Nerja Caves: Europe’s oldest tourist attraction

NERJA holds a treasure trove dating back 40,000 years, far earlier than previously believed. The coveted marvel? The Nerja Caves, are revered as Europe’s oldest tourist attraction. Unearthed only 64 years ago, these cave formations had already been frequented by our ancestors millennia before.

Archaeological Revelations: The Surprising Timeline

Recent revelations, using carbon dating by researchers from the University of Córdoba, unveiled that humans first ventured into these caverns 41,291 years ago—shattering previous estimations by a staggering 10,000 years. Lead investigator Marián Medina speculated diverse motives for these visits, pondering whether they were for artistic reasons or pure admiration of the caves’ grandeur.

Exploring Nerja Caves: A Visitor’s Guide

Since their rediscovery in 1959, the Nerja Caves have emerged as a popular Spanish tourist destination, spanning an expansive public gallery of 140,000 square meters. Located 5 kilometres from the town centre and a mere kilometre from Maro, this historic cavern was designated an Artistic Historical Monument in 1961.

Divided into three sections—the Tourist Galleries or Lower Galleries, the Upper Galleries (discovered in 1960), and the New Galleries (known since 1969)—the cave undergoes continual expansion.

Open year-round except on January 1 and May 15, the Nerja Caves usually welcome visitors from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, albeit with varying schedules.

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