The Spanish city of Nerja lies close to the Eastern border of the Province of Málaga in the Region of Andalucia, on the Costa Del Sol. A popular resort town with over 14 kilometers of beaches, it is also home to the Caves of Nerja, which is one of the most extensive, unexplored cave systems in Europe.
The Caves of Nerja are an absolute must-see if you are in the area. Situated just outside of town you can drive to the caves, where there is ample parking, or let the dedicated road train, the Cueva Tren take you there and back from the city center. You can get to Nerja from Malaga with a local bus, or simply drive there too.
The caves belong to the most visited national monuments in Southern Spain (together with gems like Alhambra in Granada or the Royal Alcazar in Seville), so here’s my guide on how to get there, and how to make the most of your time.
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🏨 Wondering where to stay in Nerja? I would recommend booking the Hotel Paraíso Del Mar. It has amazing rooms and a great ambiance! 🏨
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Tickets To The Caves Of Nerja And Opening Hours
Tickets are sold at the entrance to the caves at Nerja, or to avoid disappointment, you can also buy them online.
I would wait and see which day is likely to be the hottest during my stay and try to plan the visit underground for then. The subterranean world is always much cooler on a hot day.
Ticket Offers To The Caves Of Nerja
Prices start at zero, that’s right, the caves are free to enter for European Union citizens at 9:30 in the morning, Monday to Friday.
It is a limited daily offer for up to sixty visitors, booked in advance via the website, and it is only possible to book up to forty-eight hours in advance.
Competition is fierce, so (if you qualify), be prepared to log on early to catch the freebie! If you do not arrive on time, however, they won’t wait.
The gate will close promptly with the standard admissions beginning at 10 am. A standard ticket is €15 for a single adult ticket to the caves. It says €16 on the website until you click through to the booking pages.
It is €13 for children up to the age of 16, and free for those under 6 years old. I would advise booking in advance on the website, as entry is sold on a time-slot basis to prevent overcrowding.
Ticket Concessions To The Caves Of Nerja
There are the usual concessions for students, disabled and senior citizens, and those qualifying as large Spanish families.
At most, you will receive a €1 reduction in the ticket price, but every little helps when you are on vacation.
It is also possible to buy a combined ticket that includes the bus ride and the entry fee for the caves and museum, saving the trouble of finding a parking space.
At €20 per adult ticket, it will also include the €3 cost of entry to the town museum in the Plaza de España.
When To Visit The Nerja Caves
The opening hours for the Caves of Nerja begin at ten in the morning all year round, but the closing times vary with the last entry at 3.30 pm in the low season, 6 pm in the high season, and at 4.30 pm during Easter Holy Week.
Even if you do not catch the early morning free offer it is advisable to visit the caves of Nerja as early as possible, as they fill up later during the day. Tickets are sold with a timed entry, and generally speaking, the 10 am to 11 am tickets are likely to have more availability, which means a more comfortable visit with fewer crowds.
If you are visiting over the New Year, be aware that the caves are closed to the public on January 1st. They are also closed on May 15th for the feast of San Isidro, a regional holiday not observed nationally. If you are in Nerja on that day, there is no way you will want to miss the fiesta and the procession.
Ten Tips for Visiting the Nerja Caves
1. Download A Free Audio Guide
There is a free downloadable audio guide available in 15 languages, which means you won’t miss any details of your tour.
If you forget to download it to your phone before you go.
There is free WiFi at the entrance to the caves, but no network connection once you are underground.
2. Choose The Audio Guide To Suit Your Needs
The Caves of Nerja has two versions of the audio tour, one of which is quite academic, and a children’s alternative, which is lighter in content. Don’t worry, there isn’t an exam at the end of the tour, but you should emerge entertained and well-informed.
3. Be Prepared For An Hour And A Half Of Walking
Be prepared to spend at least an hour and a half touring the caves, to be able to take in everything they have to offer. The tour is set up as a circuit and can be completed in half an hour if you are in a hurry, or feeling a little claustrophobic!
4. There Are Steps To Climb
Inside the caves of Nerja.
At the cave system at Nerja, there are 458 steps to contend with, which sadly makes it almost impossible for wheelchair or other mobility equipment users to visit the caves. However, a Virtual Reality tour is available as an alternative if you, or a member of your party, are mobility impaired.
5. Small Children May Find It Difficult
Along with wheelchairs, pushchairs, and strollers are also not allowed entry by the cave management for the same reason. Small children may struggle with the tour duration too, though they might have fun counting the steps and listening to the audio tour.
