Trip Advisor declares this attraction the longest navigable underground river. At about 50 kilometers away from Valencia, our Vilafamés excursion continued with Coves de Sant Josep.
The landscapes after leaving behind the small beautiful village will also carry you through a rocky landscape combined with hills and beautiful green scenery. Coves de Sant Josep are located in a natural cave from the the municipality of Vall de Uxó in Castellón region.
Bus and car parking area
Walking area to get to the site
You will walk approximately 10 minutes from the parking area to get to the site with all the services available for your visit – souvenir shops, coffee shops, sports, recreation and children entertainment, a cultural corner and touristic info center. You have also free parking and toilets outside the site.
Bus and car parking area
Beautiful alley going to the site and caves
Entrance and entertainment area
The space is surrounded by green walking areas. The cave representatives will guide you before your entrance.
The Galleries & the boat trip
An advice before buying your ticket – if you are claustrophobic, do not enter the caves. You will have a visit of about 1050 meters long, of which 800 meters are covered on water, by boat. At some point the boat will stop to a small pier where you get down and around 250 meters you do it on foot, through a narrow corridor. After that you get inside the boat again and you traverse the channel till you get back to the main entrance.
The visit lasts approximately 45 – 50 minutes. The cave has a constant temperature of 20ºC throughout the year. Inside you will discover in each gallery paintings and engravings declared by the UNESCO. The cave is illuminated with led lights that help its conservation and prevents green in the cave.
You will only be allowed of taking pictures and videos on your way back to the main entrance that is because of the danger of not hitting your head on rocks or standing up and paying attention to your phone, not the rocks in front of you or above you.
Your visit will be accompanied by a Guide-Barquero, sailing the underground river, more than three kilometers long.
As you sail through the different galleries you will see stalactites, flowstones and other karst formations hanging from the ceiling and emerging from the ground, all shaped.
The highlight is the tour round the crystal clear waters that goes by the Azul (Blue) Pond, Murciélagos (Bat) Room, “Boca del Forn”, Diana and El Diablo (Devil) lakes.
Inside galleries Coves de Sant Josep
The environment is serene and the quietly murmur of falling water and the beauty of the geological formations will transport you to a fairytale world.
Importance of the caves
The main areas and galleries within the Coves de Sant Josep are the Gallery of the Iberian Settlement and the Singin’ in the Cave area, which features the navigable river. The “Singin’ in the Cave” experience includes traversing the subterranean river, while the “Gallery of the Iberian Settlement” highlights the ancient history of the location.One important and curious aspect of the galleries and the river inside them is the fact that the water is fresh and can be drinkable.
The water is responsible for shaping the cave’s impressive rock formations and the growth of stalactites and stalagmites over thousands of years.
According turismolavallduixo.com, in order to enlarge the space for the boat tour, the narrow passages were dynamited, and the underground river was drained to remove debris and rocks. From that point on, the number of tourists grew exponentially from over 3.000 visitors in 1960 to 20.000 the following year. This number doubled in 1962 and Valencian travel agencies began to include a visit to the site among their regular tourist excursions.
Inside galleries Coves de Sant Josep
Nowadays the importance of the Coves de Sant Josep lies in its status as a major natural and cultural landmark, featuring the longest navigable underground river in Europe and significant archaeological sites, including Paleolithic paintings and engravings. It is a testament to geological processes, hosting a unique ecosystem and serves as a significant site for adventure tourism and cultural festivals, making it a valuable natural wonder and a key tourist destination in the region of Castellón.
Give it a check in and discover its secrets. Don’t miss out the next excursion in Valencia area. 💜
