Cueva de los Murciélagos de Zuheros

About Cueva de los Murciélagos de Zuheros

The Cueva de los Murciélagos opens at 976 m on the Sierra de Cabra, in the Sierras Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark. With more than 3,300 m of surveyed passages and a depth of 75.5 m, it is the largest known cave in Córdoba province. A skeleton found in 1938 in its deepest part was shown by DNA in 2018 to be a farmer who lived 7,245 years ago.

Guided groups of up to 30 follow a 415 m route with 700 steps, descending 65 m through halls of flowstone and columns. The best-known formation, El Espárrago, is a 4 m stalagmite fed by a stalactite only 10 cm long. Excavations showed that farming reached Andalucía a millennium earlier than once believed, and schematic paintings have been found inside.

Drive 4 km up the signed road from Zuheros to the Ecomuseo, 200 m before the entrance, with the ticket office and parking. Booking is required Tuesday to Friday and advised at weekends; arrive 25 minutes early. No photography, food or animals. With 700 steps the tour is unsuitable for wheelchairs or people with heart, leg or claustrophobia problems.

The cave is closed on Mondays except holidays. It stays cool inside all year, so bring a warm layer and shoes with grip, even in August. The €11 Visita Cultural ticket adds Zuheros's archaeological museum, castle and folk museum.

What you’ll find

• Access permitEntry permitApply
• Car parkParkingFree
• Show caveGuided cave tour (€6–€8, 11:00–16:30)Ticket
• Visitor centreVisitor informationFree

Nearby places to visit

The cave sits on the mountain directly behind Zuheros, a white village crowned by its castle. About 4 km down the road, at the foot of the village, the Cañón del Río Bailón trail enters a limestone canyon with cliffs and caves. Below Zuheros, the Vía Verde del Aceite crosses the river on an old railway viaduct and is popular with cyclists. In Cabra, the Municipal Archaeological Museum Cabra (14 km) and the Museum of the Passion (14 km) are a short drive away, and Priego de Córdoba's Adolfo Lozano Sidro House Museum (15 km) shows the work of a local painter. Rute's Anís Museum (24 km) ends with a tasting.