One of Spain's most extraordinary prehistoric sites, the Cueva de la Pileta contains cave paintings of animals, fish, and geometric forms dating from around 25,000 BC — making them roughly contemporary with the better-known caves at Lascaux and Altamira. The cave is about 15 kilometres from Gaucin on the road toward Ronda.
Tours run several times a day and last around an hour. The guide carries an oil lamp — the only illumination — and you carry your own lantern through the caverns. It's an unusually atmospheric way to experience prehistoric art: no electric lighting, no boardwalks, just a small group making its way through chambers where the paintings emerge from the dark as they would have when made. Bring a sweater; the cave stays cool year-round. No children under five are admitted for safety reasons.