What to see in Setenil de las Bodegas – 16 places not to be missed

Setenil de las Bodegas best things to see and do

This article on visiting Setenil de las Bodegas highlights the best things to see and do:

• A quick summary of the history of Setenil de las Bodegas
• What to see in Setenil de las Bodegas?
• Where is Setenil de las Bodegas in Andalucia?
• What to do in Setenil, guided tours
• Period of the Setenil de las Bodegas fair
• Find accommodation
• Where to park in Setenil ?
• Some useful links
• The latest articles on Andalucia

A quick summary of the history of Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil de las Bodegas is a very unusual village to see and discover.

It is atypical because many of the houses are troglodyte. They are built from caves or under rocky overhangs.

There’s even an inhabited street under a large rock. It really is a must-see in Andalucia for its originality!

It is one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. Setenil is part of the “Pueblos más bonitos de España” network as Vejer de la Frontera. The latter, a sublime white village, is not far from Cadiz.

It is a village of about 3000 inhabitants. Setenil is part of the route of the white villages of the province of Cadiz. It is on the road that leads from Jerez de la Frontera to Ronda.

The magnificent Ronda, another stopover not to be missed, is just 15 km away.

The village as a whole has been classified as a Conjunto Histórico-Artístico (Historic-Artistic Site) since 1985. It also has an important heritage from the Al-Andalus period.

The origins of the village

It seems that this site, made up of natural caves, has been inhabited since prehistoric times, 25,000 years ago.

Later, the Roman colony of Laccipo (now Casares) occupied the site, particularly for the storage of foodstuffs.

However, it was during the Al-Andalus period that Setenil began to play an important role in the history of the region.

From this period, a legend was born. Indeed, its particular geography made Setenil a strong place and particularly difficult to conquer.

It took 7 sieges of the city before the Catholic kings were victorious and took Setenil. The last, victorious attack took place on 21 September 1484. The city fell into the hands of the Catholic kings following an assault by troops led by Rodrigo Ponce de León, Duke of Cadiz.

Legend has it that the name Setenil comes from the translation of the Latin words “Septem Nihil” which means “seven times nothing”.

The full name, on the other hand, dates from the 15th century.

This was the period when new Christians settled here. In addition to preserving the olive and almond fields, they introduced vines. The caves that were used to preserve the wine naturally gave the name of “Bodegas”.

Setenil de las Bodegas what to see?

1. Calle Cuevas del Sol (Street of the Caves of the Sun)
2. The River Trejo
3. Del Carmen viewpoint
4. The Torre del Homenaje of the Xatanil fortress
5. Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
6. The street of the soap factory (Calle jaboneria)
7. Bésame en este rincón – the kissing corner
8. Susurrame al oïdo – an even more romantic spot
9. Calle Herrería
10. Plaza de Andalucía
11. Mirador de la Villa
12. Antigua casa consistorial
13. Casa de la Damita de Setenil
14. Shop on Calle Cantarería alta
15. Calle Cuevas de la Sombra (Street of the Shadow Caves)
16. The ruins of Acinipo

Calle Cuevas del Sol (Street of the Caves of the Sun)

A visit to Setenil de las Bodegas usually begins on Calle Cuevas del Sol. Calle Cuevas del Sol takes its name from the fact that it is exposed to the sun for much of the day.

This spectacular street is also one of the busiest in the village, with several bars, restaurants and shops:

Before setting off on your tour of Setenil de las Bodegas, you can stop off at a cave-house that doubles as a bar for a quick coffee 🙂 . In these houses and shops, the temperature is almost the same all year round, varying by just 3 degrees.

Note: if you’re looking for accommodation on this street, Casa del Sol offers charming accommodation in a cave house.

The River Trejo

The River Trejo runs through the entire village. It is crossed at several points during the visit to Setenil de las Bodegas.

This is the river that, over time, carved out the canyon in which Setenil de las Bodegas is located.

Mirador del Carmen

The Mirador del Carmen, next to a church, offers a beautiful panoramic view of the village.

The Tower of the Xatanil fortress

Little remains of the Arab castle, the ancient fortress of Xatanil. However, one building from the Almohad period (12th-12th centuries) remains in excellent condition. This is the old tower of the Arab fortress. Today it is known as the Torre del Homenaje.

It is a must-see in Setenil de las Bodegas.

Note: you can visit it as well as the aljibe (water reservoir under Al-Andalus), which is located just below it. The visit costs €2.

The church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación

This church was built in 1505, after the Reconquest. It stands next to the old fortress. This is hardly surprising, as it stands on the site of the former medieval mosque.

It offers attentive visitors a curiosity: the first part of the church is Mudéjar and then Gothic!

Worth noting: The church houses a crucified Christ from the early 17th century, a silk and gold chasuble donated by the Catholic Monarchs and a painted altarpiece from the late 15th century.

Calle jaboneria (Soap factory street)

This street – Calle jabonería – is also one of the most famous in Setenil de las Bodegas.

The view of all the cave-houses on this street is impressive.

Bésame en este rincón – the kissing corner

The kissing corner has become an almost common sight in the white villages of Andalucia. The one in Setenil is at the top of the famous Calle Herrería.

Susurrame al oïdo – an even more romantic spot

This spot is located between the mirador del Carmen and Calle jaboneria. It’s definitely a place for those who haven’t yet got round to kissing, or who are a little more shy 🙂 :

NB: Susurrame al oïdo means Whisper in my ear….

