The ‘Coves de Canelobre’ (Coves de Canelobre means ‘Candelabra Caves’ in Spanish) in Busot attracts many thousands of visitors looking for enjoyable things to do in Alicante every year.

Spain’s largest and deepest cave system, located only 24km from the city near the little town of Busot, the Caves of Canelobre afford a cool escape from the summer heat and the opportunity to observe some startling limestone formations in a 141-step-down cathedral-esque cavern, impressive for its sheer size. Remember to take a sweater as it can be cold inside the caves even at the height of the summer, as they are at a constant 17°.

The caves are less than an hour’s car hire drive from the Drivalia car rental depot at Alicante Airport: follow the N332 toward Campello and the CV-776 to Busot – the location is well signposted and you can park comfortably and free of charge. There are also picnic areas set up around the entrance to the caves as well as public toilets and a souvenir shop with plenty of cool memorabilia to choose from. If you have children with you and you are looking for things to do in Alicante, it’s a relaxing way to spend an afternoon and there is plenty for them to see.

Access

Access is only available to visitors who are part of a guided tour which costs 6€ for adults, 3.50€ for pensioners and 2.50€ for children aged 5 – 12 years: under 5s enter free. Tickets are available only from the on-site ticket office. There are tours available throughout the day, each tour lasting around 40 – 45 minutes.

During the winter – 16th September to 30th June – the caves are open from 10.30am to 4.50pm and during Spanish holidays from 10.30am to 5.50pm. In summer the caves open from 1st July to 15th September from 10.30am to 7.30pm. Opening hours and other information may be checked at the official website of the caves at www.cuevasdecanelobre.com

Unique and Exotic

The caves are cleverly illuminated so the weird rock formations are beautifully showcased. The stalactites and stalagmites loom from the ceiling and grow out of the ground, forming awesome and wonderfully exotic shapes that resemble wild animals, objects and even sea life. The limestone changes at a rate of only 1cm per 100 years so you can be sure it will still be there for a while to come!

During the Spanish Civil War of 1936 – 1939, the caves were used as an impressive ammunitions store by the Republican Army. Several of the walkways and access areas were adapted by the army to facilitate easy storage.

Nowadays, the main cavern with its Gothic appearance and fantastic acoustics is utilised by local and international musicians for concerts that are extremely popular. Call the caves on (0034) 96 569 9250 or (0034) 679 669 852 for information on concert programmes.

To bring a perfect day out in Alicante to a close, walk along the designated trail near the caves to enjoy a perfect ocean view before heading back to Busot where there are plenty of restaurants and cafes that offer a broad choice of local cuisine.

Have you already visited the caves? Let us know what you thought of them! Also please do tell us what other magnificent places we´re missing out on!

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