Rupestrian Art:
El Castillo & Monedas Caves
Half-day tour to visit the famous caves with the rock art of Monte Castillo and
discover the best landscapes of the Valles Pasiegos
€ 65 pers.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Visit the Cave of El Castillo or Cave of the Hands
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Visit the cave of Las Monedas
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Walk around Puente Viesgo and Vega de Pas
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Love the panoramic views that this area gives you
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Visit the Interpretation Centre of Rupestrial Art
BASIC INFORMATION
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Duration: 5 h
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Pick-up points: at your Hotel in Santander or at the Pabellon Municipal de la Habana Vieja,Torrelavega.
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Languages: Spanish, English, Italian
(the tour is bilingual)
TOUR DESCRIPTION
After picking you up from your hotel, we will head to Puente Viesgo, home to the impressive Monte Castillo, to explore the renowned caves of El Castillo and Las Monedas. This site holds immense significance in the world of prehistoric art, as it houses four caves designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008 due to the importance of their ancient cave paintings.
We will start with the Cave of El Castillo, discovered in 1903 by Hermilio Alcalde del Río. Its paintings, considered some of the oldest in the world, include the iconic negative hand stencils, primarily female, one of the earliest known depictions of a constellation, and representations of animals that coexisted with the humans who inhabited the cave. Archaeological studies have revealed that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens cohabited this cave—an extraordinary occurrence in prehistory.
Next, we will visit the Cave of Las Monedas, famous for its delicate charcoal drawings of animals from the Magdalenian period. While it features fewer artistic periods than El Castillo, this cave stands out for its geological significance, offering a stunning display of stalactites, stalagmites, and other fascinating formations that create a mesmerizing interplay of colors and textures.
Finally, we will take a short walk through the charming village of Puente Viesgo, exploring its greenway, the picturesque Pas River, the historic town hall, its church, and the iconic Puente Viesgo spa, which has played a key role in the development of this quaint inland village.
If you’re visiting Cantabria and have a passion for prehistoric art, this tour is an absolute must. It’s a perfect blend of history, nature, and culture in a truly unique setting!
Included
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Tour leader/ driver
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Pick up/drop off at your hotel in Santander
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Private transportation in Minivan
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Entrance fee to El Castillo cave.
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Entrance fee to Las Monedas cave.
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Taxes
Not Included
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Food Drink
Recommendations
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Warm clothes for visiting the caves
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Comfortable non-slip footwear
Please notice:
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The final confirmation of this reservation is subject to the availability of tickets to visit the caves. The cave visit is conducted exclusively in Spanish, but your guide will provide English translation for you.
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This is a recommended excursion for all ages, but not for people with mobility problems
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You must be at the meeting point at least 5 minutes before departure time.
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A minimum of 4 participants is required for the excursion to proceed. The company reserves the right to cancel the trip if the group does not reach the minimum number of participants or if the weather conditions are not favorable. In such case, you would be given the option of a full refund or change of tour date.
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For groups of at least 4 people we can do this excursion on other days outside the program (only from 11/15 to 06/15). Always subject to availability and keeping the tour open to other reservations.
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If you want to book this tour as a private tour, please contact us so we can make you a proposal. Private tours give you the possibility to choose the date of the tour, the place / time of pick-up as well as to make modifications to the initial program (eg combine it with the visit to the Altamira Museum).
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You can cancel this reservation free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of the tour.