Calle Herrería

Calle Herrería is one of the most beautiful and surprising streets to see in Setenil de las Bodegas.

It is spectacular because the rocks above cover a good part of the street. This street runs alongside troglodyte houses painted with whitewash and decorated with pots of geraniums.

Plaza de Andalucía

This pretty little square is the perfect place to stop off during your visit to Setenil. It’s really very pleasant.

Mirador de la Villa

This Mirador de la Villa is one of my favourites in the village. You can see troglodyte houses with a field of olive trees above them:

Antigua casa consistorial

This building, the antigua casa consistorial, now houses the Setenil de las Bodegas tourist office. This little house used to be the town hall!

However, I invite you to go inside, as it also houses a real little treasure. Inside, you’ll be able to see a Mudejar-style roof from the 16th century, which is truly beautiful. It is one of the few, but also the most beautiful, roofs of this style that you will see in the whole province of Cadiz.

Casa de la Damita de Setenil

This is a kind of small museum that shows Setenil de las Bodegas through its history.

It is located right next to the Torreon and the church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.

The centrepiece is the Damita de Setenil, a 5,000-year-old Venus that bears witness to the fact that the caves have been inhabited since prehistoric times. This small piece was found in Calcetas street during excavations in 1996.

Souvenir photo next to the Damita de Setenil

Here’s a lovely bench to take a photo on :))

And right next to it, you’ll also find the sign for Setenil de las Bodegas – Pueblos más bonitos de España – :

Shop on Calle Cantarería alta

The shop on this street is interesting in more ways than one. You can buy souvenirs, of course, but you can also enjoy being in one of the deepest cave dwellings in the village.

And if you want to continue the romantic journey through the village, you can also make a wish here by throwing a small coin into the well of love 🙂 .

Calle Cuevas de la Sombra (Street of the Shadow Caves)

This Calle Cuevas de la Sombra is opposite Calle Cuevas del Sol, on the other side of the River Trejo. As its name suggests, this street is mostly in the shade.

It is also one of the most spectacular streets to see in Setenil de las Bodegas :

This is the street that usually marks the end of a visit to the village.

The ruins of Acinipo

This Roman site is only a few kilometres from Setenil.

Admission is free and you can see :

• a Roman theatre carved out of the rock
• remains of Roman baths
• a surrounding wall

Here’s a link to the exact location of Acinipo, also known as the old Ronda.

In conclusion, for those wishing to visit Setenil des las Bodegas, I just want to share an extract from a poem by Gerardo Diego, which reads: ‘Setenil de las Bodegas, donde el cielo es de Roca, y el silencio de sueño de piqueta’ (‘Setenil de las Bodegas, where the sky is made of rock, and the silence of a pickaxe’s dream’).

Location of Setenil de las Bodegas

The nearest major city is however Malaga, and Setenil is about 15 km from Ronda.

What to do in Setenil de las Bodegas, guided tours

Below you will find a number of ideas for activities and visits, classified by theme. You can book them online today.

The +: the activities can all be cancelled up to 24 hours before the scheduled date

Guided tour of Setenil de las Bodegas from the Costa del Sol

from the western Costa del Sol: Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Mijas, Málaga

If you are in the western part of the Costa del Sol and would like to visit Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas, you can use the following link to book a tour from Málaga, Torremolinos, Mijas or Benalmadena.

from the eastern Costa del Sol: Torre del Mar, Torrox and Nerja

An excellent local guide, Cipriano, offers you a wonderful day to visit Ronda and Setenil de la Bodegas.

If you are on holiday between Torre del Mar and Nerja, he will pick you up and drop you off at your holiday destination in the evening.

This day will be an opportunity to see the essentials, accompanied by a guide to understand and discover the richness of 2 magnificent cities. The day is spent in a small semi-private group (8 people maximum).

Here is the link to find out more and to book: Day trip to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas

Period of the Setenil de las Bodegas fair

Book accommodation

If you’d like to stay overnight in Setenil in a beautiful little cave house, here’s an ideal address: rural house bajo la alcazaba.

Below you will find all the hotels and accommodation available in Setenil de las Bodegas after selecting your dates:

Booking.com

Where to park in Setenil de las Bodegas ?

If you come by car, park outside the village, and avoid going at the weekend.

Ideally, you should be able to park on Paseo Federico Garcia Lorca.

Close to the parking, you can even read a magnificent text by the greatest Andalusian poet

And right next door there is also a street with a curious name…

Some useful links for your holidays in Andalucia

Easy and economical bookings

• your flight

• taxi transfer

• hire car

• train and bus tickets

Continue your trip to Andalucia

Seville

Seville, the capital of Andalucia, is a city full of treasures to discover and monuments to visit.

Here you will find everything you can see in Seville in 3 days. And for those who will stay longer you will also find information on secret Seville and the Santa Cruz and Triana districts.

Cadiz

Visit Cadiz, a city with an incredible past and great beauty, on the Costa del la Luz.

Malaga

When you reach the Costa del Sol you will find in this link all must-sees in Malaga :

Granada

Discover what to see in Granada, and visit the Albaicin and Sacromonte districts:

Cordoba

And of course, visit Cordoba, the caliphate city, and the Juderia district

A selection of great experiences to do in the surroundings

The latest articles on Andalucia