Best caves in Santander

It is difficult to choose the best caves in Santander. Cantabria has the highest density of rock art on the planet: a total of sixty. But ten of them have been declared Heritage by UNESCO due to its anthropological value.

However, the number cited refers only to cavities that have rock art. In the autonomous community there are, approximately, other nine thousand who have enormous interest in their spectacular geological formations. Next, we are going to show you the best caves in Santander, making special reference to the first ones that we have mentioned.

Altamira cave

Inevitably, we must start any tour of the best caves in Santander with that of Altamira. Such is its value that access to the original cavity is very restricted. So that you can enjoy its forms and, above all, its paintings, a neocave that faithfully reproduces the authentic.

It is very close to the no less beautiful town of Santillana del Mar and has a unique set of rock art. In fact, it is known as «the Sistine Chapel of the Quaternary». Throughout its almost three hundred meters there are representations of animals such as bison, deer or horses, some of them large. However, it also has anthropomorphic figures and some abstract drawings.

These paintings are part of the call Franco-Cantabrian school, which is characterized by its realism. They are polychrome, with an abundance of black, red and ocher and there are also engravings. As for its discovery, it was coincidental. The Asturian discovered it Modest Cubillas while hunting in the area. However, the paintings were found by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola and his daughter, authentic disseminators of the importance of the cave.

Chufin Cave

Located near the town of Riclone, belonging to the municipality of rionansa, is also notable for its cave paintings. In their case, they are simple animal representations, specifically deer, bovids and goats. Likewise, you can see in it some symbols such as those called Canes.

It is estimated that the paintings were made about twenty thousand years ago, although the cave was occupied until around eighteen thousand years ago, during the period Upper Solutrean. If we can see it today, we owe it to the photographer Manuel de Cos Borbolla, who discovered it in the mid-XNUMXth century.

Covalanas Cave

Located in the municipality of Branches of Victory, is included in a group of caves in the area. It is known as Ramales archaeological zone and almost all of those that make up it were found by the priest Lorenzo Sierra and the archaeologist Hermilio Alcalde del Río.

The entrance to Covalanas is through a large rock shelter. Afterwards, the cavity is divided into two almost parallel galleries, but the cave paintings are on the right. Red zoomorphic figures predominate among them, especially deer, although there is also a horse and an aurochs. You can visit it accompanied by a guide.

El Pendo, one of the best caves in Santander

You will find this cavity in Escobedo de Camargo, very close to the beautiful bay of Santander. The first one to inspect it was the aforementioned Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola, although the main archaeological excavations were later and were carried out by Jesús Carballo, Julio Martínez Santaolalla and others.

These surveys not only made it possible to discover his pictorial works, but also to find numerous pieces from Prehistory such as, for example, the so-called Venus of Pendo, a pendant made from deer antler.

It is among the best caves in Santander both for its enormous dimensions and for the value of its cave paintings. These were made with iron oxide and mainly reproduce deer, although there are also a goat, a horse and a possible aurochs, as well as various symbols. However, new images are still being found. Thus, in 1997 an entire frieze dated about twenty thousand years ago was found.

Hornos de la Peña

It is located on a mountain near the town of top, in the municipality of San Felices de Buelna. In addition, it is very close to the Monte Castillo complex, which we will tell you about later. It is the only one open to the public where you can see engravings and it was discovered in 1903.

It is considered the cave where The last Neanderthals inhabited the north of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as, later, the first sapiens. As for its paintings, notable among them is a horse and a headless bison that are in the first of its two rooms. For its part, in the second you can see more than thirty figures of animals such as aurochs, goats and, equally, bison and horses.

They were made with the fingers on the clay or with a burin, making engravings on the rock. But more important is that you know that some of these paintings are the oldest on the Cantabrian coast, since they are due to the Aurignacian culture (about forty thousand years ago).

Garma Cave

In this case, the geological value and that of its cave paintings are combined. Because this cavity is located in the karst complex of Mount Garma, so called because of the abundant formations of this type that it presents. You will find it among the towns of Omono y Carriazo, which belong, respectively, to the municipalities of Ribamontán al Monte y Ribamontan to the Sea.

The cave has three floors and the access is on the upper floor. The first thing you will see is a kind of lobby and then, through its sinuous gallery, you reach a chasm from which you go to the second floor, which is larger. Likewise, a chasm leads to the lower floor, which has large corridors and rooms. As we told you, all of them present capricious karst formations.

As for the paintings, they were made in black and red and represent figures of animals such as deer, goats, horses or bovids. Likewise, it is a large site of objects belonging to the Upper Paleolithic.

Monte Castillo Caves

This geological and rock group is located in the municipal area of Viesgo Bridge. It is made up of four cavities: Las Monedas, Las Chimeneas, La Pasiega and El Castillo. Of less importance is the Arrow Cave, although an archaeological site has also been found there.

The cavity of The Castle It is also one of the best caves in Santander, both for its rock value and its historical importance. In fact, human evidence from the last one hundred and fifty thousand years has been found in its lobby. Among them, samples of a possible coexistence between the last Neanderthals and the primitive sapiens. Their cave paintings are also very important because they present wide variety of techniques and styles. As for the theme, it is above all zoological, with representations of bison, horses and deer. But there are also hands and enigmatic symbols.

About six hundred meters from it is the cave of the Coins. As a curiosity, we will tell you that its name comes from the fact that it housed a batch of coins from the time of the Catholic kings. His paintings depict bears, horses and goats in black tones.

As well The Chimneys It owes its name to a curious circumstance. In this case, it refers to the two karst chimneys that connect its upper floor with the lower one. The latter is the interesting one, since the first is little more than a labyrinth. On the ground floor there are paintings depicting deer and other animals. In addition, remains of utensils made of flint have been found there.

Finally, the La Pasiega cave It has a main gallery that measures seventy meters and from which other shorter and winding secondary ones emerge. Likewise, it had six exits, but four have been blocked. As for its cave manifestations, they are figures of animals such as horses or deer, but there are also several abstract signs. Currently, this cavity remains closed. To visit it, you will have to request a permit to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports of Cantabria.

Cueva del Soplao, also among the best caves in Santander for its geological value

The ten cavities that we have mentioned so far are those declared a World Heritage Site for their historical and rock value. But now we are going to talk to you about Soplao as the greatest exponent of the caves that have a enormous geological interest. In fact, for this reason it is considered unique worldwide.

Not in vain, it has a length of approximately twenty kilometers under the Arnero mountain range, although you can only visit four. Due to its size, it is distributed among the municipalities of Herrerías, Valdáliga and Ríonansa. Curiously, his discovery was accidental while mining drilling was being carried out. In fact, the tour begins in one of the mine's galleries. The journey is also made in a small railway and allows you to discover an incredible succession of whimsical rock formations. There are many stalactites (some eccentric), stalagmites, flowstones or columns.

In conclusion, we have shown you the best caves in Santander. But there are many others. Among those of geological value, they also stand out those of Cullalvera and Sopeña. For their part, those of rock importance are complemented by cavities such as those of the Porquerizo, the Fuente de Salín, Micolón or Las Aguas. Come and discover this impressive heritage that it offers you Cantabria and that is just one of its many wonders.