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  • The Volcanism Centre and Sao Vicente Caves

        Madeira's history begins long before it's discovery in the 15th century.  The island of Madeira was formed by volcanoes around 15 million years ago.  The Volcanism Centre, located in Sao Vicente, helps to break down the scientific complexity of this process of island formation.  Visitors should pair this tour with a visit to the Sao Vicente Caves. 

       The Volcanism Centre explains the birth of the Archipelago of Madeira through audiovisual presentations depicting the geological formation of caves, volcanic eruptions as well as a simulation of island formation.  The Volcanism Pavillion offers visitors an invaluable science lesson presented in a fun and interactive manner.  Great for all ages!

  • Volcanism Center

        The Sao Vicente Caves plunge visitors into the history of it all.  After a visit to the Volcanism Centre, visitors will head deep into the caves of  Sao Vicente with a larger depth of knowledge and understanding on how these caves were formed. 

       Theses caves were first discovered in 1885 shocking and amazing all.  In a 30 minutes tour, visitors will experience the remains of a volcano that erupted over 890 thousand years ago!  The quickly flowing lava emitting and trapping many gases created a series of tunnels that form todays caves.   These volcanic tunnels, or tubes, are large enough for visitors to stroll through and extend over 1000m in length, making it the largest know caves in Madeira.  This is an unforgettable journey into the earth's interior!