Unusual Places: Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain

Welcome to the town of Setenil de las Bodegas in Spain, where around 3,000 inhabitants are living quite literally, under a rock.

Believe it or not, people chose to settle here for practical reasons. The natural caves of Setenil turned out to be ideal living quarters because rather than needing to build entire houses to keep out the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter, all they needed to build was a facade. It is believed people have been living here since pre-historic times.

The town’s name ‘Setenil de las bodegas’ reflects its rich history; setenil, from the latin words septem nihil– “seven times no”, refers to the seven times the Catholic rulers tried to take back the territory from the Moors, the medieval arabian inhabitants who ruled much of Spain for several centuries. Only on the seventh attempt to conquer Setenil were the Catholics able to win the territory– one of the last Muslim strongholds in Iberia. ‘Solid as a rock’ Setenil (unavoidable pun) later began using the cool areas under the rock to store all kinds of local produce in large storerooms, which is how the town earned the second part of the name, “bodegas“, meaning ‘warehouse’ in Spanish.

Setenil’s unique and extreme urban beauty make it one of the main tourist destinations in the Sierra de Cádiz. The houses, some below rocks and others on top of or even inside the rocks, create different street levels, forming charming nooks and  corners such as those in the streets Calle de las Cuevas de la Sombra and Calle de las Cuevas del Sol. The present-day village has its origins in Medieval times and the area today officially referred to as Setenil stands on the ancient Almohad  settlement. The castle overlooking the village is a Medieval fortress (14th-15th Centuries), which retains its keep and a well. Its heritage is completed by the Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación Parish Church, the old Town Hall and the Hermitages of Nuestra Señora del Carmen and San Sebastián.

Nearby places of interest:

The ruined Moorish castle - in theory, you can climb the vestigial tower, if you're careful - there is also the nearby church of the Encarnación, and the multi-tiered warren of steep, narrow streets in this compact, cliff-enclosed town (motorists beware). The tourism center is also housed in a medieval building with a beautiful patterned Moorish wooden ceiling.

If you are driving or hiking in the area of Setenil, there are two notable sites to visit nearby. The magnificent Roman ruins of first-century AD Acinipo, or Ronda la Vieja ('old Ronda'), are about 4 miles away and the views from above the ruined open-air theatre, complete with stage, backstage areas and semi-circular seating, are stunning.

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

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