Coves de Benifallet

Cuevas de Benifallet - Caves of Benifallet - Cueva Maravillas - Wonder Cave - Cueva del Dos - Cave of the Two


Useful Information

Location: Near Benifallet, Baix Ebre, at the river Ebre.
Leave motorway A7 at L'Ampolla, follow the road to Miravet, but turn left to Benifallet before you arrive at Miravet. Leave motorway A7 at L'Aldea, follow the road to Pinell de Brai, but turn right to Benifallet before you arrive at Pinell de Brai.
Leave the road Miravet-Tortosa at Benifallet. The Carrete Garcia crosses the town and follows the eastern banks of Riu Ebre to the south. After 4 km turn left to the caves.
(40.948602, 0.512793)
Open: JAN to FEB Sat, Sun, Hol .
MAR to MAY Wed-Sun .
JUN to AUG daily .
SEP to OCT Wed-Sun .
NOV Sat, Sun, Hol .
Booking required, online, email or phone.
[2022] SEP to APR Fri-Sun, Hol 10-14, 16-18. MAY to AUG daily 10-13:30, 16-20.
Fee: Adults 600 pts.
Groups: Adults 500 pts.
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: Cueva Maravillas: L=510 m, VR=10 m.
Cueva del Dos: L=253 m, VR=12 m.
Guided tours: Cueva Maravillas: D=45 min, L=200 m.
Cueva del Dos: D=45 min.
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography:  
Address: Cova Meravelles, Barranc de Sant Jordi, s/n, 43512 Tarragona, Tel: +34-977-26-7800, Tel: +34-977-46-2334. E-mail:
Cuevas de Benifallet, Ajuntament de Benifallet, C/Major 1, 43512 Benifallet, Tel: +34-77-46-2005, Fax: +34-77-462289. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1968 several caves discovered by the caving club Grup d'Investigacions Espeleològiques (GIE) from the Centre Excursionista de Gràcia.
1994 start of guided tours to the caves.
01-MAY-1995 first Fiesta de las Cuevas celebrated.

Description

The Coves de Benifallet (Caves of Benifallet) are numerous caverns beneath the town Benifallet, some of them were inhabited during the Neolithic Age. The Cueva de Culla contains two painted figures, which are very slim and painted with black colour. In the Cueva de Aumidiella or Cova de l'Aumediella Gran, excavations revealed a bell-shaped vase and numerous fragments of pottery. Other caves are the Cueva de "Marigot" aka Cova d'en E. Marigot, La Sima del Sifó aka l'Avenç del Sifó (the Sifó abyss), and Avenç del Catalanisme. Two caves are open to the public, the Cueva "Maravillas" and the Cueva del Dos. They are developed as show caves with trails and electric light.

Cova Meravelles (Cueva Maravillas, Maravillas Cave, the Cave of Wonders) is famous for numerous helictites, and has also many stalagmites and stalactites. Soda straws and curtains are common too. The Sala dels Llapis (Pencil Room) was named after a spectacular group of thin stalactites on the ceiling. The surround a completely cylindrical stalagmite in the shape of a candle. The Sala de l'Amfiteatre (Amphitheater Room) has rimstone pools, which resembled the cavers of seating in an amphitheater, hence the name. Here are also the most exceptional helictites of the cave. The Sala de la Música

Cueva del Dos is smaller, but it has also many speleothems, including curtains and helictites. The cave starts with a descent into the first hall, which contains numerous speleothems. This speleothems are not growing anymore. As the water here is low on calzite, the speleothems are dissolved by the water. The cave is called Cueva del Dos, cave of the two, as it has two portals. In this cave remains from the Neolithic and the Batalla del Ebre (Battle of Ebro) can be seen.

Every year on the first of May, the Fiesta de las Cuevas, a big festival, is held at the place around the caves. Inhabitants of Benifallet and cave visitors get the lunch for free! Sometimes even a free dinner is made, with local specialties like garlic bread, sausages and butifarras.

The caves were discovered in 1967 and 1968 by the caving club Grup d'Investigacions Espeleològiques (GIE) from the Centre Excursionista de Gràcia. The made a campaign in the area of the Serra de Cardó. They checked existing caves and looked for new ones. The Coves de l'Aumidiella were already known to the people of Benivallet, there had been excavations which revealed Neolithic remains. But the cavers also discovered three formerly unknown caves, the Cova Marigot, the Avenc del Sifó, and the Cova Meravelles. The three known caves plus the three new caves are today generally called Les Sis Cavitats Subterrànies (The Six Caves).