The Spanish town Setenil de las Bodegas is unique having been built amid a rocky canyon, with one giant rock hanging over the main street
The Spanish town of Setenil de las Bodegas may have been named after its wineries, but these are perhaps not the thing that brings tourists from all over the world flocking to this unique site.
Look at any tourist photo from Setenil de las Bodegas and you’ll notice one rather unique feature – a huge rock hanging over the village’s main street, ironically named Cuevas del So, or Sun Street.
Having been built under the rock, many of the buildings on this street use this as their roof, and with many of these homes now being turned into holiday rentals and hotels, you can even experience what it would be like living in this unique space.
Setenil de las Bodegas has been inhabited since at least the 12th century when it was part of the Almohad Caliphate. With areas close by having been inhabited from 25,000 years ago, it’s possible that Setenil de las Bodegas’s history stretches back even further.
The modern town began taking form in 1484 during the Christian Reconquest when Christian forces expelled the Moorish occupants.
Now home to just 3,000 inhabitants, Setenil is a small town, but one that has become increasingly popular with tourists, and there is plenty to do, alongside checking out the unique architecture built into the rocks.
History buffs will want to take a trip to the ruins of Nazari Castle, a 12th-century Moorish Castle, which is believed to have once had 40 towers, and the Church of la Encarnacion, a Gothic-style church. There are also numerous museums located in the town and its surrounding areas.
While wine lovers may be disappointed that many of the town’s once flourishing wineries no longer exist, there are still a number of vineyards in the surrounding areas, including in the nearby mountaintop city of Ronda.
And there are still several wine bars in Setenil de las Bodegas itself, where you can taste some of the local wines.
