Setenil de las Bodegas

History of Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil de las Bodegas is an Andalusian village, located in the province of Cadiz, also, is part of “La ruta de los pueblos blancos” (a route through beautiful and important villages) in Andalusia. Within the caves embedded in the municipality, there have been findings that indicate that the caves were inhabited more than 5,000 years ago. 

During the Reconquest in Spain, Setenil de las Bodegas was a very important strategic point. Part of the name of this municipality is due to the number of sieges (“sitio” in spaninsh) it suffered from the time of Juana II of Castile until the arrival of the Catholic Monarchs. The last recorded siege of this town was in 1484. 

During the Modern Age it continued to evolve due to its excellent geographical location in the mountains. In 1630 it gained independence from the city of Ronda. Since the beginning of the 20th century this village has continued to evolve, basing its financial activity on tourism and agriculture. It also has one of the most famous festivals in the province.

What to see in Setenil de las Bodegas

This village, apart from belonging to “La ruta de los pueblos blancos”, is distinguished because it is in the canyon of the Trejo river, which means that many of the houses are built under the overhang of the rock. Thanks to this we can contemplate a unique and characteristic landscape, but at the same time, very beautiful. 

Calle Cuevas del Sol 

This street is undoubtedly one of the village’s main attractions, as it is where you will find the houses carved into the rock. At the edge of the street, we will see the Trejo River, it is also located in the village centre, so it is a perfect area for strolling and eating tapas in the different bars. 

In Setenil de las Bodegas we can find more streets like this one, for example: Calle Cuevas de la Sombra, Calle Mina, Calle Herrería, Calle Jabonería, among others. We remind you that we have guided tours in Cadiz.

The viewpoints

The streets and their curious shapes, hollows and nooks and crannies are very interesting to stroll through. There are more things that we can see in this idyllic village in Cadiz. It has several viewpoints. The largest and the one that gives you the best views of Setenil and its surroundings is the viewpoint of El Carmen, located next to the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Carmen. It is important to remember that to access this impressive viewpoint you have to climb around 90 steps. We assure you that it is well worth it. 

The calle Carretería Alta offers very good views of the town, combined with the Iglesia de la Encarnación and the Castle at the top.

Moorish style door

We will find this gate in Calle San Benito, number 13, not far from the Hermitage of San Benito. The hermitage is worth a visit, it is a corner that represents very well this village and its inhabitants. The Moorish-style gate is located very close to the hermitage, and you will also notice that the sign on the gate reads 112, which means 11+2 to avoid the number 13. 

Where to eat in Setenil de las Bodegas

If you are a regular traveller, you will know from your own experience that the best and most well-known bars are always to be found in the town centre of the village. In Setenil de las Bodegas we find these bars located mainly in Calle Cuevas del Sol and Calle Cuevas de la Sombra.

These bars represent very well the Andalusian gastronomy as they are mainly tapas bars. Perfect to go with your family, couple or friends and try a bite of many delicious tapas. 

We recommend you to visit Bar Frasquito, the most famous in Setenil, La Cueva del Ibérico, if you are a fan of good meat and cold pork meat, La Bodeguita, La Tasca and Bar Calvente. 

Where to stay in Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil de las Bodegas is one of the main destinations for rural tourism in Spain, so finding accommodation is not as easy as you might think. 

In this village we can stay in both hotels and rural houses. If we talk about hotels, we recommend the Hotel Villa de Setenil, very well located, or Tugasa Hotel el Almendral, with swimming pool and beautiful views. 

If you prefer a rural house, we definitely recommend the Apartamento Torreón, in the centre of Setenil, and the Casa entre Rocas, which is carved into a rock like the typical houses of this village. 

How to get to Setenil de las Bodegas

This Andalusian village is located about 100 kilometres from three Andalusian capitals, Malaga, Cadiz, and Seville. It has very good road connections, so the car is a great option if you are not coming from far away. You could enjoy Cadiz with our Free Tour.

Another option is to fly to Malaga or Seville airport and then hire a car or take a bus to get Setenil.