CUEVA DE NERJA

Europes largest cave system and Spains third most visited attraction.

You reach it by car within 1 hr 45 minutes. The experiense makes it worth it!

Signs shows the directions, located east of Nerja and there are lots of parking places at the site.

The history

11.th january 1959 five young boys from the village Maro was in the mountains chasing bats. Their task was to collect wood for their parents.

However, as they were so fascinated to chase bats they found a hole where lots of bats flew in and out. The entrance was blocked by stalactites so they decided to return the next day. So they did, arriving the 12.th bringing tools. When having created a hole large enough they slided in and discovered an enourmus cave. They walked further into the cave, through lots of bat pop´, until they discover a pile of skeletons. Becoming afraid that they also shouldn´t find their way out, they turned around and left the cave.

They tell about the discovery to their teacher who became interested and joined them to the cave.

After this, the cave became big news. Also a national matter.

(The boys names were Miguel Munoz Zorilla, Manuel Munoz Zorilla, Francisco Navas Montesino, Jose Luis Barbero de Miguel and Jose Torres Cardenas).

As from discovery of skeletons,, wall paintings as well as other archaeological findings, one could date that the caves has been occupied by man some 15-25.000 years ago. Meaning that this is one of the earliest discoveries ever made.

An eartquake led to the openings to the cave collapsed and weren´t found until the boys discovered it, years and years later. The cave was opened to public July 1.st 1960. Only ¼ of the cave is open to public as one still explores it.