Cueva de los Moros

Cueva de los Moros is a group of artificial hermit caves in the village of Corro, part of the municipality of Valdegovía / Gaubea (Álava province, Basque Country). It forms one of the stops on the Valdegovía cave route and is the largest of the hermitages along this trail.

What is this place?

The caves were carved into the rock during the early medieval period, in the 5th and 6th centuries. They originally served as chapels and dwellings for hermit communities living in ascetic seclusion. After the hermits abandoned the site, the caves were used for centuries by shepherds, travelers, and beggars seeking shelter.

The complex includes several chambers. Cueva de los Moros I has a rectangular floor plan, two windows, a vaulted ceiling supported by two arched ribs, and a niche carved into the back wall. Its floor still holds anthropomorphic tombs — human-shaped depressions cut directly into the rock, used to bury the dead. Cueva de los Moros II has a rectangular doorway and window, combining straight and curved sections, with its best-preserved anthropomorphic tombs located at the foot of two arches inside the cave.

How do you get there?

Access is via the road running from San Millán de San Zadornil toward Corro. On the right side, a dirt track leads off the road to a parking area with picnic tables. From there, a rocky dirt path continues — after a short stretch, a signposted turn to the left leads up a set of stairs and through a short wooded section to the caves at Corro. The walk from the car takes only a few minutes and requires no special fitness.

When to visit and how?

The caves can be visited freely at any time of year — access points are signposted from the road, and information panels along the way explain the site's history. Travelers who prefer a guided visit can join a tour organized by the Valdegovía tourism office; groups meet at 11:00 at the Corro parking area, with a fee of 6 euros per person.

What else is nearby?

Cueva de los Moros is part of a wider network of hermit caves scattered across the Valdegovía / Gaubea valley. Combining this visit with other sites on the same route gives a fuller picture of the scale of early medieval hermit settlement in this part of Álava.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is visiting the caves free? Self-guided visits are free and possible year-round. Only the organized guided tours (6 euros per person) come with a fee.

How long does the walk to the caves take? Walking from the parking area to the caves at Corro takes just a few minutes along a well-marked path with a gentle climb.

What are the anthropomorphic tombs? They are human-shaped depressions carved directly into the rock, used as burial spots — a distinctive feature of early medieval hermitages in this region.

Do you need to book in advance? No booking is needed for a self-guided visit. For the guided tour run by the local tourism office, it's worth checking the current schedule and reserving a spot.