4 hour(s) 30 minute(s)
English
Included
Visit Monte Castillo in Puente Viesgo, a key site for prehistoric art
Explore two UNESCO-listed caves: El Castillo and Las Monedas
Learn about the coexistence of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in El Castillo
Scenic walk through Puente Viesgo’s river, spa, and historic sites
€ 110
€ 101.20
Free cancellation and unlimited rescheduling leads to total flexibility while you plan your travels
Lowest Price Guarantee — no other provider offers this tour for less
Step into the deep past with a visit to Puente Viesgo, a charming Cantabrian village that holds some of Europe’s most fascinating prehistoric treasures. After hotel pickup, we’ll journey to Monte Castillo, home to the UNESCO-listed caves of El Castillo and Las Monedas. These caves are globally recognized for their extraordinary rock art and archaeological significance, dating back tens of thousands of years.
Our visit begins in the Cave of El Castillo, discovered in 1903, where some of the oldest known cave paintings in the world adorn the walls. You'll marvel at negative handprints—many believed to be of women—ancient depictions of animals, and even one of the earliest known constellations. This cave offers a rare glimpse into the lives of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, who once coexisted here. Then we’ll explore the Cave of Las Monedas, famous for its charcoal animal drawings and stunning geological formations like stalactites and stalagmites that paint the cave in natural hues.
To round out the experience, we’ll stroll through Puente Viesgo itself, enjoying views of the lush Pas River, the town’s historic church and town hall, and its famous thermal spa, which has shaped the village's identity over time. This tour offers a captivating blend of ancient art, natural beauty, and cultural charm—perfect for anyone drawn to the mysteries of human history.
English and Spanish speaking guide
Transportation in air-contitioned minivan
Hotel pick-up in Santander
Entrance fee to El Castillo Cave
Entrance fee to Las Monedas Cave
Meal and beverage
Gratuities
Non-slip shoes
Jacket
Cave tour in Spanish with English translation
Minimum 4 participants required for the excursion
Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Type in your hotel/accommodation to see how far the attraction or departure point is.
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Anna gave us an exceptional tour of the prehistoric art in the cave. Her deep knowledge, engaging storytelling, and passion brought the history to life in a way that was both educational and unforgettable. She made the experience truly special, and we feel very fortunate to have learned from her. Thank you, Anna—we will treasure this experience for a lifetime!
This is the top of my Spain visit. Wow, impressed by the knowledge of the guides, the flexibility and the explanation. Meet the artist of thousands years ago. Although I belief the hands are more a prize for killing an animal, 'Hey Juan, you just killed a deer again. Put your hand on the rock and we will all remember you as the deer hunter'. The dots also puzzles me. Perhaps a stick was put beneath a dot, counting the days that the hunters were gone. Every day we move the stick further. I am impressed also to do this. I tried it myself with charcoal on a rock but a mistake is not easily erased.
In these caves you are still able to enter and see the real paintings unlike in Altamira
Unreal feeling of experiencing the meticulously preserved world of our early ancestors and distant relatives (neanderthals) and finding traces of their continual artistic expression and creativity from at least 40,000 to 13,000 years ago. The paintings may not be as spectacular as in Altamira, but the feeling you get from seeing an authentic bison sketch or a hand print that a paleolitic human created thousands of years ago cannot be compared with experiencing replicas of Altamira or Lascaux that are open for the public. The cave itself is very large and spectacularly beautiful inside, with stalactites creating beautiful patterns and shapes. The area surrounding the cave is also very scenic. The tours are guided in very small groups and by reservation only (can be done on their web site) and by default in Spanish only. However, the guide was so incredibly kind and knowledgeable and spoke so clearly that my basic Spanish was enough to understand most of the explanations. He claimed he didn't speak English and then answered all my questions and provided translations of the most important information during the tour in perfect English. When Spaniards tell you they don't speak English, they mean they dont speak it as well as their native language ;) It is incredible how much insight about the past scientists can glean from the paintings thanks to the modern technology, but it is even more mind boggling how much we dont know - the guide pointed out many curious tidbits that leave you wondering about the meaning and the purpose that motivated the early humans to create those masterpieces. From what I understand it is possible to ask for an English language tour if you contact the office well in advance. Sadly, photo/video is not allowed inside the cave. Tip - it is quite cold inside, so bring a jacket. Also, there is no coffee shop, only vending machine that doesn't accept credit cards, coins only. A bit disappointing, but what do you expect from a paleolitic cave?
We booked the tickets in advance as there is a limit on the number of people for each tour. The visitors center is on the way to the cave but we drove directly to the cave. They want everybody to collect tickets in the visitors centre so few people has to go back. We were lucky we had the tickets in the mobile but they warned is the office at the entry of the cave may close soon. It doesn’t make any sense. Guides are nice but tours are only in Spanish that doesn’t make much se se either. Inside the cave can be slippery.
