Cuevas del Sol and Cuevas de la Sombra

What they are and why they exist

Cuevas del Sol and Cuevas de la Sombra are the two best-known streets in Setenil: they run in parallel, one on each side of the River Guadalporcún, and pass beneath the rock. The river gradually hollowed out the base of the gorge walls and left great overhangs of stone. Instead of excavating, the villagers closed those gaps with a whitewashed facade: it is the type of dwelling called a rock shelter (abrigo bajo roca), in which the crag acts as roof and back wall.

The ensemble has been declared a historic-artistic site since 1985. Many of these houses are still homes; others are bars, restaurants and shops.

The walk, step by step

1. Cuevas del Sol. It starts below, on the sunny bank. The rock covers the houses, but the street is open and gets light almost all day. The terraces are concentrated here.
2. Crossing the river. A small bridge takes you to the other bank. Setenil keeps several old bridges, such as the one on Calle Triana, from the 15th and 16th centuries.
3. Cuevas de la Sombra. On this street the rock covers the whole roadway and forms a natural tunnel: direct light barely gets in. It is the most photographed stretch.
4. Calle Herrería. From Calle Mina it climbs to the Plaza de Andalucía, again beneath the crag. The Town Council cites the Herrería and the Jabonería as areas where the cave houses are still inhabited.
5. Above. From the Plaza de Andalucía you have close at hand the keep tower, the church of the Encarnación and the tourist office, in the former town hall.

It is a short walk, an hour without hurrying, with slopes and steps on the climb. It can be done the other way round, coming down from the plaza, but going up first through the covered streets is more comfortable in the heat.

When to go

The streets are public and can be walked at any hour, all year, with no admission. Spring and autumn are the best times. In July and August, at midday, the heat is intense outside the covered stretches; in Cuevas de la Sombra it is cool. On Sundays and public holidays, mid-morning, excursions arrive from the coast and the narrow streets fill up; during the week and first thing there are far fewer people.

Getting there and parking

Setenil is about 20 minutes by car from Ronda. Don't take the car into the old town: the streets under the rock are narrow and the village itself asks you not to drive along them. Leave the car in the lower part, on the Paseo Federico García Lorca, next to the start of Cuevas del Sol, or in the car parks at the village entrance on Calle Ancha, next to the Virgen del Carmen school. At weekends they fill up early.

With children, a pushchair or a dog

Children are impressed by walking beneath the rock, and distances are short. With a pushchair, the lower part (Cuevas del Sol and Cuevas de la Sombra) is fine; to climb to the upper part there are steps and slopes, so a baby carrier is better. With a dog, no problem in the street, on a lead; on terraces ask first.

Respect the houses: they are homes. Don't point your camera through open doors and windows.

If you want more

To see these same streets from outside, climb to the Carmen viewpoint or go down to the river by the Mills Trail. If you sleep in the village, the Hotel Villa de Setenil is up top, next to the castle: at dusk the streets are left to the locals.