Located in the northen tip of Almeria province you will find the towns Vélez Rubio and Vélez Blanco. Located 6km from each other these two beautiful Andalucian towns offer visitors a great base to explore the UNESCO World Heritage listed pre-historic caves and paintings La Cueva del Gabar and Cueva de Los Letreros (Leters Cave).

Vélez Rubio has a stunning 18th century hospital ‘Hospital Real’ where you will find a fascinating exhibit of artifacts and ceramics dating from prehistoric to Moorish times, as well as a wonderful exhibit of the local cave paintings, You can also find the local tourist office located in the museum which is located on Calle Carrera del Carmen 29.

The town benifits from the wonderful Baroque Church of La Encarnación which was built in the 18th century and has an imposing carved facade which includes the arms of theperson who bult it, the Marquises of Villafranca y Vélez

Its neigbour Vélez Blanco, is overlooked by the ruins of magnificent Renaissance castle built by the Marquises of Vélez Blanco in the early 16th century.

Both these town provide a great base to explore the caves in the area.

These caves can only be visited with a guide which you can arrange at the tourist information office at Vélez Rubio, or the town hall at Vélez Blanco.
The cave paintings here are some of the most impresive Spain and they have survived more or less intact. The guide will provide you with a rope and ladder so you can get up the sheer rock face to view the paintings

Cueva de Los Letreros (Leters Cave)

These caves are amasing . located 3km from Velez Rubio these caves can only be viewd after you have obtained a key from the Almacen del Trigo information office in Vélez Blanco at the far end of the town where, in return for depositing your passport, you will be given the key.

They date from the around 4000BC and the pictures are red and brown sketches of human figures, birds, animals, astronomical signs and “indalos” . They red and brown sketches of human figures, birds, animals, astronomical signs and “indalos”

Both towns are worth visiting if only to use it as a base to explore the caves so head into the far noth of Almeria and trat yourself to some stunning cave paintings and the warm welcome of these two white washed villages of Andalucia