Nerja Cave hosts Science Week from 5 to 11 November

Nerja Cave will host Science Week 2026 activities in Nerja, Spain, from 5 to 11 November 2026, including a public session on the cave's research and conservation work. The programme is organised by the Nerja Cave Research Institute and the Nerja Cave Foundation.

Science Week brings three November activities

The programme presents three activities across November. On 5 November, Bicheando introduces students to the small organisms living in caves, their adaptations and the ways researchers study them. On 6 November, Cueva de Nerja and Climate Change examines the relationship between caves and climate, including the role of methane and the formations found underground.

The third activity, Nerja, a cave in the light of science, takes place on 11 November. The session is intended for the general public as well as secondary-school and further-education students. It covers geological formations, cave fauna, the archaeological site, rock art and current research connected with conservation. The official programme lists all three sessions from 11am to 1.30pm. The programme details also state that prior registration is required and that each activity has 50 places.

Research connects the programme with the cave

The November programme focuses on parts of the site that ordinary visitors may not normally examine in detail. Its 11 November session links the cave's geological formations and wildlife with the archaeological evidence and the work required to conserve them.

The site was discovered in 1959 and opened to the public in 1960. The operator says that it was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2006. The Nerja Cave Research Institute, established in 1999, is responsible for research, conservation and dissemination connected with the cave and its surroundings. The operator's history page places the public opening on 12 June 1960 and describes the research institute's role.

From archaeological site to November classroom

The science sessions add a temporary educational focus to a permanent visitor site. The cave contains geological formations, archaeological remains and rock art, while the programme brings those subjects together with present-day conservation questions.

This connection also reflects the site's wider history. The cave's public opening followed its discovery by local young people, and the site has since combined tourism, archaeology and scientific research. The 11 November visit gives members of the public a specifically research-led way to understand that combination.

Visiting Nerja Cave: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Science Week 2026 takes place at Nerja Cave on 5, 6 and 11 November 2026; the public session is on 11 November.
• The 11 November activity is open to the general public and requires prior registration; the organiser lists 50 places for each activity.
• The venue is on Carretera de Maro in Maro, within the Nerja area. From Málaga, the operator directs drivers to the A-7 towards Almería and exit 295, signposted for the cave.
• The cave route includes uneven areas and just over 400 steps. Strollers and wheelchairs are not permitted inside, and the lighting is kept dim for conservation.
• The interior temperature is 19°C, while rock art cannot be shown because it is considered extremely fragile.

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Frequently asked questions about Nerja Cave

When does Science Week take place at Nerja Cave?

The three activities take place on 5, 6 and 11 November 2026, with the 11 November session open to the general public.

Where is Nerja Cave and how do you get there?

The venue is on Carretera de Maro in Maro, in the Nerja area. Drivers from Málaga can use the A-7 towards Almería and exit 295.

What is Nerja Cave?

It is a protected archaeological and natural site that opened to the public in 1960 and became a Site of Cultural Interest in 2006.