What to do · Guadix
Cave Quarter of Guadix and its viewpoints
Information
- Price
- Self-guided · free
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Who it's for
- All ages; slopes and earth stretches
- With a dog
- On a lead; these are streets with residents
What it is
The town council calls Guadix the European capital of caves: it has more than 2,000 inhabited underground homes, forming an arc from east to west around the old town and taking up more land than it does. It is not an open-air museum. These are homes with neighbours and the comforts of any house, and the only things that show on the hillside are the whitewashed façade and, above, the white chimney that ventilates each cave.
The caves were dug into the clay hills, from the ceiling downwards. The cave digger first opened an entrance room, the portal, and from it the other rooms. Air flows between the door, the window and the chimney, and the clay keeps the inside between 18 and 20 degrees all year. According to the town council, this habitat grew after the Christian conquest and was a refuge for those left outside the city.
The walk
- Plaza de la Ermita Nueva. It is the heart of the quarter. Here in the early 20th century worked the priest Pedro Poveda, now a saint, and a relief by José Campoamor shows him surrounded by the neighbourhood children. Next to it is the Guadix Caves Interpretation Centre.
- Cave church of the Ermita Nueva. A church dug into the clay, with the altar, arch and pulpit carved into the earth and a painting of the Virgen de Gracia from the late 17th century. According to the municipal timetable, it opens Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:30 to 20:00, and on Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00.
- Padre Poveda viewpoint. A few steps from the square, it looks out over a sea of chimneys.
- Cerro de la Bala viewpoint. Higher up, in the same quarter. From here you see at once the caves, the Alcazaba and the tower of the cathedral, and behind, the clay cliffs.
Getting there
From the cathedral you walk up in about 15 or 20 minutes, passing under the Alcazaba. The quarter's paths follow the natural tracks of the hills: there are slopes, steps and stretches of earth, so with a pushchair it is awkward.
When to go
Late in the afternoon, when the low sun turns the hills red and the white chimneys stand out more. In summer avoid midday: there is no shade in the street.
Tips
- Respect the homes Say hello, don't peer in at doors and don't photograph people without asking.
- Go up to La Bala It is the viewpoint that best explains Guadix: caves, town and landscape in a single view.
- Come in closed shoes The earth paths and slopes are slippery with loose sand.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to see the cave quarter?
No. The streets and viewpoints are free to access. Only the interpretation centre charges admission.
Can you go inside a cave?
In the interpretation centre and in the cave church of the Ermita Nueva. The rest are private homes, except those that work as accommodation.
How much time do you need?
An hour and a half for the walk and the two viewpoints, a bit more if you go into the interpretation centre.
With a dog
