The Troglodyte Settlements
Andaluzia and Muricia are characterized by a savage and abrupt sierra, by green valleys, hectares of olive groves, snowy peaks, the blue of the Mediterranean Sea, hillside villages, an amazing string of Moorish castles and Renaissance mansions. How can you not love the region?
Choose it as your holiday destination and you’ll find that the history, the tradition and and the culture of Spain are still alive.
The Troglodyte Settlements
Andaluzia and Murcia is the region in Spain where the troglodyte settlements are found. The arid limestone area of the Almeria and eastern Granada provinces were one of the first regions in Europe to be inhabited, more than a million years ago.
The country is still populated by the so-called men of the caves, the troglodytes, but the TV antennas of our day, including the satellites and the alarms against thieves show that modernity has touched these places.
The distinctive chimneys, white -plastered and belonging to the troglodyte settlements fill the landscapes that surround Guadix, situated at just 54 kilometers from Granada. These settlements have extended north and east, towards Sierra de Baza, Orce and beyond the Cuevas de Almanzora.
Guadix is the most accessible city among them, but tourists should know one thing: the citizens of the city might not treat kindly those tourists who watch them indiscreetly; they consider this to be rude. Guadix is sprinkled with buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
When you arrive there you will also be directed to Ermita Nueva, or the caves zone, behind the Santiago Church. It is a unique place, one that will impress you for a long time. On your way, make a stop at the Museo de Alfareria, a pottery museum situated in a restored settlement in a cave.
Just a little bit further you will find the Cueva Museum, a charming reconstruction of a settlement; it even has furniture, antiques and household utilities. Purrulena, 6 kilometers away from Guadix, also has numerous cave settlements and Baza, another 44 kilometers away, is the place where the Dama de Baza sculpture was found.
Having fun
This holiday destination is perfect for a family, a couple, for someone who decides to visit Spain with their friends or for someone who travels alone because it has a little bit of everything: modernism, history, landscapes, tradition, and culture.