6. Wear Sensible Footwear
There are lots of steps in the caves of Nerja.
Without the 458 stairs access to the caves would not be possible, however, it is also recommended that you wear sensible footwear to visit. Flip-flops, pool slides, and other beach shoes would be uncomfortable and impractical on the kilometers of concrete walkways.
7. Tickets Have A Timed Entry
The tickets are sold on a timed entry to avoid overcrowding, which means that if you buy a ticket for the 10 am slot you had better be there promptly, as the cave operators will not allow entry if you miss your booking for any reason.
8. The Bus-Train Routes Are The best Mode Of Transport
Taking the bus-train service should ensure you get to the caves on time and won’t have to worry about parking your car, traffic, or other issues. Alternatively, the caves are about an hour’s walk from the town center.
9. It Is Cooler In The Caves
The temperature inside the caves remains at a constant 19°C (66F) so you will most definitely feel the difference between it and the summer temperature outdoors on the surface. Take a light jacket so you remain comfortable.
10. You Can Book Refundable Tickets
If your plans change for any reason, as long as you have selected a refundable option, you can cancel up to a minute to midnight the day before and get all your money back. However, it is not possible to reschedule, so be prepared to rebook.
Ten Interesting Facts about Nerja Caves
1. There Are Two Natural Entrances
There are two natural small entrances to the Caves of Nerja.
One was investigated by five local men in 1959.
They were looking for bats and discovered the caves when they broke through a stone screen to investigate odd air movement.
2. You Can Visit Only A Few Caves
The entrance to the cavern system that is in use today was made in 1960 to open it up to visitors. Less than half the known caves are available to visit, with the upper galleries closed to preserve cave paintings.
3. Neanderthals Inhabited The Caves
The caves hold evidence of human and Neanderthal habitation over some 25,000 years with remains of shellfish and other food discovered in remote galleries. Archaeologists believe that humans used the caves seasonally at first, before inhabiting the caverns year-round.
4. It Has The Oldest Cave Paintings In Europe
It is thought that some of the cave paintings that have been discovered, but not on public display, could be the oldest in Europe. They have been dated to 42,000 years ago. Breathing in the caves contributes to the deterioration of prehistoric art!
This is due to the additional moisture, and the heat and light in the caves that help mold grow. A good reason why the cave paintings are not for public viewing.
5. It Is The Largest Series Of Caverns In Europe
Inside the Nerja caves.
The cave system is also thought to be the largest series of caverns of its type in Europe, stretching for five kilometers (just over three miles). There are still areas that remain uncharted and unexplored, which means that there could be other discoveries waiting to be found by future speleologists.
6. It has A Natural Amphitheater
One of the caverns is shaped like a natural amphitheater, which is used for regular musical performances. The irregular, organic shape of the walls makes for excellent acoustic properties.
In 1960 the ballet ‘Le Tour de Paris’ was performed below the stalactites and accompanied by the Malaga Symphony Orchestra.
7. It has The World’s Tallest Stalactite Column
In the Hall of the Cataclysm stands the world’s tallest stalactite column. From floor to ceiling, it rises for thirty-two meters (more than 100 feet), which is the average height of a ten-story building.
8. The Fluted Columns Are Musical
Fluted columns in the cavern can be played like a musical instrument. When struck, a note will ring out through the caves. Researchers have suggested that some of these columns could have been broken to length to change the note.
9. Domestic Animals Were Kept Here
Archaeologists have also discovered evidence that domestic animals were being kept in the caverns up until about 3,800 BC.
10. Both Homo Sapiens And Neanderthals Lived Here
During the time that humans, both Homo Sapiens and their Neanderthal cousins, inhabited the Caves at Nerja the space was shared by the Eurasian Ice-age Spotted Hyena, the bones of which have been discovered in caves from here to Siberia.
Tours To The Nerja Caves
You can also prebook your trip to the Nerja Caves or combine it with a trip to the other locations in the area. The best part is that you can visit the caves from a number of destinations. You could even make a day trip out of it!
These are a couple of tours that I would recommend. They even come with skip the line tickets which is pretty great.
- From Granada: Skip-the-Line Nerja Cave and Frigiliana
- From Malaga: Nerja and Frigiliana Tour
- From Málaga: Skip-the-Line Nerja Cave and Frigiliana
🏨 Wondering where to stay in Nerja? I would recommend booking the Hotel Paraíso Del Mar. It has amazing rooms and a great ambiance! 🏨
About The Author
Lucia is a travel blogger living in Southern Spain, sharing local historic locations, hidden gems and beautiful destinations on her blog Viva La Vita.
