Location: Guadix
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What to do and see in Guadix, Spain: The Best Places and Tips
Guadix (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwaˈðiks]) is a city in southern Spain, in the province of Granada, on the left bank of the river Guadix, a sub-tributary of the Guadiana Menor, and on the Madrid-Valdepeñas-Almería railway. It occupies part of an elevated plateau among the northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
Restaurants in Guadix
1. Guadix Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 165 reviews
Reviewed By JenMarkCo - Kingston, Canada
If you in in Guadix to see the cave houses, it is worthwhile to spend some time visiting the nearby Cathedral. However, the Cathedral is typical of those seen all over southern Spain and nothing specifically stands out as particularly noteworthy internationally or nationally.
Guadix Cathedral, like many in southern Spain, stands on the site of a the city's main mosque. Work was started on its construction in 1510 and, like many religious structures of the period, continued intermittently until the 18th century. Maybe funding was an issue in the protracted construction period! As a result of the long construction period, the Cathedral shows examples of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and neo-Classical architecture. In other words and like many similar structures, it is a mish-mash of architectural styles!
Visitors to Guadix Cathedral are provided with an audio guide in their preferred language as part of the admission charge. This guide is comprehensive and essential to an understanding of the major features of the Cathedral.
2. Cueva Museo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 26 reviews
During this visit we are going to visit three caves. The first cave is decorated in the same style as the present cave houses of Purullena. The second cave is decorated in the style of the middle of the last century. Everything is very simple and the furniture very old. The third cave is an ethnologic al museum with several farm tolos and other pieces used in our área during many years. The third cave has a viewpoint from where you can see the whole village. It is a very unique landscape.
Reviewed By OLDGIT71 - Horsham, United Kingdom
An absolutely fascinating experience and the second time (first in 2002) that we visited this attraction. This interests in so many different ways:
1 – The ‘living in a cave’ thing itself, pretty obviously
2 – The many themed attractions that are exhibited in the many and various rooms from agricultural implements, to a history of household electronics and appliances to oppressive (to us at this more modern and more secular time) and tradition Spanish bedroom décor (do you really want all those religious personages observing your every bedroom moment?!), to everyday life exhibits over the years, to the detail of living underground (no door, just curtains to keep the air and the damp moving through), old photographs of the area, the houses, the people etc etc – so much and there just have to be several things that will arrest anyone’s attention for a good span of time
3 – The extensive cave system, on three floors – they have so much more room than anyone living above ground!
4 – The ease with which you can extend your house. Need a new room? – Easy, an afternoon’s work!
5 – The practical solutions to living this life-style
6 – The cleanliness of the whole thing, the freshness, the feeling of space and air
…..and that’s to mention just a few of the riveting exhibits
Beware of regarding this as a quaint and out-moded or (more insidiously) a poor person’s way of life. If global warming continues as it is at present, confident predictions are being made that living just a little underground will be the only practical way for the human race to survive the conditions that will pertain on the surface. Far from being historic and past, these people will become the norm, even trend-setters. They have the advantage of a friable, breathing yet strong and waterproof rock into which to burrow; for the rest of us, we will have a problem.
At €2.50 a visit, this is value beyond reason. At double the price, it would still be cheap
3. Tropolis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By miriamrosaldo - Panama City, Panama
Excellent place to visit if you are nearby Granada province. Dont miss Guadix (the town) and Trópolis which museum is inside a cave!
We did the visit today, we were a big group of families with kids from 2 to 12 years old and the experience was amazing. Very recommended for adults, kids and teens.
We all had the opportunity to make our own bread from scratch with the old traditional recipe from Guadix. The host rocks, he makes the presentation very interactive and interesting. After, we visit a museum explaining how civilizations used caves as housing, also the host shows you their cheese factory and wine cave. Finally, we watched a brief video explaining the several activities Guadix offers. It is really a nice place to see and if you are a foodie, you will be ableto find unique gourmet jams (green tomatoe, onion, fig, carrot and ginger,etc), cheese, olive oil, chorizo and other products made by artisans. By the way, you take home the bread you did.
Both kids and adults ended up happy and ready to close our trip having a delicious Spanish meal in a restaurant cave called Las cuevas del tío tobas.
4. Balneario de Graena
Overall Ratings
4 based on 7 reviews
Graena Spa is located only 30 min away from Granada, and is one of the oldest spas in Spain. Now, is one of the most famous spas in Andalusia. It was built above spring water with healthy efects due to its natural properties since the Middle Ages. Our comfort facilities are perfect if you want to take a Hamman bath inside a historic building with all guaranteeds. New! On summer 2016 is going to open next to the Spa, a four stars hotel called Hotel Balneario de Graena, with full adapted facilities supervised by Ilunion. Other facilities: 59 rooms, bar, restaurant, common areas, car park, meeting rooms.... etc. Graena is well located near by the motorway to go to Granada, Jaén, Murcia or Almería. More information soon.
Reviewed By Malaguita19 - Malaga, Spain
El balneario de Graena es conocido desde la época romana por la calidad de sus aguas. Salen de forma natural a 45-46ºC y son ricas en minerales. Cuanta con personal médico que te diseñan el tipo de tratamiento que necesitas. Un placer disfrutar de sus piscinas.
