Nerja Cave Celebrates 66th Anniversary Of Its Amazing Discovery

Can you imagine how these five boys must have felt as they made the major discovery on January 12, 1959, of the fascinating Nerja Cave? Today, that iconic discovery is enjoying its 66th anniversary, which was celebrated on Sunday, January 12 with two of the five boys attending the celebration in the Costa del Sol town of Nerja in Spain.

Nerja Cave attraction turns 66 on the Costa del Sol in Spain

A celebration was held on Sunday, January 12, 2025, of the discovery of the top Costa del Sol attraction, the Nerja Cave. Meanwhile, two of the five boys who originally found the site attended the celebration of the cave’s discovery, which has become the most-visited natural monument in Andalucía, southern Spain.

One of the boys who discovered the caves on January 12, 1959, spoke at the celebration, saying:

We saw lots of bats and we thought that they could not get out of such a small cave, so we decided to break some formations and with some effort we discovered what so many people have been able to see for 66 years now.

It was one evening, at dusk, when we entered, with a bricklayer’s hammer.

Torres explained that he was accompanied by Miguel Muñoz, the youngest of the group, as well as his brother Manual and Miguel Barbero (who sadly died in 2007). The attraction was opened to the public in June 1960.

The Cueva de Nerja Foundation paid tribute to the five men who accidentally discovered the caves. The celebration was held in the Plaza de los Descubridores, at the main entrance to the caves. The boys came across the amazing find while playing in the area. What they discovered has gone on to become the most visited natural monument in the area.

It was attended by only José Torres and Miguel Muñoz, along with María López, Barbero’s widow. Regrettably, neither Navas nor Manuel Muñoz attended the event for health reasons.

‘The most beautiful thing’

Torres said in his speech at the celebration:

The most beautiful thing, and what I feel most proud and happy about, is to see how people enjoy seeing this monument, like the groups of children.

However, while the cave was discovered in January 1959, it took until three months later to open to the public. At that stage, the boys were accompanied by a group of locals, including the late photographer José Padial. The photographer was able to take photos of the interior and the images were shared by SUR a few days later, allowing everyone to see its grandeur.

Nerja Caves upgraded the small village to a major attraction

The fascinating caves had a huge impact on the former agricultural and fishing village town of Nerja. Moreover, Nerja became a popular vacation destination among Spaniards and travelers alike. It attracts thousands of tourists each year and since opening in 1960, has been visited by more than 20 million people.

Meanwhile, officials in Nerja have been pushing for the caves to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the anniversary celebration, José Alberto Armijo, the town’s mayor urged the regional and central governments to move forward to that goal, saying:

There are 1,059 assets that are on the list of World Heritage and I think the cave deserves to be, by itself or with others in the province.

Learn more about Nerja Cave and how you can visit this major attraction on its official website.

Enjoy a virtual tour of Nerja Cave in the video here: