9 things to do in Setenil de las Bodegas cave village

Discover the best things to do in Setenil de las Bodegas, one of the most unique villages in Andalusia! The most iconic thing about the village is that people here still live in cave houses and work at shops and cafés built under rocks making it a bucket list place to visit in Andalusia!

In this blog post, you will find all the places with descriptions, photos, and locations where they can be found on Google Maps. We loved spending a couple of days in Setenil de las Bodegas and exploring this unique and iconic village to the fullest! Happy exploring!

Read more » 15 best Instagram spots in Setenil de las Bodegas

1. Calle Cuevas de la Sombra – the best place to see in Setenil de las Bodegas!

The most iconic place in Setenil de las Bodegas village is Calle Cuevas de la Sombra or the Street of Shadow caves. It is the only street in the village completely covered by rocks.

There is only a small part of the street that goes under the rock (like 100 meters or so), so I really recommend walking there and back to see this place from both sides of the street.

It is truly one of the coolest places and hidden gems in Andalusia! There are shops, cafés, and restaurants on the street under the rock. Don’t forget to check out these places – we found some tasty cakes there and actually had lunch in one of the cafés under the rock!

Location: Calle Cuevas de la Sombra

2. Kiss in this corner! And find other inscriptions on the wall!

There is one more unique thing about Setenil de las Bodegas village and it is that there are multiple places around the village with cute and interesting inscriptions in Spanish. Like ‘Bésame En Este Rincón‘ which means ‘Kiss me in this corner‘.

Obviously, it is better that you understand Spanish, however, don’t worry – all of those inscriptions have a positive meaning! I found the ones that say:

• kiss me in this corner
• a flower, a woman
• we walked around to find each other
• the best of Setenil is here and it is you
• whisper in my ear
• let’s walk together

You can find the locations and photos of all the abovementioned inscriptions in this blog post about the best Instagram spots in Setenil de las Bodegas! Many of them are located around the must-visit places so definitely keep your eyes open to spot at least some of them!

Location: Bésame En Este Rincón · We walked around to find each other

3. Visit one of the most beautiful streets in Andalusia – Calle Herreria!

Calle Herreria is one of the most iconic, beautiful, and romantic streets in Setenil de las Bodegas and in Andalusia. I was definitely NOT the judge of that, however, this street has a charm for sure!

There is a hidden, narrow staircase leading uphill in the direction of Plaza de Andalucía square. You might even walk past it if you don’t pay attention as there is a bigger and wider street you can use to get to the square.

Obviously, the most unique part about it is the overhanging rock above the street. Besides, the street is super narrow – probably one of the most narrow streets you will find in Setenil de las Bodegas village. These stairs will lead you straight to the ‘Bésame En Este Rincón’ sign!

Location: Calle Herreria

4. Take a photo of Setenil letters and see the view from Mirador del Carmen

Standing tall right in the middle of the village is a cliff and Mirador del Carmen viewpoint. This is one of the most iconic views of the village with the ‘Setenil’ sign and the church and the castle in the background.

You will have to climb some stairs in order to get there, but we all know that the biggest rewards come after the steepest climbs, right?! So definitely save this spot in your Setenil de las Bodegas itinerary! From here you have almost a 360-degree view over the village! Pretty cool!

Location: Mirador del Carmen

5. Calle Cuevas del Sol

Amongst the most iconic streets in Setenil de las Bodegas is Calle Cuevas del Sol or the Street of the Sun Caves. If you remember the most iconic street was called the Street of Shadow Caves.

The names of these streets indicate that one street gets more sun than the other one – Street of Shadow Caves – because it is completely covered by rocks in some places.

Calle Cuevas del Sol street is one of the main streets in the village and is very busy. It is filled with restaurants, chairs, and tables, so you might not get the most beautiful photos here. The best street for the photos is Calle Cuevas de la Sombra.

However, this street will be the perfect place to find a table at a restaurant and have lunch under the overhanging rocks that cover all the buildings and the street itself. It is as crazy as it sounds!

Tip! Try tapas at Bar Frasquito on Calle Cuevas del Sol!

Location: Calle Cuevas del Sol

6. Have lunch in a restaurant in a cave or under the rock

One of the most unique experiences you can have in Setenil de las Bodegas is sitting in a bar or a restaurant and having a meal inside a cave or under the overhanging rocks on the street.

There are many bars and restaurants that offer this unique opportunity. I recommend trying tapas at Bar Frasquito on Calle Cuevas del Sol or Cafeteria-Bar Sol y Sombra under the rock on Calle Cuevas de la Sombra. Another great place is La Telera 1860 restaurant with a terrace above the river Río Trejo.

If you can, try local Andalusian cheese – Payoyo. It is made from the milk of special Payoya goats and Merina sheep in the nearby village of Villaluenga del Rosario and other surrounding areas of Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. It is a Spanish delicacy.

7. Highest point in the village – tower of the Castillo de Setenil de las Bodegas fortress

For a small entrance fee (2 EUR) you can climb to the roof of the highest building in Setenil de las Bodegas – the tower of the Castillo de Setenil fortress. This is the remaining part of what once was a castle and a fortress around it.

There are great views over the village, and you can see all the levels the village was built on. Here you can actually realize how deep inside the gorge those cave streets and cave houses actually are!

If you don’t want to spend any money or you are visiting outside their working hours, definitely don’t skip this place. Next to the tower, there is a viewpoint overlooking the village. The views are almost equally as good from there too!

In order to get there you need to get to Plaza de Andalucía square and then find a small street heading uphill – Calle Villa. Once you climb up and go through a white arch there will be a garden on your right. There are stairs leading through the garden that will take you to the viewpoint.

At the viewpoint, there is a small square. Pay attention to the bench at the wall – there is another one of the inscriptions on the wall saying – ‘the best of Setenil is here and it is you’.

Location: Tower of the Castillo de Setenil

8. Shop in the deepest cave in Setenil de las Bodegas – Cueva Alta

One of the coolest experiences we had in Setenil de las Bodegas was shopping in the deepest cave house in the village. There is a gastro bar-type souvenir shop that you can visit even if you don’t buy anything.

The shop is full of local artisan products, wine, beer, chocolate, sweets, cheese, beauty products, and so on. We bought some local products there. They also have the aforementioned Payoyo cheese.

If you are craving a drink there are a couple of tables with chairs inside for you to sit at and enjoy a cold beer or a glass of wine, or coffee with some cheese, jamón, sausages, or some sweets.

Location: Cueva Alta

9. Ermita de San Benito yellow church and Islamic architecture doors

One of my favorite buildings in Setenil de las Bodegas was this cute and tiny Ermita de San Benito church in white and yellow colors. It is located in the heart of the historic center of the village and was built in the 15th century.

This is another one of those examples in Andalusia which was once a mosque but now has been rebuilt into a church. Just a couple of meters away from this church, however, you can find probably the most unique doors in the whole village – in a proper Islamic architecture design.

Location: Ermita de San Benito · Doors in Islamic architecture design