La Cova del Rull is a spectacular cavern that was discovered in 1919 by José Vicente Mengual (“Tío Rull”) when his dog disappeared into a hole whilst chasing a rabbit. After removing some stones in an attempt to rescue the animal, he discovered the huge cavern that now bears his name. In response to the rise in tourism to the region, it was opened briefly to the public in the 1960s. In 1995, it became municipal property with the Ayuntamiento de Vall d’Ebo responsible for its maintenance and adaption to become a safe entertaining and educational tour.
The cavern is open every day except New Year’s Day and Christmas Day and a few days in the winter (see ‘Opening Hours’) and the established route of 220 metres takes about 30-45 minutes to complete under the direction of a guide; free exploration is not permitted.
Although it doesn’t look much from the outside, the cavern truly took our breath away and we couldn’t believe that something so beautiful lay behind the huge metal door. It’s a perfect stop for all the family, although it is not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs due to the amount of steps, almost 290.
Getting There
La Cova del Rull is about an hour’s drive from Xàbia. The easiest and quickest route is via Pego. Take the N-332 north past Pedreguer and Ondara to the junction with the CV-700 [EL VERGER / PEGO] and follow the signs for Pego. Passing through the town, follow signs to LA VALL DE LAGUAR to join the CV-715 towards Orba and Sagra. After about 750m, turn right onto the CV-712 [VALL DE EBO] which is clearly signposted [LA COVA DEL RULL].
The road winds up the hillside – there are a few hairpin turns to anticipate – and a stunning view over the Pego wetlands towards the sea opens up. Near the top – Port de Vall d’Ebo 540m – there is a small area on the right-hand side to pull up, get out and take some photos of the view.
As the road descends down into the Vall d’Ebo, there is a small parking area on the left-hand side after about 700m and this is the Mirador Barranc de l’Infern (510m), a stunning view over the deep canyon that is an extremely popular hiking destination.
Continue down into the valley and pass by the village of La Vall d’Ebo, following the brown signs for Cova del Rull. After the village, the road starts winding its way up the hillside until – almost suddenly – the small car park next the cave entrance appears on the left-hand side.
Opening Hours
La Cova del Rull is open every day, except New Year’s Day and Christmas Day and between January 15th and February 14th inclusive. Between April and September, it is open from 10.30am until 8.30pm; between November and February (except the dates given above) from 11.00am until 5.00pm; and in the months of March and October from 11.00am to 6.40pm.
It is a guided tour which lasts about 30-45 minutes, so there may be some waiting time between tours. There is ample space to wait outside for the next tour to begin with some information panels – including one in English – as well as a toilet.
Note that photography of any kind is not permitted inside the cavern, either by camera or mobile phone. We would like to thank Valencia Bonita for their kind permission to reproduce their photos in this article.
Admission Price (2023)
The prices are 4.00 EUR for adults and 2.70 EUR for children and senior citizens as well as those holding Carnet Jove. There are discounts for groups when booked in advance. CASH only. Payment by card is not possible due to the lack of network coverage.
The Cave
The cavern has a constant temperature of around 15°c with very high humidity (close to 100%) so the environment inside is quite comfortable. The guide will inform you of the importance of not touching anything natural inside the cavern so as not to upset to ecosystem. The tour enters through a metal door and the route immediately descends down a steep staircase to a platform where the cavern begins to open up in front of you and you will be forgiven for uttering a few “wows” within seconds of entering.
During the tour, which will be mainly in Spanish but with some simple English explanation when required, the guide will point out the various features, such as the different types of stalactites and stalagmites, the “macaronis” which are so fragile that it’s remarkable that they remain in place for so many years, the wonderful “curtains” through which the guide will shine a torch so show how delicate they are, and the huge columns that have been created over thousands of years.
Be aware that the route does contain a very narrow squeeze through two of these enormous columns (see the photo above) but the effort is so worth it as the cavern opens up in its entirely to attract even more “wows”. And you’ll start seeing shapes; the guide will even point them out: the face, the elephant, the cathedral, the man in the hat, and a choir. Some need a little imagination but it’s fun to look for them nevertheless.
At the bottom of the cavern, there is a small cavity through which the system continues onwards but, despite the efforts of seasoned cavers and other organisations, the extent of it remains unknown.
And then it’s the final climb back to the start of the route so take a last look around before climbing that final staircase to the exit.
As we took that last look, the guide said that if we ever wanted to visit again, it’s worth doing so a couple days after heavy rain when the sights and sounds are truly remarkable as the rainwater works its way through the ground to produce a rain shower inside the cavern. Worth remembering.
Related Links
Official Website -La Cova del Rull
Valencia Bonita
