Grutas da Moeda
The hills to the south and west of Fátima are honeycombed with limestone caves. Legend has it that many years ago, a wealthy man carrying a bag of coins was traveling through the woods when he was attacked by a gang of thieves. Struggling from the attack, the man fell into one of the grottoes. Through the cave, the lost coins were spread around, thus giving the Grutas da Moeda, 3 km (2 miles) from Fátima, their name. Within about a 25-km (15-mile) radius of the town are four other major caverns—São Mamede, Alvados, Santo António, and Mira de Aire, the country's largest—equipped with lights and elevators. On a guided tour in any of these (for a minimum of two people; ask for an English-speaking guide) you can see the subterranean world of limestone formations, underground rivers and lakes, and multicolor stalagmites and stalactites. It's a 10-minute drive from the shrine; there are also two shuttles a day from Fátima bus station, at 10:30 am and 3 pm, with return trips departing from the caves at 12 pm and at 4:30 pm.
