Caves of Nerja, Spain: opening hours, tickets, the festival

Know before you go

The practical bit

Hours: 09:15 to 16:30 (last entry 15:30) most of the year. 09:15 to 17:30 (last entry 16:30) June to September, Christmas, Holy Week and holiday long weekends. Closed 1 Jan, 6 Jan, 15 May and 25 Dec.
Tickets: Buy at entradas.cuevadenerja.es for a timed entry; online is cheaper and avoids the queue. No refunds or exchanges. Discounts need ID at the gate. The Museo de Nerja is included.
Accessibility: The visit takes about 50 minutes and involves 458 steps. Not recommended for reduced mobility or heart conditions. No pushchairs; guide dogs only.
Status: Concerts are no longer held inside the cave: the foundation banned performances inside in December 2019. The festival uses the open-air Manuel del Campo auditorium in the gardens. Its 2026 status is unclear.
Getting there: Ctra. de Maro s/n, in Maro, about 3 km from Nerja towards Granada. 58 km from Málaga (about 48 minutes) by the A-7. Tourist train from Nerja, ALSA bus (stop 'Nerja (Cuevas)') or car.
When to go: Quietest between 10:00 and 11:30. The audio guide is a free app in 15 languages, including English.
Official: Official site and tickets → (cuevadenerja.es)

Checked on 15 October 2026 against the venue's own site. Times, prices and routes change: confirm before you travel.

In the room

The experience

The Cueva de Nerja is a cave system about five million years old, opened to the public by a music festival in June 1960. For decades the concerts were held inside; the last show in the Sala de la Cascada was on 27 July 2019. In December 2019 the foundation ruled out performances inside the cave to protect it. The festival moved to the Auditorio Manuel del Campo, an open-air stage in the gardens by the entrance. Recent figures give it roughly 2,700 places. It is one of the oldest festivals of its kind in Spain; only Santander, Granada and Nerja remain. The cave visit is why most people come. It takes about 50 minutes and 458 steps, with a free audio-guide app in 15 languages. The Museo de Nerja is included in the ticket. The quietest time is 10:00 to 11:30. A 2026 edition was announced in June with no dates; whether it took place is unconfirmed.

Gallery

Three frames

Limestone formations in the Caves of Nerja — Jl FilpoC, CC BY-SA 4.0

Towering columns in the cave — José Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0

A tall stone column in the cave — Viktar Palstsiuk, CC BY-SA 4.0

Insider tip

Walk in knowing

Buy a timed ticket at entradas.cuevadenerja.es before you go: it is cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Aim for 10:00 to 11:30, the quietest slot, and wear shoes fit for 458 steps.

Why it fits

Why it is in the atlas

A cave system five million years in the making. A music festival began inside it in 1960 and now plays in the gardens beside it. Beautiful music in a beautiful place, with the cave visit itself the main event.

Plan the trip

When to go, hours, getting there

Best time to go

The cave: quietest 10:00 to 11:30. The festival: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 July to the first Sunday of August in the standard pattern, about 10 concerts a year. Check cuevadenerja.es for the current edition; the 2026 status is unconfirmed.

Hours

09:15 to 16:30, last entry 15:30, most of the year. 09:15 to 17:30, last entry 16:30, from June to September, at Christmas, in Holy Week and on public-holiday long weekends. Closed 1 January, 6 January, 15 May and 25 December. No refunds or exchanges.

Getting there

Ctra. de Maro s/n, 29787 Maro (Nerja), Málaga; +34 952 529 520. 58 km from Málaga (about 48 minutes) and 91 km from Granada (about 1 hour) via the A-7. From Nerja it is about 3 km on the N-340 towards Granada. Tourist train from Nerja (combined ticket online), ALSA bus to 'Nerja (Cuevas)', or car. On-site parking is charged by the minute: €0.030 for the first 90 minutes, then €0.021.

Straight from the source

Official site and tickets

Official site and tickets →

Dates and tickets come from the venue itself. Opens cuevadenerja.es in a new tab.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What are the Nerja Caves opening hours?

09:15 to 16:30 with last entry at 15:30 for most of the year. From June to September, at Christmas, in Holy Week and on public-holiday long weekends it is 09:15 to 17:30, last entry 16:30. Closed on 1 January, 6 January, 15 May and 25 December.

Are concerts still held inside the Nerja Caves?

No. The last festival show inside the cave was on 27 July 2019. In December 2019 the foundation ruled out performances inside for conservation reasons. The festival now uses the open-air Manuel del Campo auditorium in the gardens by the entrance.

How do I get to the Nerja Caves from Málaga?

Drive 58 km east on the A-7, about 48 minutes, to Maro. By bus, take ALSA and select the stop 'Nerja (Cuevas)'. From Nerja town the cave is about 3 km towards Granada, with a tourist train that sells a combined ticket.

How long is the Nerja Caves visit?

About 50 minutes, with 458 steps. It is not recommended for people with reduced mobility or heart conditions, and pushchairs cannot go in. A free audio-guide app in 15 languages covers the route.

Is there parking at the Nerja Caves?

Yes, on site, for cars, motorbikes and caravans. It is charged by the minute: €0.030 per minute for the first 90 minutes, then €0.021 per minute. On festival nights there are 800 spaces plus shuttle buses and the tourist train.

Where are the Caves of Nerja?

At Ctra. de Maro s/n, 29787 Maro, in the hamlet of Maro about 3 km from Nerja towards Granada, on the Málaga coast. Phone +34 952 529 520.

Why are the Caves of Nerja in the Sonic Paths atlas?

A five-million-year-old cave opened by a music festival in 1960, one of the oldest of its kind in Spain. The concerts now play in the gardens, but the cave visit remains the point.

On the atlas