About thirty thousand years ago, modern man began to paint in Europe. In caves such as Chauvet,…read moreAltamira, and Cueva de las Piletas pictographs from that time period can be seen (though not necessarily by the public). Granted, the number of 30,000 year old pictographs in this cave is limited, but the younger art--12,000-25,000 years old--makes this one of the more significant Paleolithic art sites in the world.
Another thing that makes this cave unique is that you can tour it for a paltry sum under the guidance of one of the descendants of the discoverer of the cave, Sr. Bullon. It is truly an authentic experience, with the only improvements being stairs cut into the bedrock of the cave. Lighting is only what is carried in (recommend you bring your own, as the electric lanterns do little other than prevent tripping). The cave contains a good assortment of formations, including flowstone draperies, wedding cakes, and the like. A "living" cave (water still depositing formation), you are rightly asked not to touch anything--no surprise given that this is called the Cave of the Pools after all.
The tours are irregularly timed, the best bet is to arrive by 10am. The steep climb to the entrance is test enough of the physical requirements, but be forewarned that the cave is fairly slippery, as caves are wont to be. Caver approved.
