What to see in Setenil de las Bodegas
So that you get the most out of your stay in our accommodation, we want to show you what to see in Setenil de las Bodegas, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. It is a small municipality in Cádiz, with just over 2,500 inhabitants, which is located on the Route of the White Towns and very close to the city of Ronda . We are talking about Setenil de las Bodegas.
History of Setenil de las Bodegas
The origins of this Cádiz town date back to the Neolithic period, in times similar to the settlement of Acinipo, which is located a few kilometers from Setenil de las Bodegas. Despite these archaeological remains, it is in the Late Middle Ages when there is evidence of a settlement on this site. This place is called “La Villa” and it consisted of a network of streets, of the Almohad type, inside the walls that protected the inhabitants.
It is at the time of the Reconquest of the Catholic Monarchs when Setenil obtains special relevance and begins its economic and social development. This is because it was a crucial point to defeat the Nasrid kingdom.
Historical note of Setenil de las Bodegas: from the reign of Juan II of Castilla to the reign of the Catholic Monarchs (from 1407 to 1484) there were seven sieges in Setenil (attempts to defeat the town).
After the conquest, Setenil de las Bodegas was declared a royal town , which attracted numerous inhabitants and merchants, promoting the social, cultural and economic development that resulted in this wonderful town.
What to do in Setenil de las Bodegas?
Despite being a municipality with a small population, Setenil de las Bodegas offers a wide variety of places to visit and things to do during your visit. Being a small town has many advantages, not only for residents who have everything at their fingertips, but for visitors we also have everything within a few minutes.
Below we show you everything you can do and see in Setenil during your visit:
Cuevas del Sol Street and Cuevas de la Sombra Street
Cuevas del Sol Street is the greatest monument and heritage that Setenil de las Bodegas has. You will find it as soon as you start your visit and go down to the Trejo River area.
It is a narrow street, which normally has a large influx of tourists (especially on weekends), characterized by houses carved into the pit itself . In addition, due to the orientation of the street itself and the layout of the mountain, it receives light during a large part of the day, hence its name.
Tip of La Garganta: take the opportunity to stop by one of the bars on the street, since several were old houses that have been remodeled. Our recommendations are: Bar Frasquito, La Tasca and Bar Calvente, although any bar you find will offer you exquisite products and services.
Right on the other bank of the river, you will find Calle Cuevas de la Sombra . This one is narrower than the previous one and, as its name suggests, it is in the shade throughout the day. In it you will find many establishments to buy souvenirs and typical products of the town .
Setenil de las Bodegas Cave Houses
This type of construction is what gives Setenil its unique charm. The cave-houses are buildings excavated in the rock. All of them are inhabited and you can even visit some.
These houses are a crucial factor for the inhabitants in both hot and cold seasons, since the rock itself regulates the interior temperature. This allows you to enjoy mild temperatures inside, despite the fact that the street touches 40 degrees in the summer months.
Tip from La Garganta: on the way to the next destination of your visit in Setenil de las Bodegas, Plaza de Andalucía, you will come across Calle Calcetas, one of the maximum expressions of the cave houses in the town.
Andalusia Square
It is a small square where you can rest at mid-morning (to get there you will have to take a considerable climb). It is a hidden enclave, planted with orange trees next to an imposing stone wall.
From here you can take the road to several viewpoints, which will make the previous effort worthwhile, and to the Town Hall .
Viewpoints of Setenil de las Bodegas
Next to Calle del Sol and Calle de la Sombra, the Setenil de la Bodegas viewpoints are your best options. Here are the most prominent:
Viewpoint towards the Plaza de Andalucía
From Plaza de Andalucía, take Calle Villa. You will arrive at the old town hall. From there you will have a viewpoint towards the Plaza de Andalucía.
Viewpoint of the Church of the Incarnation
If you follow Calle Villa to the end, it will lead you to one of the best viewpoints in Setenil de las Bodegas, the viewpoint of the Church of the Encarnación.
