The Nerja Cave (Cueava de Nerja) is one of the most phenomenal caves we have visited. Being near Malaga, we found it on a Google Maps and decided to visit it. The cave is famous for its massive stalactites and stalagmites, which reach several metres in length each. Unfortunately, it is not possible to enter the site with dogs, so I went on the tour with the children, while Agnieszka stayed with Loki in the flat. So if some of the photos came out blurry, forgive me – I did my best.
Admission to the cave is paid and tickets can be purchased from the official Cueva de Nerja cave website for €15.50 per adult. It is advisable to purchase in advance as there is a pool of tickets for specific times. It can therefore happen that there are no more tickets available at the time you want to visit the caves. However, there is a way for you to ‘fish out’ tickets from an unavailable hour – we write about this later in the post.
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Getting to the Nerja Cave (Cueave de Nerja) from Malaga
Getting to the Nerja Cave from Malaga is fairly straightforward. You drive almost all the way along the free A-7 motorway, which should take no more than 50 minutes to complete. It is also convenient to take one of the many organised tours that run to the cave practically every day. So you can get to the Nerja Cave without having to hire a car (however, if you want to rent something and are looking for a nice rental company, we recommend checking out the car rental companies in Malaga) without having to think about logistical issues.
By car:
From Malaga – you can take the A-7 motorway towards Almeria. Follow the signs for Nerja (exit 292 of the A-7). After exiting the motorway, follow the signs for the caves (Cueva de Nerja). The caves are located approximately 5 km from the town of Nerja.
By bus:
There are regular buses from the bus station in Malaga by ALSA towards Nerja. Get off at the Nerja stop (usually takes about 1 hour) and then take a taxi or local bus to get directly to Cueva de Nerja (about 3-4 km from the centre of Nerja).
By train:
Unfortunately there are no trains to Nerja from Malaga. So the only way remain buses if you want to use public transport.
When arriving to the Nerja Cave with your own mean of transport, you can park on the site or in front of the fence in the unpaved square. Either you choose the first option or the second, you will have to pay for parking. On the site you pay with a parking machine and in front of the square you have to pay a fee to the parking attendant. We parked in front of the facility and paid a fee of around 2€ and were given a ticket which we had to place in the car. It was not time-limited, so we were able to explore the entire facility with no rush.
Visiting the Nerja Cave - attractions you can see inside
Thanks to buying a ticket you will not only have access to the cave (the underground part of the cave), but also to several other attractions that are worth knowing about. We bought the ticket online in advance, so that we wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t available at a certain time. You can visit the cave on your own without worrying about missing out on any important information. The Nerja Cave has a dedicated visitor app with an audio guide to the cave. It will help you learn all about this wonderful place – from the history of its creation to the present day.
It’s worth downloading the app in advance and ripping the audio tracks for yourself. Internet access is poor in the cave and it’s a shame to waste time downloading things to your phone.
Buy a ticket to Nerja Cave
If you want to see if there are tickets available on the day you will be there, you can use the calendar next to it. Prices here are the same as on the cave’s website (€15.50), but you can often buy a ticket here for timings that are no longer available on the official website.
Sometimes you can save a few euros, just in time to pay for your parking ticket. As they say, a penny to a penny and you can save for your next trip.
For example, you can also buy tickets for the popular Camino del Rey here – link to online booking.
Group tour – organised tour from Málaga
For those who appreciate convenience and want to see not only the Nerja Cave but also other attractions nearby, there is the option of taking one of the many organised tours from Malaga.
With this form of tour you will be able to take a break from logistical issues and simply enjoy your holiday. A bus will pick you up from Malaga and take you to the places you want to visit. All this under the guidance of a guide who will tell you in an interesting way about the attractions you are visiting and will certainly make it an unforgettable adventure.
Most often, a trip to the Nerja Cave is combined with a visit to nearby Frigiliana, which is a very pretty white town. Tours are usually available in Spanish or English.
The entrance to the Nerja Caves and its most important places
The property isn’t so big, so it’s fairly easy to find your way around. If you have a digital ticket then all you need to do is to go with it to the main entrance of the cave. It’s a building with a green distinctive ‘Ceuva de Nerja’ logo and when you enter you will see a lady to whom you just have to show your ticket. In our case, she spoke a little English and asked us if we had the guide app downloaded and if I had warm clothes for the children, as it can be cold in the cave. As we have often visited various caves and underground sites in Lower Silesia in Poland, I knew that the temperature underground is lower than outside. However, not everyone knows this, and when you come to warm Spain you rarely think about the fact that you can get cold in a cave. I had my children’s sweatshirts ready, as admittedly it is not some great frost, but with an hour-long cave visit can be cold. If you also have some boots, it is worth putting them on.
The first part of the cave tour begins just behind the ticket checkpoint. There is an exhibition devoted to the geological aspects and interesting rock formations found here. Later, you descend the metal stairs into the cave.
Interesting fact – how was the cave discovered?
The Nerja cave was discovered by accident in 1959 by a group of local boys from the nearby village of Maro. The story of this discovery is fascinating and begins with a group of teenagers wanting to experience an adventure.
