2 regions · 10 sites · down to 215 m
Portugal
- Regions2
- Sites10
- Max depth215 m
- Fill stations1
In Portugal you dive the karst of the Maciço Calcário Estremenho, in the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros natural park north of Lisbon. The Alviela spring goes to -215 m, the deepest cave in the country, and is dived only in the dry season; the Gruta da Pena only floods in wet winters. Both are full cave dives and both need a permit. In Mira de Aire, the village of the Gruta da Pena, you can visit the Grutas de Mira de Aire show cave. On the Azores, in the middle of the Atlantic, you dive sea caves and lava galleries with local dive centres: the Gruta dos Camarões and the Furnas on Monte da Guia off Horta (Faial), per the tourism board only with a cave certification, the cave complex of Cinco Ribeiras on Terceira, and the Gruta Azul and the Gruta Funda off Santa Maria.
Regions
- Maciço Calcário EstremenhoKarst springs in the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros natural park: the Alviela, at -215 m the deepest cave in Portugal (permit, dry season only), and the Gruta da Pena, which only floods in wet winters.5 caves · down to 215 m
- AzoresSea caves and lava galleries on Faial, Terceira and Santa Maria: the Gruta dos Camarões and the Furnas on Monte da Guia off Horta, per the tourism board only for divers certified in cave diving, the cave complex of Cinco Ribeiras from the shore of Terceira, and the Gruta Azul and the deep Gruta Funda off Santa Maria. With local dive centres, in water of 14–22 °C.5 sea caves · down to 40 m
Map
Good to know
- The seasons work in opposite directions: the Alviela only in the dry season, the Gruta da Pena only in wet winters.
Tips for safe and enjoyable diving
- Arrange your gas in advance: we found no public fill station for trimix or oxygen in the Maciço Calcário Estremenho or on the Azores.
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Fill stations
Scubazores Divers (Angra do Heroísmo)
Estrada Regional n.º 1 (Hotel do Caracol), Silveira, 9700-193 Angra do Heroísmo
Air and nitrox
Contact page: 9:00–12:00 and 13:30–17:00 (ask)
SSI dive centre at the Hotel do Caracol in Silveira, with a kiosk in Angra do Heroísmo marina. Its own site describes the Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras as a shore dive, with the cave complex for more experienced divers. Fills air and nitrox.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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