What to do · Antequera
Ammonite Trail and El Torcal for Families, with a guide
Information
- From
- €8 per person
- Duration
- 3 h
- Distance
- 4.5 km
- Season
- Weekends and public holidays, September to May
- Who it's for
- From age 4 as a family; from age 6 for the Ammonite Trail
On your own you can only walk the marked trails. To get into the Torcal Alto where there are no markers, or for a small child to understand what those stones are, the visitor centre runs two guided visits at weekends.
Ammonite Trail
About 4.5 km in a loop, in around three hours with stops, along an unmarked path that can only be done with a guide. The guide reads the landscape as you go: the ammonite fossils that lived under the Tethys Sea, the geology of the karst, the flora, the fauna and the traces of the shepherds. It runs from 10:30 to 13:30 at weekends and public holidays from September to May and costs €13.50, €11 reduced rate. It is not recommended for under-6s.
El Torcal for Families
An hour and a half for families with children aged 4 to 8: a kilometre at their pace looking for stone animals and fossils, and, if it rains or the children are very small, the visit continues in the centre's classroom with remains and an audiovisual. There are two sessions, with reception at 9:30 and 11:30. It costs €8.50 per person and is free for under-3s.
Getting there on time
Both start at the Torcal Alto Visitor Centre. At weekends access by car is cut off once the upper car park is full: go up early or count on the shuttle from the lower car park on the A-7075, which takes longer.
Tips
- Book on the website You get an email reminder two days beforehand with the meeting point.
- Boots and a waterproof Torcal Alto is at over 1,200 metres and the terrain is very uneven.
Frequently asked questions
Does it go ahead in the rain?
The family visit is completed inside the centre if the weather is bad. For the Ammonite Trail, ask when you book.
How long does the Ammonite Trail take?
About three hours, from 10:30 to 13:30.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagers
Who runs it
- Torcal Alto Visitor CentreAmmonite Route: 4.5 km on unmarked paths in the Torcal Alto Visit their website
- Torcal Alto Visitor CentreEl Torcal en Familia: a kilometre of fossils and shapes for children aged 4 to 8 Visit their website
