Setenil de las Bodegas: Houses Under the Cliffs

Setenil de las Bodegas is located in the province of Cádiz in the south of Spain. It is one of the interesting stops on the famous route of Andalusia's White Villages. The town stands at an altitude of 640 metres. It is located not far from Ronda, about 20 kilometres away, and Málaga is about 95 kilometres away. The most convenient way to get here is by car, because the railway does not go to the town.

The main feature of Setenil is its houses under large cliffs. The town grew up in a gorge that the Guadalporcún River created over a long time. Its old streets and houses were recognised as a historical-artistic complex as early as 1985. The white walls of the houses stand very close to the rock, and huge cliffs often become part of the roof and ceiling.

People lived in this area about five thousand years ago already. Then traces of different cultures and eras remained here. The inhabitants used an old method of construction: they built houses directly under natural stone overhangs. At the same time, they did not excavate the rock, as in some other cave houses in Spain. The house was simply built next to the cliff, using it as ready-made protection from above.

The most famous street in the town is called Cuevas del Sol. Here white houses seem to emerge from the ground, and a large cliff hangs above the street. Tourists walk along the narrow, cool lanes, look up, and photograph the unusual views. On Jaboneria and Cabrerisas streets, one can also see rocky ceilings, shade, and small balconies. Setenil attracts travellers precisely because nature and the ordinary life of people are united here in one place.

Setenil de las Bodegas is located in the province of Cádiz, in the south of Spain, and is considered one of the most unusual places on the route of Andalusia's White Villages. The town lies at an altitude of 640 metres above sea level. It is separated from Ronda by about 20 kilometres, from Málaga by about 95, and from the city of Cádiz by about 132 kilometres. Since the railway line does not reach here, travellers usually come by car.

Setenil's unusual appearance is explained by its position in a deep gorge formed by the Guadalporcún River. The historic centre, where streets and buildings are especially closely connected with the natural terrain, received the status of a historical-artistic complex in 1985. The whitewashed façades of the houses are situated right next to the rock, and massive rocky projections often serve as their natural roofs and ceilings.

This area was inhabited about five thousand years ago already and has preserved traces of different cultural periods. Modern inhabitants continue the local building tradition, based on the use of natural stone overhangs. It is important that the houses here are not carved out inside the rock. Unlike many Spanish cave houses, the dwellings of Setenil were built against the cliff and seemed to become its continuation. In this way, the stone protected people from the sun and helped to preserve coolness.

The best-known street is Cuevas del Sol, where white buildings line up under a huge cliff. A walk along it makes it especially clear to see how architecture adapted to the surrounding landscape. The narrow streets of Jaboneria and Cabrerisas are no less striking: in the shade of stone vaults, one can notice small balconies and old houses. It is precisely the combination of everyday life, white architecture, and impressive cliffs that makes Setenil attractive to visitors.