The caves were re-discovered in modern times on 12 January 1959 by five friends, who entered through a narrow sinkhole known as "La Mina".

A third entrance was created in 1960 to allow easy access for tourists, just south of the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park.

Nerja I includes the Show Galleries which are open to the public, with relatively easy access via a flight of stairs and concreted pathways to allow tourists to move about in the cavern without difficulty.

[1] Approximately 5 million years ago, during the Upper Miocene, water penetrated the fissures of the marble rock and dissolved it, forming a huge cavern.

Up until around 10,800 BC the hunting culture continued to develop with more prey species being taken, including goats, rabbits, fish and marine mammals.

Each of the galleries has a number of halls, areas where the walls, floors or ceilings close in to subdivide the main caverns.

The Show Gallery is accessed by an 8 m (26 ft) flight of stairs leading to the Entrance Hall (Sala de Vestibulo) where archaeological excavations took place and where some of the finds are now displayed.

Further down into the hall is the Organ Corner (Rincón del Órgano) where fluted columns can be struck to produce different notes.

In 2006, the Cave of Nerja was declared Property of Cultural Interest with the category of Archaeological Zone, according to Decree nº 194, of October 31, 2006.