Caves and mines in Europe - 16 tips underground

Curious about caves and mines in Europe? Here are 16 different underground sites we've visited ourselves. You'll find everything from beautiful cave rooms with impressive stalactites to interesting mines where silver, salt, iron, coal, copper and cobalt have been mined...

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Caves and mines in Europe

There are lots of exciting caves and mines in Europe. Caves are natural and can offer imaginative surprises. Mines, on the other hand, tell the human story of toil, hard work and - in some cases - wealth. Both caves and mines share the common denominator of being found underground.

Caves in Europe

We start with a number of caves in Europe, before moving on to mines.

1. Postojna, Slovenia

Postojna Cave is a 21 kilometre long cave system in Postojna, Slovenia. The cave system originated as a karst formation and is the second longest cave in Slovenia. Today, the cave is a major tourist attraction and can be experienced by travelling on a tourist train past all the stalactites and stalagmites.

• Was: Postojna, Slovenia
• Length: Approximately 24.3 kilometres
• Read more: Postojna cave in Slovenia

2. Kalkberghöhle in Bad Segeberg, Germany

The Kalkberghöhle cave is located in Bad Segeberg in northern Germany. The cave is 2285 metres long and is home to around 30,000 bats of seven different species in winter. Guided tours are available in summer, and there is also a museum where you can learn more about bats.

• Was: Bad Segeberg, Germany
• Length: Approximately 2 kilometres
• Read more: Bat cave in Bad Segeberg

3. Punkva Caves, Czech Republic

Punkva Caves are located in Blansko, just north of Brno in the Czech Republic. These large caves are filled with stalagtites, stalagmites and fascinating rock formations. What makes this cave unique is a green grassy area in the centre of the cave, as well as a boat ride on an underground river.

• Was: Blansko, north of Brno, Czech Republic
• Length: Approximately 4 kilometres
• Read more: Punkva Caves in the Czech Republic

4. Szemlö-Hegy in Budapest, Hungary

The Szemlö-Hegy cave was discovered in the 1930s by a couple of adventurous men and the girlfriend of one of them, who refused to accept the end of the cave and scrambled onwards. Today there is a larger opening for visitors. The neighbouring cave, Pál-Völgyi, offers adventure caving.

• Was: Budapest, Hungary
• Length: Approximately 2 kilometres
• Read more: Caves in Budapest

5. ice cave Eisriesenwelt, Austria

Eisriesenwelt, located near Salzburg in Austria, is the largest ice cave in the world. This gorgeous cave is a very popular destination. You can get to the cave by first travelling by cable car, and then hiking a further distance.

• Was: Tennengebirge, outside Salzburg, Austria
• Length: Approximately 42 kilometres
• Read more: Eisriesenwelt in Austria

6th Aillwee Cave, Ireland

Located on the west coast of Ireland, Aillwee Cave was found by a farmer in 1944, while searching for his lost dog. It was only 30 years later that he told us about the cave, which is now a popular attraction. The cave was formed by an underground river, and therefore has the shape of a tunnel with a rounded roof.

• Was: South of Galway, Ireland
• Length: Approximately 1 kilometre
• Read more: Two caves in Ireland

7. Doolin Cave, Ireland

Doolin Cave, located just outside Doolin on the west coast of Ireland. This cave was discovered in 1952 by two cave climbers who stubbornly pushed their way through dense darkness. Eventually they reached a large chamber containing the largest stalactite in Europe, measuring 7.3 metres long and weighing around 10 tonnes.

• Was: Outside Doolin, Ireland
• Length: Approximately 6.7 kilometres
• Read more: Two caves in Ireland

8. Neptune Cave, Sardinia

Grotta di Nettuno, Neptune's Cave, is a cave located by the sea near the town of Alghero in Sardinia. Discovered by local fishermen in the 19th century, today it is a popular destination that can be reached via various boat excursions.

• Was: Outside Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
• Length: Approximately 4 kilometres
• Read more: Neptune Cave in Sardinia

9. Grotte de la Madeleine, France

The French region of Ardeche is full of caves, some of which are open to tourists. We visited the Grotte de la Madeleine, which is full of large stalagtites and stalagmites. Nearby is the Chauvet cave and a replica of it, where you can see cave paintings made 36,000 years ago.

• Was: Ardeche, France
• Length: Approximately 500 metres
• Read more: Ardeche in France

Mines in Europe

Now we're moving on to more underground spaces, in the form of mines in Europe.

10. Sala silver mine, Sweden

The Sala silver mine was in operation between the 15th and early 20th centuries, and is today a major tourist destination. Visitors can take a tour of the mine, where dedicated guides tell visitors about the lives of miners in the past.

• Was: Sala, Sweden
• Type of mine: Silver
• Active: From the 15th century to 1908
• Read more: Sala Silver Mine

11. Falu Gruva, Sweden

Falu mine is a historic copper mine, and today also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can join guided tours down into the mine and there are also several above-ground attractions, in the form of museums and homes that show how miners once lived.

• Was: Falun, Sweden
• Type of mine: Copper
• Active: From around the 7th century until 1992
• Read more: Falu Gruva in Falun

12. Rammelsberg mine, Germany

The Rammelsberg mine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the German town of Goslar, in the Harz mountains. The mine is a World Heritage Site because it has a lot to tell about mining in Europe, during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Today, guided tours are available and there is also a museum.

• Was: Goslar, Germany
• Type of mine: Metals
• Active: Until 1988
• Read more: The mine in Rammelsberg

13. Landek Park, Czech Republic

Landek Park is an interesting mining museum in the town of Ostrava in the eastern Czech Republic, where coal used to be mined. Today it is a museum, and you can equip yourself with helmets and go underground. Above ground, there are various exhibits, including rescue equipment.

• Was: Ostrava, Czech Republic
• Type of mine: Coal
• Active: 1782-1990
• Read more: Landek Park Mining Museum

14. Loos cobalt mine, Sweden

The Loos cobalt mine is located in Los in Hälsingland and was in operation during the 18th century. The mine mined ore with cobalt, which was used to produce a sought-after blue colour, which was then used to decorate porcelain. Today, you can take a guided tour or explore the museum.

• Was: Los (Hälsingland), Sweden
• Type of mine: Cobalt
• Active: 1730-1773
• Read more: Things to do in Ljusdal

15. Salt mine in Wieliczka, Poland

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located outside Kraków in southern Poland, just below the town of Wieliczka. The mine was in operation from the 13th century until 1996 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a very popular tourist destination, with over a million visitors a year.

• Was: Wieliczka, outside Krakow, Poland
• Type of mine: Salt
• Active: Until 1996
• Read more: The salt mine in Wieliczka

16. Kiruna Mine, Sweden

The Kiruna mine is an iron ore mine in the Kiirunavaara mountain in Kiruna, in northern Sweden. LKAB has been mining iron ore here since the early 1900s and the mine is today the world's most modern underground iron ore mine. Through LKAB's visitor centre you can join guided tours. I (Helena) visited the mine many, many years ago, which was very interesting.

• Was: Kiruna, Sweden
• Type of mine: Iron ore
• Active: 1892 - ongoing

Which caves and mines in Europe have you visited?

Which caves and mines in Europe have you visited? Have you visited any in the list above? Which ones made a lasting impression?

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