If you are in Ronda, or even Málaga, and are looking for a way to spend your day, we think you’ll love a trip to either Setenil de las Bodegas or Olvera. Better yet, visit both. Between the cave homes in Sentenil and the hilltop castle of Olvera, visiting these two captivating towns will undoubtedly be a highlight of your time in Spain.
They are included on the list of Spain’s Pueblo Blancos (White Towns) for good reasons. Setenil de las Bodegas and Olvera are unique examples of this collection of picture-perfect white towns scattered on the hills and mountains in Andalucía.
Setenil de las Bodegas
As a social media hotspot, we worried that the town would be a huge disappointment. Even though it was quite busy with tourists, we’re pleased to report that Setenil de las Bodegas exceeded our expectations and was well worth a visit.
A rocky cliff band above Trejo River provides the setting for one of the most unique towns in Spain. Homes were built inside caves and under overhanging roofs, creating a scene begging to be photographed. Like many of the caves in Spain, these have likely been inhabited since well before the modern era, but the buildings were erected by the Moors.
On the drive toward town, you can’t see the gems hiding under those cliffs. It’s not until you get quite close that the secret treasures are revealed.
The origin of its unusual name is a bit of a mystery. Some say Setenil comes from the Romans, but others disagree. Bodegas refers to the surrounding land that was once prosperous in winemaking. A 19th century bug infestation ruined the vineyards, but recent replanting is revitalizing the industry.
The two most popular streets to visit are Calles Cuevas del Sol (Caves of the Sun) and Cuevas de la Sombra (Caves of the Shade), named for the amount of sun or shade they receive. While we have seen cave houses before, and there are many in Andalucía, we have never seen a town like this.
On Calle Cuevas del Sol, two-story buildings are tucked under a large shelf. Many of those buildings are now restaurants and knick-knack shops for tourists.
Calle Cuevas de la Sombra is one of the most unique streets. Buildings were erected on both sides of the rock, turning the street into a colonnade.
After exploring the lowest streets along the river, there is a lot more of this town to explore. As you wander, you’ll notice many homes have unusual construction, where the cliffs are used as walls or even roofs.
A favourite spot is the kissing balconies on Calle Herrería. The homes are on opposite sides of the street but are so close that people could kiss across them. We saw something similar in Guanajuato, Mexico .
There used to be a castle on top of the canyon, but today, only parts of it remain. Even if there’s no castle, its position on the ridge allows you to look down upon the town. From there, you can see the twists and turns of the tight canyon and the homes built into their nooks.
You can read about other cave houses in Spain in our post A Unique Hotel – Staying In A Cave House In Spain.
How to get to Setenil de las Bodegas
Located 18 km (11 miles) from Ronda, you can easily visit Setenil de las Bodegas on a day trip, but there are several locally run hotels and guesthouses if you prefer to stay overnight. We wish we did just that so we could enjoy the town after the many daytime tourists were gone. Most of the drive is a double-lane highway, but we found it in good condition and an easy drive. There is no parking in the historic centre. You can find a few parking lots on Google Maps just outside of centre. You can take the train from Ronda, but the station is 5 km outside town, so it’s not very practical. You could also drive from Málaga (95 km/60 miles) where there is an international airport.
If you don’t have a car there are many tours offered in both Málaga and Ronda.
Olvera
We first saw Olvera from a distance and couldn’t believe our eyes. It looked like a scene from a fairytale with Olvera Castle (Castillo de Olvera) perched atop a rocky point and its white homes tumbling down the hill below. From this first view to the last, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Olvera.
There had been a large downpour overnight, so the highways leading up to Olvera had streams of mud running down. It was even worse in town. It must happen often because the cleanup was very organized. Dozens of people were already sweeping the debris and hosing the mud off the sidewalks.
The steep streets leading up to the castle were free of debris. This allowed us to enjoy the pretty 17th and 18th century heritage buildings at our sides rather than worry about stepping in puddles.
Partway up the street is a lookout near Sacred Heart Monument (Monumento al Sagrado Corazon). From there, we could see above the rooftops for a great view of Olvera Castle on its rocky point.
Further up the street, the views of the castle and the city’s main church kept getting better and better.
Finally, we reached Church Square where we had one of the best views of the precariously placed medieval castle. Our Lady of the Incarnation Church is so large that we couldn’t see the entire building from this square, even though it’s right in front. The best views of the church are from above, on the walk up to the castle.
Olvera Castle has a magnificent placement. Its walls look to be a continuation of the rickety pinnacle, making a successful attack almost impossible. The 12th century castle was built by the Moorish Nasrid Kingdom of Granada and did withstand many attacks. It was eventually captured by the crown of Castille, almost 200 years later.
In addition, to its position on the pinnacle, the castle’s layout is also unusual. It follows the contours of the oddly shaped rock resulting an elongated triangular floorplan. It is mostly an empty shell inside, but the best part of visiting the castle is to climb to the top of the Keep. From there, you have unimpeded views of the town and the olive groves that cover the surrounding hills. Getting to the top is a little tricky, though. The steps are so small that it would be easier to navigate the spiral staircase if you had tiny feet.
How to get to Olvera
Located only 16 km (10 miles) from Setenil de las Bodegas, it is very easy to add Olvera to a day trip from Ronda or Málaga. Most of the drive is on a double-lane highway, but we found it in good condition and an easy drive. There is parking at the base of the hill.
You can find more Pueblo Blancos in our post A Guide to Spain’s Pueblo Blancos.
Another great day trip from Ronda is El Caminito del Rey. You can read about this hike here.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Setenil de las Bodegas.
To read more of our adventures in Spain, click here.
Coming Next – Explore Historic Málaga
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