URDAZUBI CAVES

Carved out some 14,000 years ago by the Urtxuma river, this jewel of Navarre offers a beautiful spectacle of stalactites and stalagmites. Discovered by a shepherd in 1808, the cave was probably inhabited as early as prehistoric times, as indicated by the presence of flint remains. It also served as a refuge during the War of Independence and the Carlist Wars, and as a hideout for smugglers. Legend has it that it is still inhabited by lamias, half-woman, half-animal characters from Basque mythology.