Twenty kilometres southwest of Ronda la Vieja are some of Andalucía’s most ancient and fascinating caves: the Cueva de la Pileta . The guided tour, by torchlight, into the dark belly of the cave reveals Stone Age paintings of horses, goats and fish from 20,000 to 25,000 years ago. Beautiful stalactites and stalagmites add to the effect. The guided tours are given by members of the Bullón family, who discovered the paintings in 1905 and who speak some English.
The fact that the caves are so uncommercial is a real plus. Although the family is finding the upkeep a battle, they are loathe to give in to pressure from the local authority who would obviously like to exploit the caves for maximum tourist euros.
Benaoján village is the nearest you can get to the Cueva de la Pileta by public transport. The caves are 4km south of the village, about 250m off the Benaoján–Cortés de la Frontera road; there is no transport to the caves, so you will need your own car to get here. The turn-off is signposted. Benaoján is served by two Los Amarillos buses (from Monday to Friday) and up to four daily trains to/from Ronda. Walking trails link Benaoján with Ronda and villages in the Guadiaro Valley.
