Coves de Sant Josep (La Vall d’Uixó)

The Coves de Sant Josep (Grutas de San José) are a show cave with an underground river at La Vall d’Uixó, in the south of Castellón province, about 2 km west of the town centre and 9 km inland from the beaches of Moncofa. The visit is a 40-minute guided tour, mostly by small boat steered by hand along the river through lit galleries; adult tickets cost 18 euros and are best bought in advance online (checked November 2026). It suits families and anyone who wants a cool, unusual hour away from the beach; skip it if you dislike tight, dark spaces or cannot step in and out of a boat.

Quick facts

• Names: Coves de Sant Josep in Valencian, Grutas or Cuevas de San José in Spanish; the regional tourist board also calls the cave the Cova de Sant Josep o de la Font.
• Where: Passeig de les Grutes, Paraje de Sant Josep, La Vall d’Uixó (Castellón), 12600.
• Coordinates (cave entrance): 39.8245, -0.2526.
• The visit: 40 minutes: 250 m on foot through a dry gallery and 800 m by boat (Comunitat Valenciana).
• Tickets: adults (over 17) 18 euros; pensioners, students and official guides 14 euros; children 3–12 12 euros; under 3 free (checked November 2026).
• Open: all year, Monday to Sunday; times on the official website.
• Inside: a constant 20 °C all year (Spanish Wikipedia).
• Length: about 2,750 m explored, the longest known cave in Castellón province (Spanish Wikipedia).

Access and parking

By car: the caves are on the western edge of La Vall d’Uixó, about 1.8 km from the town centre in a straight line, in the Paraje de Sant Josep, a recreation area at the foot of the hills. From the coast it is about 9 km from Moncofa and 26 km from Castelló de la Plana in a straight line (OpenStreetMap). The paraje has a car park (Spanish Wikipedia).

By train: Cercanías line C-6 between València and Castelló stops at Xilxes and Moncofa (Spanish Wikipedia); on OpenStreetMap those stations are about 7 km and 8 km from the caves, so you need a taxi or a local bus from there. We could not confirm a current bus service to the caves.

What to expect

The regional tourist board describes the cave as one of the longest underground rivers in Europe. The visit starts at a landing stage inside the mouth of the cave, where you board small boats that guides steer by hand along the river through stalactites, flowstone and other karst formations (Comunitat Valenciana). The tour passes named rooms such as the Bat Room, Diana’s Lake and the Blue Lake, and the Gallery of the Siphons (Comunitat Valenciana).

Spanish Wikipedia gives some detail on the route. The Bat Room, the first large chamber, was named for the bats that once lived there. Diana’s Lake is 5 m deep, with green moss growing under the artificial light. The Gallery of the Siphons is a 60 m tunnel, the longest man-made passage on the route. From a second landing stage you walk through the Dry Gallery, with formations such as the Cascada de la Flor, before rejoining the river.

History: the cave mouth was used in the Upper Palaeolithic, about 17,000 years ago, and Magdalenian-period paintings were found at the entrance. Local people went in during the Festa de les Flors in the 19th century; the first recorded exploration was in 1902. Works between 1936 and 1950 widened the old Boca del Forn so the boats could pass, and blasting in 1961 opened the way to the Blue Lake and the galleries of today’s route. Cavers reached 2,348 m in the 1970s (Spanish Wikipedia).

Prices and opening

• Adults over 17: 18 euros.
• Pensioners, students and official guides: 14 euros.
• Children aged 3 to 12: 12 euros; under 3: free.
• Open every day of the week, all year; check times and availability on the official website.
• Capacity is limited, so buying tickets in advance online is highly recommended. Arrive 10 minutes before your visit time.

Prices as listed by the regional tourist board, checked November 2026 (Comunitat Valenciana). The site also lists more reduced rates; the cave can be reached on 964 69 05 76 or info@covesdesantjosep.es.

More in the paraje: the regional tourist board also lists a caving and kayaking experience in the caves, the AquaCoves water park and a Water Path, and the town page mentions living-history tours and music performances in the cave on certain dates (Comunitat Valenciana). Next to the caves, the Iberian and Roman settlement of Sant Josep can be visited on guided tours, and the 18th-century hermitage of the Sagrada Familia stands beside it.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

The cave is open all year and its temperature does not change, so it works on a hot summer afternoon or a rainy day on the coast. Capacity is limited, so book a time slot online and arrive 10 minutes early.

Nearby alternatives

• Sagunto, 17 km away: the castle and Roman theatre on the hill above the town.
• Castelló Co-Cathedral, 26 km away: the Gothic co-cathedral and El Fadrí bell tower.
• Camping Monmar, 11 km away, and HolaCamp Chilches, 10 km away: campsites on the coast of the Plana.
• Desert de les Palmes Natural Park, 38 km away: hills, a Carmelite monastery and walks behind Benicàssim.

Distances are in a straight line from the cave entrance. See also our La Vall d’Uixó town guide.

FAQ

How much are tickets for the Coves de Sant Josep?

18 euros for adults, 14 euros for pensioners and students, 12 euros for children aged 3 to 12, and free under 3 (checked November 2026). Buying online in advance is recommended because capacity is limited.

How long does the visit take?

About 40 minutes: 800 m by boat on the underground river and 250 m on foot through the dry gallery. Arrive 10 minutes before your slot.

Where are the Coves de Sant Josep?

In the Paraje de Sant Josep, Passeig de les Grutes, on the western edge of La Vall d’Uixó in Castellón province, about 9 km inland from Moncofa. Coordinates: 39.8245, -0.2526.

Is there parking at the caves?

Yes, the Paraje de Sant Josep has a car park beside the caves and the recreation area.

Is it cold inside the caves?

The temperature stays at about 20 °C all year, so a light layer is enough.

Sources and freshness