For the more adventurous visitor to Andalucía , you could try exploring one of the many natural caves that this fascinating region of Spain has to offer, Caving and potholing is fast becoming on of the most popular extreme sports in Andalucia

The Malaga Province has a huge range of caves in areas such as the Sierra de Rhonda, the Sierra de la Nieves and in the towns of Rincon de la Victoria and Nerja. The Torcal Natural Park near to Antequera has a large number of caves which appeal to all levels of caver.

One of the most famous and well known caves in the Sierra de Rhonda area is the (cave of the cat) The are strict restrictions for visiting the caves and you can only explore the caves with a permit and under the supervision of a guide. It is 4.5km in length and one of its most impressive features is the pool underneath the waterfall close to the entrance where you can cool down during the heat of the day.
It can be reached by crossing the railway just south of the Benoajan train station and follow the signs station.

Another impressive cave in this area is the Cueva de la Pileta which can be found above the village of Benoajan and is famous for its stunning cave paintings . There are guided tours run by the family of the man who discovered the caves although there are no set times , they guide seems to leave when he thinks the group is large enough..

If you are on the coast and don’t fancy heading inland you could try out the caves located at Rincon de la Victoria on the eastern Costa del Sol., you will find the very impressive Cueva de Tesoro (Cave of Treasure) . There is a legend that a 7th century Emperor known as Tasulin Ibn hid his fortune in this Marine Cave ‘s walls and this legend has attracted many treasure hunters who have all tried and failed to find the hidden fortune. The best feature of this marine cave is its main gallery and its cave paintings of animals. To reach the caves you need to head for the Urbanización El Cantal, just off the N-340 between La Cala and Rincon de la Victoria. One good way to get there is to take the local green bus from either La Cala or Rincon de la Victoria .The caves are open between 10am and 2pm and 3pm and 6pm except between the 15th June and the 15th August when it is open between 10am and 3pm and from 4pm and 8pm. The entrance fee is very reasonable with adults being charged just 3.50€ and children over the age of five just 2.10€

The caves in Nerja are some of the most famous in the whole of Andalucia which attract thousands of visitors each year. The caves are used as a venue for numerous concerts throughout the year and have some of the most dramatic formations in the whole of Europe.

Heading further inland to the region of Granada, cavers should head for the area around Castril where you will find numerous caves which offer the visitor a diverse variety of cave paintings and dramatic formations.

The caves that are best known in the Cordoba province are the Cueva de los Murciélagos (Cave of Bats) which can be found about 4km outside the beautiful whitewashed village of Zuheros which can been found on the outskirts of the magnificent Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park : These caves are best known for the interesting Neolithic remains and the stunning rock paintings

In the west of Andalucia you will find some very impressive caves in the provinces of Cadiz and Huelva such as the Caves of Tajo de las Figueras del Arco and Cimera located near Benalup where the primitive cave dwellings declared Artistic Architectural Monuments in 1924, are the main feature. The caves are open closed on Mondays and Public Holidays and open
Tuesday: 15.00-17.30
Wednesday to Saturday. Mornings: 10.30-14.00 Afternoons: 15.00-18.30
Sundays: 10.30-15.00

Across the border in the province of Huelva you will find the Caves of Marvel located in the Sierra de Aracena near to the town of Aracena you will find some beautiful caves with some impressive names such as the Hall of the Organs, the Hall of the Jewels, God’s Glassworks and the Great Lake of the Emeralds.

Heading to the other side of Andalucia you come to the province of Almeria where you will find some of the best caves in the whole of Spain including the UNESCO world heritage sites of the Cueva de los Letreros and the Cueva de Gabar near to the town of Valez Blanco and the equally stunning caves of Sorbus, which take its name for the nearby town. Where you can visit the caves as they were formed without the assistance of light and totally natural passages.

If you fancy a combining a trip to Gibraltar with some cave exploring you can visit St Michael’s Cave which is found in the rock and can be visited on the rock tour. It is also a venue for the occasional concert. The is also the fascinating Gorham’s Cave which is located on the east side of the rock where the first skeleton of Neanderthal Man was uncovered.

There is also miles of tunnels and caves underneath the surface which are named after famous British roads including the Great North Road which is the longest of these sub terianian roads - You will also find manmade caves which were used by Field Marshal Montgomery’s headquarters prior to Operation Torch

It is important that you take the correct equipment with you when exploring the caves of Andalucia, there are many that don’t require anything more than a great sense of adventure while others need a lot of planning and a great level of skill. Take care, be sensible and most importantly have fun. Just be careful and you will leave the caves of Andalucia with memories of a fascinating holiday.

Some important rules to follow for safe caving is

TELL PEOPLE YOUR APPROXIMATE ROUTE
TELL PEOPLE YOUR START TIME AND FINISH TIME
CHECK WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NECESSARY
ALWAYS CARRY A MEDICAL KIT
DO NOT GO CAVING ALONE
NEVER ATTEMPT ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT COMFTABLE WITH