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The Gruta das Torres Visitors Centre is an example of sustainable use of a natural resource for entertainment purposes as well as environmental awareness. The Gruta das Torres is the biggest lava tube in Portugal, with a length of 5150 m, and it’s a part of the formation of Lajidos - Gruta das Torres, inserted in the Mountain Volcanic Complex. It is estimated that it was formed about 1500 years ago during an eruption originated in Cabeço Bravo.
In 2006, it was a finalist of the Portuguese selection commission of the V Ibero-American Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism. It was nominated in 2007 for the Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award. In 2009, it won the first place in Tektónica National Award of the Architects Order.
The visit is absolutely an innovation in Portugal, following a cavity that allows the good conservation of the cave, over a length of 450 m and the approximate duration of 1h. For this expedition, the necessary equipment is provided to discover the cave in its natural state and to observe various types of lavas and several geological formations, of which stands out the different types of stalactites and stalagmites lava, side benches, lava balls, ridged walls and ropy lavas.
