear idea of where they were, but the news of this unprecedented discovery in the region reached Lisbon, where several speleologists came.
The Mira de Aire Caves, through exploration of the bottom of the room and some recesses in the walls, the secret to the continuation of the cave was discovered.
The Mira de Aire Caves were explored by locals throwing ropes, they descended to a small gallery where tens of meters away there is an open window on a cliff.
The darkness did not allow them to have a clear idea of where they were, but the news of this unprecedented discovery in the region reached Lisbon, where several speleologists came.
The Mira de Aire Caves, through exploration of the bottom of the room and some recesses in the walls, the secret to the continuation of the cave was discovered.
Features of the Mira de Aire Caves
In 1949, with the construction of a wooden winch, cavers continued to discover a route of more than 500 meters called "Galeria Grande" with a varied topography and landscape.
On this route you can see the "Pearl Fountain", the "Octopus Galleries", the "Organ", and the "Black River" which gives access to the "Areal" at the bottom of the Galeria Grande.
In the 50s and 60s, longer campaigns began to require the creation of camps inside the Cave and it was possible to reach the "Sifão das Areias", "Concha" and "Labirinto", until the "Final Well" was discovered, allowing the first topographic survey of the Cave to be carried out.
On this route you can see the "Pearl Fountain", the "Octopus Galleries", the "Organ", and the "Black River" which gives access to the "Areal" at the bottom of the Galeria Grande.
In the 50s and 60s, longer campaigns began to require the creation of camps inside the Cave and it was possible to reach the "Sifão das Areias", "Concha" and "Labirinto", until the "Final Well" was discovered, allowing the first topographic survey of the Cave to be carried out.
Interior of the Mira de Aires Caves
The desire to show this wonder of nature to the public designed and built hundreds of meters of wooden platforms and stairs from the entrance to the Sifão das Areias.
In the mid-1970s, with the aim of promoting the cave touristically and making it profitable, a company was set up to operate it, opening to the public on August 11, 1974.
In 2007, an expedition from the Portuguese Speleological Society entered the Rio Negro Gallery and, taking advantage of the temporary reduction in water levels, managed to add more than 1 km of new galleries that extend into the interior of the S. Mamede Plateau.
Currently, the Mira de Aire caves participated in the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal competition promoted by New 7 Wonders Portugal where they competed in the "Caves and Caves" category, being elected on September 11, 2010 as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal.
The Cave (Moinhos Velhos), together with the Gruta da Pena and the Gruta da Contenda, is part of a large network of galleries with more than 11 km.
In the rainiest winters, the waters from this network join the waters from the Olho de Mira/Regatinho spring, flooding the large closed depression (Polje Mira-Minde) between the towns of Mira de Aire and Minde.
Exploration of the caves has continued to this day, with the first section opened for public visits in 1974 and they are open daily.
The visit takes around an hour and the tourist descends via stairs set up on site, in an environment that maintains a constant temperature of 17 degrees throughout the year and most of the tour takes place at a depth of 110 m.
In the mid-1970s, with the aim of promoting the cave touristically and making it profitable, a company was set up to operate it, opening to the public on August 11, 1974.
In 2007, an expedition from the Portuguese Speleological Society entered the Rio Negro Gallery and, taking advantage of the temporary reduction in water levels, managed to add more than 1 km of new galleries that extend into the interior of the S. Mamede Plateau.
Currently, the Mira de Aire caves participated in the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal competition promoted by New 7 Wonders Portugal where they competed in the "Caves and Caves" category, being elected on September 11, 2010 as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal.
The Cave (Moinhos Velhos), together with the Gruta da Pena and the Gruta da Contenda, is part of a large network of galleries with more than 11 km.
In the rainiest winters, the waters from this network join the waters from the Olho de Mira/Regatinho spring, flooding the large closed depression (Polje Mira-Minde) between the towns of Mira de Aire and Minde.
Exploration of the caves has continued to this day, with the first section opened for public visits in 1974 and they are open daily.
The visit takes around an hour and the tourist descends via stairs set up on site, in an environment that maintains a constant temperature of 17 degrees throughout the year and most of the tour takes place at a depth of 110 m.
