Wonders · Sierra de Cazorla

Cueva del Agua de Tíscar

The Cueva del Agua is a limestone grotto below the Sanctuary of Tíscar near Quesada, where the Río Tíscar falls into a pool inside a narrow cleft, reached by stairs and a 10 m tunnel.

About Cueva del Agua de Tíscar

The Cueva del Agua is a narrowing of the Río Tíscar where water has cut the limestone of the Peña Negra so tightly that the gorge closes into a cave. Inside, the stream falls into a pool among stalactites and columns, with mosses and ferns on the damp walls. Above stand the Sanctuary of Tíscar and a small 14th-century castle of Muslim origin.

From the car park, steps lead to a low tunnel about 10 m long, built for an irrigation channel, where most adults must stoop. Stairs then drop to a viewpoint facing the cave and a platform beside the waterfall, where a small image of the Virgin stands among candles. Tradition says she appeared here in 1319 to Mahomad Abdón, ruler of Tíscar.

Take the A-6206 from Quesada towards Pozo Alcón for about 13 km; past the tunnel under the sanctuary, a lane on the right winds 500 m down to a car park for some 15 cars. Entry is free and the path is only 60 m, but the steps are steep and wet, so wear non-slip shoes and watch children. It is not accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs.

The waterfall is strongest after winter and spring rain. Around midday the light reaches deepest into the cleft. Go on a weekday to avoid pilgrim crowds, and look up at the Peña Negra for mountain goats and vultures.

Cueva del Agua de Tíscar in pictures

Looking down on a railed viewing platform, mossy rocks and the stream at the Cueva del Agua de Tíscar, Quesada

Mossy rock walls and a stairway seen from inside the grotto of the Cueva del Agua de Tíscar, Quesada

What you’ll find

Car parkParkingFree
ViewpointSightseeingFree
WaterfallWaterfall viewingFree

Nearby places to visit

Tíscar sits on the southern edge of the natural park, 13 km from Quesada, the town where the Guadalquivir rises and home to a museum of the painter Rafael Zabaleta. To the north, the Cerrada del Utrero (19 km) has a waterfall dropping into a Guadalquivir gorge, and the Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías (31 km) trail leads to timber walkways in a deeper canyon. South across the Granada border, the reservoir beaches of Playas del Negratín (25 km) and Playa de Freila (25 km) are good for a summer swim. Úbeda's St John of the Cross Museum (40 km) is the nearest major cultural visit.