The boys – Francisco Navas, José Torres, Miguel Muñoz, Manuel Muñoz and José Luis Barbero – while exploring the area, decided to investigate a strange crevice they had discovered in the rocky terrain. Out of curiosity, they dropped a stone into it, and after a while they heard a deafening sound echoing, which suggested that there was a larger space beneath the ground. Being curious, they decided to try to go inside. Unfortunately, a large stalactite blocking the way was in their way. The next day they arrived here with their equipment to see what was behind it. They got inside the cave and were amazed by what they saw – huge underground galleries and stalactites and stalagmites with unusual shapes.
They reported their discovery to the local authorities, and soon the cave attracted the attention of archaeologists and geologists. Investigations began, which yielded remarkable discoveries – cave paintings, tools and other artefacts were found in the caves, proving that it was inhabited by prehistoric people, probably around 25,000 years ago.
Archaeological work began soon after the discovery of the cave and it soon became clear that the Cueva de Nerja was not only an impressive natural formation, but also an important historical and archaeological site. The cave contains some of the oldest cave paintings in Europe. Archaeologists have also found here the bones, tools and other everyday objects of prehistoric people, making it possible to reconstruct their lifestyle.
The discovery of the Cueva de Nerja became a landmark event and the cave quickly became internationally renowned.
The most important chambers you can see in the Nerja Cave
The Nerja Cave is made up of several impressive chambers that stretch for about 4 kilometres, although only part of it is accessible to tourists. The cave is divided into two main parts: the touristic part and the part not open to the public, where archaeological research is still ongoing.
- Hall of Wonders (Sala de los Fantasmas)
Also known as the Hall of Spirits, this chamber is the first place you see when entering the cave. The name comes from the fanciful shapes of the stalactites and stalagmites, which resemble ghostly figures. Honestly, this is where I got the biggest shock about how huge these rooms are.
- Hall of Cataclysms (Sala del Cataclismo)
This is one of the largest chambers in the cave and houses one of the largest stalagmites in the world, measuring around 32 metres high. The name of this hall comes from the traces of a great earthquake that occurred around 800,000 years ago. There are also unique rock formations and venues for concerts due to the excellent acoustics. The concerts are cyclical events so you can check if they will be held during your holiday.
- Hall of Waterfalls (Sala de los Cascadas)
This chamber delights with rock formations resembling frozen waterfalls. It is one of the more scenic rooms, where stalactites and stalagmites combine to form unusual shapes. Each of these rooms is numbered, so you will always be able to listen to their description on the app.
- Hall of Belén
This smaller chamber is named after the rock formations resembling the traditional Spanish Christmas Navity Scene, known as the ‘Belén’. This hall was named this way because some of the rocks resemble figurines in their form. So it is worth putting your imagination to work here.
- Hall of the Columns of Hercules (Sala de los Columnas de Hércules)
This hall is distinguished by the rock formations resembling the columns that gave it its name. This chamber is one of the highlights during the tour due to its spaciousness and powerful stalactite and stalagmite formations.
- Prehistoric Hall (Sala de la Torca)
This is a hall that acts as a kind of cave museum. It contains prehistoric cave paintings and artefacts that prove that the cave was inhabited by man thousands of years ago. It is an important site for archaeologists and an amazing opportunity for tourists to admire prehistoric art. I, unfortunately, have not seen the paintings… I have read that due to the increased tourist traffic, the paintings are not exposed continuously for tourists, as they could fade and disappear due to the artificial lighting and external factors.
The entire tour of the caves lasts about one hour. A bit of walking is required, so be prepared for a little physical activity. However, the route is completely suitable for tourists and there are no difficult elements to overcome. The biggest challenge are the stairs. Children can certainly cope with this route (our 2.5-year-old Czarek did just fine).
A virtual museum - an adventure in the 3D world
Quite recently, as part of a visit to the Nerja Cave, you can experience an adventure that takes you back to the dawn of history, when rapid geological changes formed the Nerja Cave.
Thanks to virtual reality, you will be able to experience a 3D journey of about 20 minutes. A 3D virtual museum that allows visitors to gain an even deeper understanding and experience of the history and geology of the Cueva de Nerja cave. This is a modern initiative to complement the classic cave tour and attract people who want to discover archaeological and natural treasures using modern technology.
The main objective of this innovative attraction is to increase accessibility and awareness of the cultural and natural heritage of the Nerja cave. The use of 3D and VR technology also allows for the preservation of delicate archaeological structures, while giving tourists the opportunity to explore the rich history of the site in a modern and engaging way.
The seance itself looks like this: you put on the VR goggles and sit on swivel chairs. In addition, headphones are placed over your ears so that you can completely immerse yourself in the virtual world. Our 5-year-old handled this attraction quite well – the younger one was sitting on my laps and I couldn’t participate fully in this expedition. Leon, however, really enjoyed the adventure in the virtual world and it is a really cool way to present the story of how the cave was created.
Playground and recreational area above the cave
The culmination of your adventure in the Nerja cave can be enjoyed in the playground located above the cave. This is a place where you can also have a small picnic and refreshments after your visit.
The playground is not large, but there is nothing to complain about boredom. There are slides, a small wooden castle and houses. The children will certainly enjoy it and it is a nice addition to a day full of adventures.
Right next to the playground is a recreational area with tables with a canopy where you can relax.
Nerja Caves tour summary
The Nerja Cave is undoubtedly one of the most interesting attractions you can see near Malaga. I think it’s worth setting aside some time and going here.
In addition, the town of Nerja itself is quite interesting to explore, so if you have a bit more time, we recommend driving up here too.
