Cuevas del Sol and Cuevas de la Sombra
1 hAll ages
A free one-hour walk along Cuevas del Sol, Cuevas de la Sombra and Herrería, the Setenil streets that pass beneath the rock of the Guadalporcún.
AccessCar: 20 min from Ronda
Best timeMar · Apr · May · Oct · Nov
Minimum time3 hours
Overall difficultyLow, with slopes
What to do
What to do in Setenil de las Bodegas
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
The keep and cistern
30 minFamilies
What remains of Setenil’s Andalusi fortress: the keep, its cistern and the Lizón viewpoint at its foot, at the top of the town. Half an hour.
Carmen Viewpoint
20 minNo pushchairs
A viewpoint on a crag next to the 18th-century Carmen hermitage, reached by a staircase carved into the rock from Jabonería.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Setenil de las Bodegas, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Setenil de las Bodegas
In spring and autumn. In July and August, at midday, the heat bears down outside the covered streets. Midweek there are far fewer people than on Sundays.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Setenil de las Bodegas your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Car below, village on foot
Setenil is a road trip: 20 minutes from Ronda and an hour and a quarter from Málaga airport, with no trains. Once in the village, leave the car below and walk up.
70–130 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Villa de Setenil, in…
- Getting aroundPark on the paseo Federico…
- Where to eatEl Mirador, in the hotel…
- ServicesTourist office in the upper…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Villa de Setenil, in the upper part, with views of the cave houses
- Parador de Ronda, if you prefer a base in Ronda
Getting around
- Park on the paseo Federico García Lorca, next to Cuevas del Sol
- Ronda is 20 minutes away for the afternoon
Where to eat
- El Mirador, in the hotel, with views of the village; book
Services
- Tourist office in the upper part, with a map and guided tours
Flying to Málaga and a car into the sierra
Málaga airport is Setenil's gateway for anyone flying from northern Spain, the Balearics or the Canaries: there are direct flights from many Spanish cities and, from there, about an hour and a quarter by car to the village. Seville is further away. Hire the car at the airport: there is no practical way to get there without one.
- Getting thereMálaga Airport (AGP), the most…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport
- Where to sleepHotel Villa de Setenil, which…
- ServicesSetenil tourist office, with a…
Getting there
- Málaga Airport (AGP), the most direct option
- Seville Airport (SVQ), if you combine it with the city
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport
- Ronda, 20 minutes away, for the same day
Where to sleep
- Hotel Villa de Setenil, which offers a transfer from the airport
- Parador de Ronda, for a first night in Ronda
Services
- Setenil tourist office, with a map of the village
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Setenil de las Bodegas for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Streets with a stone roof
Children only need to see a street covered by a rock the size of a building. The town is small and can be walked without tiring them out, as long as you avoid the heat.
- What works bestCuevas de la Sombra, where…
- Where to sleepIn the town, to see…
- Where to eatTapas on the terraces in…
- Worth knowingWith a pushchair, only the…
What works best
- Cuevas de la Sombra, where the rock hides the sky
- Climbing the keep
- The short route along the river
Where to sleep
- In the town, to see it empty at dusk
Where to eat
- Tapas on the terraces in the lower part
Worth knowing
- With a pushchair, only the lower part: there are steps higher up
- In summer, set off early: it is very hot at midday
- Narrow streets with residents’ cars: keep an eye on little ones
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Villa de Setenil
Why we like it: A small country hotel in the upper part of Setenil, on Calle Callejón, with rooms overlooking the cave houses and the El Mirador restaurant on site.
© Parador de RondaHotelParador de Ronda
Why we like it: If you would rather have Ronda as your base, the parador overlooks the Tajo gorge, next to the Puente Nuevo. Why sleep in Ronda to see Setenil Setenil is easy to see in half a day…
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Setenil de las Bodegas
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Restaurante El Mirador
What to order: the cod fritters, the tuna with onions or the oxtail ingot, and the Setenil sponge for dessert
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Setenil de las Bodegas
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Start from the bottom
From Cuevas del Sol you cross the bridge to Cuevas de la Sombra and climb to the castle. Coming down afterwards is easier.
- 2Stop by the tourist office
From there you get access to the keep and they give you a map with the streets.
- 3Look from the Trejo bridges
The best views of the houses under the rock are from the river, not from inside the streets.
- 4Wear shoes with a grip sole
There are steps and polished stone floors that are slippery.
Local tip
Go midweek and first thing. By mid-morning on Sunday the excursions from the coast arrive and the terraces on Cuevas del Sol fill up.
We'd skip it
A spring Sunday at one o'clock. The covered streets are narrow: with guided groups one after another there is no way to stop or to find a table.
Why do they live under the rock?
Setenil is tucked into the gorge that the River Trejo opened in the rock. Erosion hollowed out the base of the walls and left great overhangs, like stone eaves. Instead of digging caves, the villagers built a façade in front of each hollow: the rock serves as roof and back wall. In summer it gives shade and coolness; in winter, shelter.
The name, according to tradition, comes from the Latin septem nihil, "seven times nothing", for the sieges the Muslim fortress withstood before it fell in 1484. "De las Bodegas" was added after the conquest, when the village filled with vines and wine cellars. Phylloxera wiped them out in the 19th century.
How much time do I need?
Three hours for the cave streets, the tower and the viewpoints. If you eat there and take the walk along the river, a long morning. It is easy to combine with Ronda on the same day.
How do I get there?
By car: about 20 minutes from Ronda and nearly an hour and a quarter from Málaga airport. Leave the car down below, on Paseo Federico García Lorca, and start at Calle Cuevas del Sol. Inside the village the streets are narrow and steep: don't take the car in.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to see the village?
No. The streets are public. Only the keep charges a small entrance fee.
Can I go with children?
Yes. The covered streets impress them and the distances are short. With a pushchair, stick to the lower part: there are steps higher up.
Where do I park?
On Paseo Federico García Lorca, in the lower part, next to Calle Cuevas del Sol. There is also paid parking near the centre.
Can I see it on an excursion from Ronda?
Yes, it is about 20 minutes away. Many combine them: Setenil in the morning and Ronda in the afternoon.
Do people really live in those houses?
Yes. Many are homes and others are bars and shops. Respect the neighbours' doors and windows.