Cueva de los Murciélagos Ecomuseum

The Cueva de los Murciélagos Ecomuseum is the interpretation centre for the Cueva de los Murciélagos Natural Monument, in Zuheros, in the north of the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park. It is about 200 metres from the cave entrance, at the end of the roughly 4 km mountain road that climbs from the village, and works as the antechamber of the visit: you book here and from here you go with the guide to the mouth of the cave.

Ecomuseum opening hours

According to the listing from the Subbética association of municipalities:

• Wednesday to Friday that are not public holidays or long weekends: from 9:00 to 12:30.
• Weekends, public holidays and long weekends: in the morning from 10:00 to 14:00; in the afternoon, from 17:00 to 18:00 from 1 April to 30 September, and from 16:00 to 17:00 from 1 October to 31 March.

No opening hours are listed for Monday and Tuesday.

How to book the cave

You can only enter the cave on a guided visit with prior booking. Booking is made on the Ecomuseum's telephone, 957 69 45 45, which is answered Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 13:30, except public holidays and long weekends. In other words: if you want to go at the weekend, call a few days ahead. The Cueva de los Murciélagos listing gives the prices set by the 2023 municipal ordinance, 8 euros and 6.50 euros for ages 6 to 12; confirm them when you book.

The visit lasts about an hour and a half, goes down 65 metres by about 700 steps to the Organ Chamber and comes back up again, so it is not recommended if you have knee problems. Inside it is cool all year round: bring a jacket, even in summer.

What you see at the centre

The association presents it as the prelude to the visit: an interpretation centre dedicated to the natural monument. The cave is a Natural Monument and Site of Cultural Interest, with limestone formations, cave paintings and an archaeological site, and takes its name from the four species of bat that live in its areas closed to visitors. The official listing does not detail the Ecomuseum's rooms, so take it as a short stop while you wait for your turn.

Getting there and what to combine

By car, you climb from Zuheros along the cave road, a winding mountain road; if you prefer not to drive it, Zuheros has car parks in the lower part of the village, next to the bridge over the río Bailón, and from there you can walk. On foot, the trail from Zuheros to the Cueva de los Murciélagos is a 4.8 km circuit of about 2 hours from the village, of moderate difficulty: if you do it, set out in good time to reach the Ecomuseum before your booked time.

After the cave, go down to see the village and its castle, or book another day for the río Bailón trail, which can be started or finished in Zuheros itself. To sleep nearby, the Hotel Rural Zuhayra is in the village, with its restaurant. For other routes in the district, see Subbética Tourism.