5. Visita Guadix
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 78 reviews
Reviewed By Bruce W - Mijas, Spain
Guadix has much to offer historically and architecturally. Conveniently, most of this is concentrated within the part-walled old town, which is walkable without too much effort. The tourist information office in the Casa Consistorial in the Plaza de la Constitución does a very helpful street of Guadix.
We were based in the Hotel Comercio located on the Mira de Amezcua, which is just on the edge of the old town. There is free parking in the street, if you can find a slot, otherwise you will have to go looking, but there are free places all around.
We started our wanderings with the Iglesia Santiago with its very noticeable blue and green tiled bell-tower. Contructed between the years 1533 and 1551 it stands adjacent to the Monastery of Santiago built around 1540 and just after. If you face the main entrance to the church and look up to your right you should see the Palacio de Peñaflor with its angled balcony. From there it offers superb views over Guadix and La Vega. Take the up-sloping road past the front of the Palacio and continue straight on towards the Puerta Alta and the Alcazaba of Guadix. Continue bearing right around the Alcazaba and just off the main street you can find the old Arab walls, with Roman additions, on your right. Retrace your tracks back to Calle San Miguel and start to head down it with the sections of the old town walls on your right, but look for the first turning on your left for the Real de Santo Domingo which you take to view the Iglesia de Santa Domingo, again on your left. Continue to follow this street, bearing right, and it will lead you to the Mirador de la Magdalena. Back track to Calle San Miguel, turn left and continue down the left hand side past the Cascamorras monument and the Mensafies Arch up to the Iglesia San Miguel with its distinctive tower which was added between 1537-45. Further work on the church took place between 1560-68, the end of the 16th century and the later half of the 17th century.
Cross to the other side of San Miguel and continue down to the plaza with the Torreón del Ferro Arabic tower and more of the old walls and bear right until you reach the Palacio de los Marqueses de Vistalegre, another fine example of a Guadix noble’s house. Continue just a little further and all the splendor of the Guadix Cathedral will be revealed. Take time to explore the narrow streets of La Juderia (the Jewish Quarter) just behind the Cathedral and keep a look out for the entrance gate, La Puerta da San Torcuato just along the Avenida Medina Olmos from the Plaza de las Américas.
Guadix is a great place to explore and is a city that has a good feel to it. There are plenty of places to eat, but the Hotel Comercio Restaurant is not one of them and a nice gastrobar type place on the left hand side of the Plaza de las Américas, just in front of you if you are crossing the Avenida Buenos Aires by the pedestrian traffic lights closest to the Plaza.
If you fancy a look at some cave houses, either take one of the horse and carriage trips up to them, or walk up the street past the Iglesia Santiago on your right, then follow the Cjon del Moral and then onto the Cañada de los Perales, still going more or less straight ahead and you will find yourself in the area of the cave houses.
If you have your own car or motorbike, take the A-92 motorway from Guadix towards Almeria and take the A-337 turning off it. A few short kilometres down this road takes you past the 16th century La Calahorra Castle, a square construction with a tower at each corner and set on rising ground with a backdrop of the Sierra Nevada.
6. Cuevas Hammam Abuelo Jose
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Sara B - Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
We stayed last week. The place is in a beautiful location and has been built by Jose, who has sensitively made the apartments into the rock adding the kitchen /sitting room on to the front. Each has an open fire place and there is also has central heating so the caves are very comfortable even in cooler weather. The area is great for walking or exploring by car and the Hamman a delight to come back to. Jose and his sister Belen run the business together. Belen speaks good English and Jose some French. They were always polite and helpful and we had a most relaxing weeks holiday. We will definitely return.
7. Barrio de Cuevas
Overall Ratings
4 based on 163 reviews
Reviewed By AggiePirate - Martos, Spain
We spent a night in Guadix, in a cave dwelling, and had a wonderful unique break. Some cave houses have been restored, others are seemingly abandoned, and just walking round the barrio is an amazing experience. You can actually walk on the roof of someone's house, there are plenty of viewpoints, even a church with a cave inside.
8. Cave Dwellings
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By spmmik53 - Purley, United Kingdom
You will find several areas in this part of the Sierra Nevada's where folk prefer to live under ground - literally in caves. The main concentration is in Guadix, but we came across some very attractive and more modern examples of these cave dwelling in Purullena. We did not venture as far as knocking on doors, but there are hotels in the area which are themed on these caves which are bound to give you a good idea of what cave dwellings are like.
Apparently one of the attractions is fairly constant temperature throughout the year - not too hot and not too cold..
9. Centro de Interpretacion Cuevas de Guadix
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By Chris L - Niles, Michigan
We did not expect to find this town so interesting, but it is truly a fascinating area. The museum is well done and gives you a feel for what life has been and is like. Take the time to walk the town and get to overviews of the countryside. The people here are pleasant and will take time for you. Overall, a great place to visit.
10. Cuevas de Guadix
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
Reviewed By John L - Frinton-On-Sea, United Kingdom
A friend sent me an email which made reference to Guadix, and included photos so we and 2 other friends decided to take a trip out there. It was a sunny day and it was great to take a look at the cave houses and their contents. Some folk invited us into the homes and it was surprising how spacious they were. There was an interesting mini tour of some houses which were furnished in the fashion of times gone by. Each room was labled and it was fascinating to look at the video displays that were in certain rooms.
The site has viewing points where you can see much of the village, and are good places to take panoramic photos or video.
Parking was easy as it was late in the season, and was free, We had lunch in the town of Guadix which was a few minutes away.
All in all, a very interesting day.
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