Top 20 Caves 칸타브리아 산맥

A small cave in the Serra do Courel, surrounded by legends and wild landscapes. A natural refuge for foxes and shepherds, it's now a curious stop for those seeking unique spots. Cyclist tip: you'll have to leave your bike behind and walk a bit, but the adventure is worth it.

Interesting spot, possibly full of pilgrims

The hermitage's surroundings are impressive, with rock formations dating back millions of years. The route to the hermitage is ideal for hiking and nature lovers, offering spectacular views and a unique experience. 😊

The Hermitage of the Virgin of Manadero is a rock sanctuary located in Piedrasecha, León. It is located in the Cueva de las Palomas, a place of great natural and spiritual beauty. The hermitage is dedicated to the Virgin of Manadero and is a point of interest on the Desfiladero de los Calderones route.

The route begins in the village of Piedrasecha and passes several points of interest, such as the Manadero spring and the Cueva de las Palomas, where the shrine of the Virgen del Manadero is located. The gorge is known for its natural beauty and its geological, biological, and scenic value.

The Calderones Gorge is located in Piedrasecha, in the province of León. It's a spectacular hiking trail that traverses a gorge so narrow that in several sections you can touch both rock faces just by stretching out your arms.

The Playa de las Catedrales, known in Galician as Praia das Catedrais, is an impressive natural monument located on the coast of the province of Lugo, in Galicia, Spain. Its official name is Playa de Aguas Santas, but it is popularly known as Playa de las Catedrales due to the appearance of its cliffs, which are reminiscent of the arches and vaults of a cathedral.

The Altamira Cave covers an area of more than 5500 m². It was used from 33,600 BC until the entrance collapsed in 11,000 BC. The particularly impressive ceiling paintings are dated to the period 16,500 to 13,000 BC.[3] The cave was discovered in 1868 by a hunter due to the disappearance of a hunting dog, who immediately reported the discovery to the lord of Santillana,[2] the naturalist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola (1831–1888). The paintings were discovered by Sautuola's five-year-old daughter Maria, who was able to walk upright through the cave and made out images of "cattle" on the ceiling.[2] Marcelino began systematically digging in the cave in 1879[2] and published a short description of the "prehistoric objects in the province of Santander". Even the Spanish King Alfonso XII was invited into the cave. However, the academic world doubted the authenticity of the cave paintings.[2] The French prehistorian Émile Cartailhac described the paintings as a "vulgar prank by a scribbler" that he and his contemporaries did not even want to look at. The discovery had to wait almost 23 years for recognition. It was only when similar paintings were discovered in the Font-de-Gaume cave near Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil in the Dordogne department (France) in 1901 that the attitude of French researchers and Cartailhac, who became the symbol of archaeological ignorance, changed. Cartailhac apologized posthumously to the Marquis de Sautuola in an essay in 1902 ("Mea culpa" d'un sceptique[4]).