Guadix

A good day trip is the drive to Guadix on the motorway to Granada. Don't be put off by the motorway drive, it's still very scenic taking you up from sea level at Almeria to over 3,000 feet at Guadix. Guadix is famous for having the largest concentration of inhabited cave dwellings in Europe.

The cave houses can be found in the Barrio Troglodyte area of Guadix. The area is characterised by the appearance of what appear to be random chimneys protruding from the ground. These are in fact the chimneys of the cave houses. Many have been given conventional looking frontages and one or two are even open to be viewed. Follow signs to miradors for elevated viewing platfoms.

While in Guadix also visit the magnificent baroque 16th Century cathedral, the 11th Centruy Alcazabar standing high over the town and the cave house museum.

A few miles to the South of Guadix also visit La Calahorra Castle, perched on a hill outside the town it is perhaps one of the most iconic castles in Spouthern Spain and is said to be the earliest example of Italian Renaissance architecture in Spain.