CAVE PAINTINGS AND PREHISTORIC CAVES

Located at 80 meters above sea level above the Barranc de les Nines, the cave paintings of the Cabrafeixet shelter are an eminent testimony of the presence of man in these regions since prehistoric times. The ensemble has been classified as a World Heritage Site since 1998. The paintings illustrated in the shelter are a fine example of the Levantine art, figurative and pictorial art illustrated in the Iberian Peninsula. The walls of the Cabrafeixet show a typical hunting scene where we can see, in the main group, the figure of a hunter with a handful of arrows facing a goat and a doe.

How to get there. Take the road from El Perelló to Rasquera (TV-3022) and follow the sign that indicates the rock paintings(Peintures rupestres - 4.2 km) on the left. Follow the road lined with pine and olive trees. After 2 km, follow the marked path on the right. Less than a kilometer later, the path turns to the left, continue to the parking lot (the road is a bit damaged). Follow the signs: it goes up for about twenty minutes, then you arrive at the shelter.

Continue the path to reach the cueva de la Mallada, discovered in 1953, a 20 m long and 7 m high cave where prehistoric men lived, as evidenced by the remains of flints or arrowheads brought to light during the archaeological excavations (1,734 objects in total!). For the return trip, you can go back to the parking lot (about 30 minutes) or continue the GR-192 hike to the highest point of the Serra del Boix, which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains (about 3 hours of hiking if you choose this option).

A privileged site for bird watching. Keep your eyes open during the hike, as the hoopoe, the red-headed shrike, the crested woodpecker, the Bonelli's eagle (65% of which live in Spain) and many other species watch over the mountains.

Note that access to the cave paintings and the Mallada cave is of medium difficulty, due to the steepness of the path and the pitfalls. Bring at least one bottle of water, as the site is in the middle of nature. It is essential to bring good walking shoes. Average duration: 1h30/2h. The route is fairly well signposted. To obtain a detailed map of the route, go to the tourist office in the center of El Perelló.