The Canelobre Caves, visit the depths of the earth in Alicante

A highly recommended visit if you are staying at any of our hotels in Benidorm, is to visit the Cuevas de Canelobre, (Candelabra caves) an excursion that will impress both adults and children. The Canelobre Caves in Busot, are one of the top tourist points in the province of Alicante.

You will feel like Axel, the protagonist of the book by Jules Verne “Journey to the centre of the earth” and enjoy the thousands of secrets guarded in the depths of the caves of the Sierra Cabezón de Oro.

Canelobre Caves

In the bowels of the Sierra Cabeçó D'Or, as it is called in Valencian, and with a history of millions of years, it is 700 meters deep, this wonderful karst cavity of 80,000 square meters.

Inside these amazing caves, you will be able to admire various limestone rock formations, from the Upper Jurassic period, which have been moulded over the years due to its contact with water.

Depending on the imagination of the visitor you will observe the bizarre shapes of stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstones... which will remind you of different objects, animals or architectural elements.

This grotto was discovered in the 8th century by the Arabs, during the civil war it was partly destroyed by the republican side to use this lair as workshops for aircraft engines, at which point the current access tunnel to the caves was drilled.

The Canelobre Caves were opened to the public in the 60s, when thousands of tourists and speleologists visited this natural wonder, visits that have not stopped since then with a great influx of public.

So Impressive is its vault, one of the largest in Spain, 70 meters in height, very similar to the vault of a cathedral, and in whose centre is located El Canelobre, (the candelabra) a stalagmite of more than 100,000 years that gives its name to the caves. Similarly, inside the vault you can also see a column over 25 meters high called La Sagrada Familia for its similarity to the work of Gaudí.

Timetables, prices and activities:

The Canelobre Caves can be visited during winter time (from September 1^st to June 30^th) Tuesday to Friday from 10:30 am to 16:50 pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10:30 am to 17:50 pm. While in summer time (from July 1^st to August 31^st) the caves can be visited every day of the week from 10:30 a.m. to 19:30 p.m. In Holy Week it is open every day from 10:30 am to 18:30 pm, except for Saturday and Sunday after Easter, which it will be open until 15:00 p.m. The caves will remain closed on December 25, January 1 and the day of San Vicente (Monday after Easter).

These guided tours can be done in several languages and last approximately 45 minutes. So, hiking in the Sierra Cabezón de Oro, going to admire the incredible views from its viewpoint and combining it with the visit to the caves is a more than desirable plan to spend a day with family or friends.

Canelobre Caves offer us a combined visit, that is to say a two for one, since through the same entrance you can visit the caves and the Museum of Ethnic Music located in the centre of the municipality of Busot in front of the Church of San Lorenzo Mártir, where you will find a select sample of more than 4,000 musical instruments from different eras, cultures and countries, instruments belonging to one of the greatest collectors of ethnic instruments in the world.

The prices of these combined visits are 7€ for adults, children between 5 and 14 years old 3.50€, while children under 5 have free admission, there are also special prices for groups (minimum 20 people), retirees, Carnet Jove or TIU with a price reduction of 4.50€.

This is your opportunity if you like caving, since in addition to the guided tours where they will explain to you the history of the cavern, these caves have enabled areas for the practice of speleology. You just have to call Busot City Hall and ask for authorization.

The Busot Caves are an emblem for the town, so it is not surprising that there are many important events in the life of the municipality, such as presentations of the captaincies of the Moors and Christians or orchestral concerts.

In fact, in the caves, you can find many organized activities, of which you can attend and admire not only the beauty and uniqueness of the site, but also its magnificent acoustics which you will enjoy through concerts, poetry recitals, theatres... organised by the Department of Culture of the locality.

How to get to Canelobre Caves:

The caves are located 23 km from Alicante, 31 km from Villajoyosa, so if you stay at our hotel in Villajoyosa you are also very close, and 48 km from Benidorm.

If you are coming from Benidorm, you have two options to get to the caves, taking the AP7 towards Alicante or taking the N-332, the difference between both roads is only 3 minutes, although the national road depends on daily traffic; the journey lasts approximately 38 mins.

If you take the motorway towards Alicante, you will have to come off at exit 676 of the AP-7, to leave the motorway towards El Campello, when you reach the roundabout take the third exit and continue along the Ctra. Alicante-Valencia / N-332 and at the next roundabout you should take the first exit towards Av. Del Vincle / CV-777. Continue straight until you see the exit to the right to CV-773 a few meters at the roundabout you must then go off on the CV-774 exit that will take you the CV-776 exit to the right, where you will in a short time, be at your destination, the enigmatic Busot Caves.

So make a note of this trip in your diary; Do not miss going to the depths of the earth, feel yourself in a landscape designed by Tolkien, with more than 140 million years of history and enjoy a different day in which you will be entertained from the first minute.

Have we convinced you? Tell us all about it...