SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS : THE CAVE VILLAGE OF SPAIN
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This post is about visiting Setenil de las Bodegas one of Andalusias pueblos blancos
Setenil de las Bodegas is one of the most unique of the stunning white villages of Andalusia in Spain. It is a beautiful town nestled deep within a canyon surrounded by olive trees.
The most famous and unique feature of this town is undoubtly the huge rocks that overhang the pretty white houses creating the famous ‘cave houses’.
You can wander around the narrow streets, where you’ll find many of these houses emerging from boulders as well as many cave restaurants.
Setenil de las Bodegas is a great place to add on to a Ronda day trip from Malaga or Marbella.
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SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS HISTORY
The name Setenil de las Bodegas highlights the rich history of the town. ‘Setenil’ comes from the Latin ‘septem nihil’ which means ‘seven times no’. This refers to seven failed attempts by Catholic rulers to reclaim the land from the Moors, who ruled much of Spain for centuries.
Under the rock provided a cool, stable environment away from the blazing summer sun and heat of Spain. Due to these environment the area was the perfect place to store local produce, particulary the wine from the local vineyards. This is where ‘Bodegas’ comes from as it means ‘warehouse’ or ‘cellar’.
In prehistoric times, it was believed Troglodytes lived within the caves in this village. In more modern days, the villagers built houses in the spaces between the rocks, preventing them from getting too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. And let me tell you it’s needed! We visited at the end of June and it was a scorching 39C. We sweated ALOT!
THINGS TO DO IN SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS, ANDALUCIA
Setenil de las Bodegas is a wonderful Spanish village to just wander around and take in the sights.
What are the main sights and must sees in Setenil de las Bodegas.
CALLE CUEVAS DEL SOL
The main street in Setenil de las Bodegas is ‘Calle Cuevas del Sol’ or Caves of the Sun in English. It’s a beautiful, sunny street built under a huge bit of overhanging rock.
As you walk along you’ll see cave restaurants sandwiched between huge boulders and a charming little stream. It’s a strange yet wonderful sight.
The restaurants get pretty busy here with both locals and tourists enjoying their time, eating delicious food, chatting with friends and enjoying the cooler, shady spot the overhanging rock provides.
Calle Cuevas del Sol is definitely the most famous street in the town and after you’ve visited it I recommend you explore other areas too. Wander among narrow streets like Calle Cuevas de la Sombra (caves of the shade) or go further uphill into the village to look at the white houses and viewpoints.
VISIT THE CASTLE
One of the top things to do in Setenil de las Bodegas is to visit the remains of the historical Arab Castle from the 12th century.
The castle is named Nazari Castle and it was this castle that was fought over and took the Catholics over seven attempts to recapture during the ‘Reconquista’ period.
In it’s day it was a very impressive castle with over 40 towers, however, these days there is only one tower left. You can climb to the top for 1 EURO for amazing views over the white houses in the village and the valley below.
BEAUTIFUL VIEWPOINTS
The best thing to do in Setenil de las Bodegas is to wander the streets taking in the views. The village is set on several levels and you can start at the higher streets then simply wander down in to the canyon, stroll along the river ,crossing the bridges as you go.
There are many spectacular viewpoints around the village but some of the best are highlighted on the map below.
Calle San Sebastian is a medium height area of town with a lovely view over the white houses of the village. It’s a 15-minute walk from Calle Cuevas del Sol.
Mirador del Lizon is an observation deck that’s open 24 hours a day.
Mirador del Carmen is a pretty high point of town and you’ll have to walk up around 100 steps to get there but the views are worth the climb.
BEST RESTAURANTS IN SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
Where to eat in Setenil de las Bodegas? The small village has plenty of great restaurants all around however, the most picturesque place to eat is on Calle Cuevas del Sol, where many of the cave restaurants are.
If you’ve headed to Setenil de las Bodegas I feel like you should try to have the unique experience of eating under the overhanging rock.
Setenil de las Bodegas is a very popular day trip from other nearby cities so it gets very popular and the restaurants fill up quickly. To ensure you get a table you could book somewhere as soon as you arrive if you are on a day trip or call ahead to ensure you bag a table under the cave.
Bar Frasquito is the top rated restaurant in Setenil de las Bodegas. Situated on Calle Cuevas del Sol it serves traditional Spanish/Mediterranean cuisine under the rock.
Cafeteria Bar Sol y Sombra is located on Calle Cuevas de la Sombra. It serves some delicious tapas under the shade of the rock and has a lively atmosphere.
Spanish lunchtime is between 2-4pm. After 4pm it’s siesta time for the locals and restaurants won’t reopen again until around 8pm.
HOTELS IN SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
Where to stay in Setenil de las Bodegas?
Undoubtedly Setenil de las Bodegas is more popular as a day trip from other destinations and most people who visit don’t stay overnight. If you have the time I’d recommend staying a night as it allows you to enjoy the place early in the morning before the day trippers arrive and late in the evening after they’ve left.
Also staying overnight gives you the opportunity to stay in one of the spectacular cave houses. Many of these have been transformed into hotels or vacation rentals, allowing you to experience the life of a cave dweller.
Casa Cueva la Luna is a spectacular 3 bedroom cave house decorated beautifully at a really reasonable price.
HOW TO VISIT SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
Jerez is the closest airport to Setenil de las Bodegas. However it’s a really small airport with mostly domestic flights. There are a few flights from other countries such as Germany and a direct flight from London Stanstead.
It is probably better to fly in to Malaga airport as there are many international flights from the major cities in Europe. The journey is just over an hour. Check the route here.
From the airport I’d recommend you hire a car to give you the flexibility of exploring this area of Spain. You can visit other local towns such as Ronda or drive along the coast to Estepona, Marbella or even head to Gibraltar.
I recommend you rent a car in Spain through RentalCars.com as they offer free cancellation and insurance is included. Book your rental car here.
PARKING IN SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
If you have hired a car you will pleasantly surprised by how much parking there is in Setenil de las Bodegas. There is a lot of free street parking on Calle San Sebastian as you enter the village. Location here.
There is also some parking at Setenil Parking Campo Futbol.
The Los Caños Setenil de las Bodegas car park is located in Los Caños towards the exit road to Olvera. This is also an excellent option for drivers looking for a place to park in Setenil de las Bodegas.
BEST TIME TO VISIT SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
The best time of day to visit Setenil de las Bodegas is either in the early morning or evening. This is because it’s such a popular day trip from local areas that during the middle of the day the town can get very busy with tour buses filled with day trippers. This makes parking more difficult as well as the streets and restaurants busier.
In summer during the middle of the day the temperatures often get up to 40C (104F) so it can make wandering around this pretty village somewhat arduous.
Due to the high temperatures in summer it may be best to visit in spring or autumn as the days are sunny and warm and the village is not so busy with day trippers. This makes your time in Setenil de las Bodegas much more enjoyable for sightseeing and walking around.
VIDEOS FROM THE LOCAL AREA
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