If you are planning a holiday in the province of Málaga, visiting the Ardales Cave can be a highly enriching excursion. In this post, we explain why this natural grotto is special and how the visit must be conducted, as it is subject to very strict access regulations for conservation purposes.
Location and Value of the Cave
Although it is often called the Calinoria Cave after the hill where it is located, or Trinidad Grund Cave after the landowner following its discovery in the 19th century, it is better known as the Ardales Cave because it is located in the municipality of Ardales, situated in the foothills of the Sierra de las Nieves, very close to the Caminito del Rey (approximately 10 km away), and not far from Ronda (approximately 45 km) or Málaga (approximately 60 km), making a visit to the cave an excellent complement for those traveling through these destinations of tourist interest.
The Cave has an evident visual appeal due to its spectacular rock formations. It also has enormous geological value: it is a very extensive and ramified karst system with five large spaces (chambers and galleries), whose ceiling reaches 27 meters in some areas. The stalactites in the Hall of the Stars are particularly noteworthy, so named for the brilliant reflections produced by calcium carbonate particles.
And of course, it has extraordinary value for the rock art preserved here, thanks to the fact that access to the grotto was naturally sealed 8,000 years ago. These are paintings and engravings from the Paleolithic period, making them among the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula (some may be around 60,000 years old, which would make them much older than the famous paintings of Altamira and Lascaux). In total, there are more than 1,000 compositions, with such unique examples as hands printed by airbrushing (blown pigments).
The interior of the cave, approximately 1.6 km (not all of which is accessible), has constant environmental conditions that have allowed the preservation of the paintings to the present day: a temperature of approximately 17°C throughout the year and high humidity.
Can the Ardales Cave Be Visited?
The major difference compared to other Paleolithic rock art grottoes is that the Ardales Cave can be visited. However, to preserve it in the best possible condition, access conditions are highly restricted. First, regarding the number of people: only 15 visitors per day are permitted, so it is very common for tickets for a particular date to sell out. One of the main objectives of this measure is to preserve the environmental conditions inside the grotto, so as not to alter the aforementioned temperature or relative humidity.
Additionally, there are significant restrictions for those who do access the cave. For example, entry is not permitted for children under 8 or adults over 70, nor is the use of trekking poles, and photographs and videos are not allowed, not even without flash.
Finally, private visits are not permitted; access is only possible with the official site guides, who are responsible for providing explanations. These explanations are in Spanish, and occasionally some information can be provided in English.
The entrance to the site is located 3.7 km from the visitor reception center, where there is also a free interpretive space that allows you to learn additional details before or after visiting the Ardales Cave. The entrance fee to the grotto is €5 per person (price valid in 2026; please check for any changes).
Photo: JamesNarmer, CC BY-SA 4.0