Lizón viewpoint
We hope that you still have the strength to continue to the Mirador de Lizón. You can get there if you take the stairs of the Manuel Galán Gardens.
Viewpoint from the road to Olvera
We recommend this to be your farewell to Setenil. If you take the road towards Olvera, you can stop on its shoulder to enjoy the highest views of the municipality.
Riddle of La Garganta: We encourage you to investigate which of the four viewpoints is the plaque that certifies Setenil de las Bodegas as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain .
Churches and hermitages of Setenil de las Bodegas
Setenil has a large number of religious temples. All of them are worth it, either for their own beauty or for their history and relevance to the town.
Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation is a late Gothic style temple. It was built on the old Muslim mosque after the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs. Inside, the altarpiece of the Annunciation stands out. The Vera+Cruz Brotherhood (Los Blancos) takes a procession from this church during Holy Week, whose owner is the Cristo de la Vera+Cruz, which is located inside the temple.Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation, Setenil de las Bodegas
Hermitage of San Sebastian was the first Christian building after the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs . According to legend, the name comes from a premature son of Queen Elizabeth, who died a few hours after birth.
Hermitage of San Benito. To get to it you will have to use Google Maps, since it is located in a labyrinthine network in the center of the town. Inside is the image of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno , belonging to the Brotherhood of the Blacks. Here you have a direct link to the location of the Hermitage.
Hermitage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 18th century building. It is one of the most emblematic of Setenil , it has an interior altarpiece dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Carmen, who is the patron saint of the town.
Tip from La Garganta: if you visit Setenil de las Bodegas during Holy Week, visit the town on Holy Thursday or Good Friday, as they are the days when there are processions.
Setenil de las Bodegas Castle – Torreón
The Castle of Setenil de las Bodegas is located right next to the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. As part of its structure, is El Torreón, built during the time of Muslim domination , which can be visited for a price of €1.5 and offers magnificent views of the entire town.
The Castle and the Tower were the two pillars of the defense of the city in the times of the conquest and later, since they dominated the height and the town was defended with a wall and two towers (although only one of them is preserved). .
Calle Gibraltar Español and a place for lovers
Setenil de las Bodegas, together with another small group of municipalities throughout the Spanish geography, has a small pedestrian street called “Gibraltar Español”. This is due to the link between this area of Cadiz, very close to the Serranía de Ronda, with the Campo de Gibraltar.
In the case of Setenil, this name was established at the end of the 60s, currently being one of the most characteristic elements and visited by tourists.
Another element of interest and recognized by tourists who visit Setenil is the mosaic with the phrase “Kiss me in this corner” , in Calle Herrería. Which has a special charm as it is located at the entrance of the town and adorned with several vases of flowers. We want you to share a photo of this place on social networks and mention us so that you appear in this post!
Where to park in Setenil de las Bodegas?
This is the first thing you should be clear about when you travel to Setenil, here you come to walk, go up and down hills, but believe us that every step is worth it .
This town is characterized by small and very narrow streets, so it is highly recommended to leave the car at the entrance to the town , just when you turn at the first entrance roundabout.
Parking in Setenil de las Bodegas
In case that parking lot is full (it’s not too big) you have two options:
Here you will always have parking. Turn around at the bus stop, which is 150 meters from there, cross the roundabout again in the direction of Alcalá del Valle, about 400 meters away, there is an urbanization on the left. Go in there and get as close as possible to the soccer field and fairgrounds, you will see them right in front of you when you enter.
Keep going , you have to cross a small bridge and begin to climb to the highest part of the town (here you have several viewpoints to start and end the visit), you can find parking in any of the streets. The higher you go, the more likely you are to find parking. (Remember that everything that goes up comes down, and in this case you will have to go up again 😉).
Any parking option has its pros and cons, although the views and the experience that you are going to enjoy will make it all worth it.
How to get to Setenil de las Bodegas from La Garganta?
This is one of the trips that we most recommend you do while you stay at our facilities. It is an ideal trip to leave in the morning and be back at night to have dinner and rest . We hope you like your visit to Setenil de las Bodegas.
