Saalfelder Feengrotten

About this spectacle

The Saalfelder Feengrotten — translated as 'Fairy Grottos' — are a network of former alum slate mine tunnels in Thuringia, Germany, transformed by centuries of mineralisation into a spectacularly colourful underground world. Visitors walk through chambers where iron, manganese and other minerals have painted the cave walls in vivid shades of orange, red, yellow, green and violet. Stalactites and stalagmites drip with mineral-laden water, and delicate crystal formations catch the soft artificial light. The air is cool and damp, carrying the faint mineral tang of the rock. Pools of still water reflect the illuminated formations above. The grottos hold the Guinness World Record for the most colourful cave, a claim immediately apparent when the first rainbow-hued chamber comes into view. Guided tours lead visitors through a sequence of elaborately named halls, each with its own colour palette and mood, making the experience feel like moving through an underground painting.

When to go

Jan — Dec

Getting there

Nearest airport: ERF. Nearest city: Jena.

Booking options

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