10 Curiosities of Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil de las Bodegas is one of the white villages of the Sierra de Grazalema in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, and one of the most beautiful in Spain. the most unique and beautiful villages in Spain by the layout of its houses embedded in the rock.

It is a tourist site visited by thousands of curious visitors who do not want to miss this spectacle of nature and urbanism.

Today, the symbiosis between the rock and the dwellings can be seen, which are not excavated in the rock, but fill the hollow with a façade, the rock itself being the roof of the building.

From Visitanddo.com, we tell you 10 curiosities about Setenil de las Bodegas that you might not know.

1) They tried to conquer it seven times

It was a strategic point during the Muslim period when the Christians unsuccessfully tried to conquer it. It is said that the name Setenil comes from the Latin: "Septem nihil", which means "Septem nihil". Seven times nothing.

It was 70 years before the arrival of the Catholic Monarchs when, on 21 September 1484, they managed to seize the fortress on their way to the conquest of Granada.

2) Its past with viticulture

The fact that Setenil is called De las Bodegas is no coincidence, as Setenil de las Bodegas was a land of vines until the middle of the 17th century. Thanks to the erosion of the river, the caves were created, which served as a great help in the production of wine for many years.

Unfortunately, it was the arrival of phylloxera, an insect similar to the aphid that attacks the leaves and root filaments of the vine, which put an end to wine production and forced them to replace their crops with olive trees or cereals.

Nowadays one of his famous wines "Ad septem milia", translated from Latin "Seven Roman miles away"which are still preserved is 7Mil Pasos as a tribute to the origin of the Setenil de las Bodegas vineyard.

3) A corner for romantics

"Kiss me in this corner" is one of the most the most romantic places in Setenil de las Bodegaswhere couples often stop to save a photo of themselves kissing. This wall can be found in Calle Herrería.

Among the legends of Setenil de las Bodegas, hence its "romanticism", it is said that Queen Isabella the Catholic gave birth to a child during the siegewho died a few hours after his birth. His name was Sebastián, which is why the first church in the town was consecrated as San Sebastián and named after the patron saint of the town.

4) Belonged to Ronda

In modern times, the town enjoyed many privileges due to its location in the mountains. They had a church, a seminary and a hospital, unlike other towns in the area. However, they had numerous disputes with Ronda and became independent in 1630. Nowadays both are part of the Route of the White Villages.which includes a large part of the villages of the Sierra de Cádiz, some of La Janda, also in Cádiz, and the Serranía de Ronda.

5) Known as "shelter under the rocks".

What is most striking about Setenil de las Bodegas are its streets and houses located under or on the rock. For its construction, the course of the river Guadalporcún in the lower part of the town has been used since the Middle Ages.

Unlike other places in Andalusia, in Setenil de las Bodegas the houses were not excavatedInstead, the rocks were used as walls. They have been called semitroglodytes and their architecture is better known as "shelter under the rocks", since they has a natural microclimatel that maintains a cool temperature in summer and warm in winter.

6) Setenil de Cine

Setenil de las Bodegas was used as a stage for the series of "Curro Jiménez" by Antonio Larreta starring Sancho Gracia, Pepe Sancho and Álvaro de Luna. Popular Spanish series from 1976 to 1978 on La 1 de TVE. It was in 1977, when the Cabrerizas Street lived a fight in a barn boiling for its protagonists for the episode "El servidor de la justicia".

On the other hand, it was scene in the film "La Sabina" by José Luis BorauIt is not known whether its name comes from the fact that there used to be a soap factory or because the women used to go down there to wash clothes.

7) Route of the Bandoleros.

Setenil de las Bodegas offers numerous routes such as the Ruta de los Molinos, whose main attraction is the Molinilla waterfall; and the Ruta de la Cañada de Málaga, one of Setenil's most important commercial routes. However, one of the most popular routes is the Route of the Bandoleros, which connects with the Roman city of Acinipo and through which year after year more than 8000 people run, that is to say, the marathon of the 101st of Ronda.

8) A patron saint of the sea in the middle of the mountains

The image of the patron saint of Setenil de las Bodegas can be found inside the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Carmen. The Virgen del Carmen is famous for being the patron saint of the sea, the curious thing is that during the seventeenth century the Cabrales brothers during their trip to the Americas went through a series of problems for which they had to face the sea. They promised the virgin that if she returned alive they would build an Ermina in her honour.

9) The black/white divide

Beyond racial differences, we are talking about Setenil de las Bodegas Holy Week has been declared of National Tourist Interest. There is a difference between two of its main brotherhoods, on the one hand the Blancos with the Cristo de la Veracruz and Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, and the Negros who venerate Padre Jesús and the Virgen de la Soledad. Their greatest rivalry is over the music bands that accompany their images during Holy Week.

10. It was named one of the most beautiful villages in Spain.

In 2019, this white village in the province of Cádiz was included as a one of the most charming villages in Spain by the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain. And no wonder, it was one of the most visited locally in recent years and gradually also popular for many foreigners for the magic it hides, so much so that it was chosen as one of the most visited places in the world. best secret destination in Europe by European Best Destinations.

If you want to be amazed by a unique landscapeSetenil de las Bodegas, one of the essential excursions from Malaga and Cadiz, is not to be missed.

We recommend that you take advantage of the Excursion to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas from Malaga and from the Costa del Sol or the Excursion to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas from Tarifa and from Algeciras so that you don't miss any detail of what to visit and what to do in Setenil in one day.