What to see in Guadix with its legendary cave houses

Visit Guadix and see one of the world’s greatest cave dwellings

In this article, you’ll find all the information you need to know about the best things to see in Guadix, including its cave houses:

• The origins of Guadix and the cave dwellings
• Where is Guadix in Andalucia?
• What to see in Guadix
• What to do around Guadix
• Places to visit near Guadix
• Guadix Fair
• Book accommodation… in a cave house
• Some useful links (car hire, other ideas for visits)

The origins of Guadix

This site was first inhabited by the Iberians, at that time it was called Acci. Later the site was occupied by the Romans, who gave it the name Julia Gemella Acci.

Historians believe that it was Julius Caesar who founded the Roman column of Guadix in 45 BC. It was a fairly important city in the Roman Empire, coins of several emperors (Caesar Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudio) have been found.

From the Roman origins of the city, you can admire the ruins of the Roman theatre discovered in… 2008.

It is of course still being restored. This theatre was founded by order of the Roman emperor Tiberius.

During the Al-Andalus period, the city took the name of Wadi-Ash (oradi-Acci), which after the reconquista was Spanishised under the name of Guadix.

Where is Guadix in Andalucia?

Visit Guadix the best things to see in town

1. The Alcazaba
2. Encarnacion Cathedral
3. El Ferro Tower
4. The church of Santa Maria de las Lagrimas
5. Some of the façades in the streets of Guadix
6. Five other places to visit in Guadix
7. Railway station…Indiana Jones
8. Cave houses, the cuevas of Guadix

The Alcazaba

The Alcazaba of Guadix must be one of the oldest, it dates from the 10th and 11th century, and was founded by the Zirids.

I make a small aside on the Zirids, a Berber tribe of Kabylie of which one speaks rather little. However, they are the originators of the Alcazaba in Malaga, the Alhambra palace and the Albayzin district in Granada.

Finally, this Berber tribe is also the origin of the first kingdom of Granada.

The Alcazaba of Guadix is not yet open to the public, except on a few dates for partial visits of the site.

The Cathedral of La Encarnacion

This cathedral was built from the 16th to the 18th century on top of an old mosque, which was itself built on top of an older temple. It has a very singular physiognomy mixing many styles (renaissance, mannerism and neoclassic) but the gothic and the baroque remain predominant.

This combination is due to the fact that it was built over almost three centuries, with changes of era and of course of architects. The Cathedral is made of red sandstone, its colour is really beautiful to see in the late afternoon.

El Ferro Tower

This tower located next to the Roman theatre and the Cathedral is an old tower of the Medina wall, in the Middle Ages, during the Al-Andalus period.

Santa Maria de las Lagrimas Church a surprising must-see in Guadix

I must admit that I visited this church by chance. The view from the outside gave the impression of an abandoned place.

Not much is said about this church, but if you come to visit Guadix, I invite you to spend some time there. It is worth a visit.

…. Inside, I discovered a small treasure of architecture and some sculptures and paintings of the most surprising… Some symbols behind the altar even recall Freemasons symbols.

A place to discover, full of surprises, here are two of them, below.

Some frontages in the streets of Guadix

Some other places to visit in Guadix

• The Pottery and Cave Museum (in a cave below the Alcazaba)
• Los Marqueses de Villalegre Palace
• Santiago Church
• Penaflor Palace
• The beautiful Plaza de los Palomas

One last place to visit in Guadix: the railway station…

Guadix is known as a land of cinema, as are many other places in Andalusia. The most famous film with scenes shot in Guadix is Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the Revolution”.

But a few years ago, a scene from a famous film was shot here too. In this film, Sean Connery is Harrison Ford’s father…I mean Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Connoisseurs will recognize a scene from the film in this picture!

Discover the troglodyte houses, caves of Guadix

Guadix allows you to discover one of the largest groups of troglodyte houses in the world.

here are about 2000 cave-houses, in which about 3000 people live.

These very special houses have one thing in common: the temperature is around 18-20°C day and night and all year round.

All around Guadix, the surroundings are identical and one can guess the ancient dwellings or not, in these clay mountains:

It is possible to visit some troglodyte houses, caves on the spot.

What to see in the surroundings of Guadix?

In the area around Guadix and Granada, there are some fabulous sites to discover. Here are 3 ideas for visits fairly close to Guadix.

Montefrio

Montefrío is known as the last frontier of al-Andalus. For your information, National Geographic magazine has listed Montefrío as one of the 10 villages with the most beautiful views in the world!

Here’s the link if you’d like to visit Montefrio.

Salobreña

If you want to go to the coast, the small white village by the sea, called Salobrena, is a little wonder to discover. Salobrena is known as the “Pearl of the Costa Tropical”.

Alpujarra region

At the foot of the Sierra Nevada, and still in the province of Granada: the villages of the Alpujarra, such as Pampaneira and Capileira are beautiful and unique and can be a very, very nice stopover on any trip to Andalusia.

What to do around Guadix, what activities?

In the following link you will find a selection of activities that might be of interest to you, including a beautiful canyoning trip: see activities around Guadix.

Guadix Fair

Find accommodation in Guadix…in a cueva…a cave house?

Let me suggest you an accommodation in a cave house: La Casa Cueva Guadix. This cave house, rented to travellers by Maryse, is a little wonder!

Below, you will find the widest possible choice of accommodation in Guadix.

Booking.com

Want to continue touring Andalucia?

Easy and economical bookings

• your flight

• taxi transfer

• hire car

• train and bus tickets

If you are in Andalucia as part of a tour with several major cities to visit, here are some links that may be of interest:

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

Discover other beautiful places in Andalusia in the Andalusia blog pages.

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