Cave Houses

Spanish cave houses are the new and unique modern day eco dwellings of Andalucia. Think cave and the non believer will immediately conjure thoughts of a dark damp hole in the ground. There have been many articles written about Spanish caves, here, as cave owners ourselves we will try to be a little different…

Having purchased an old cave house in 2004 we were immediately thrown into a Spanish way of life unlike any other, cave houses are unique, least not their region of Andalucia but also the small rural villages from which they were honed from the rock. It takes a certain type of rock in order to be able to “carve your cave”; you need mass above you and in the majority of cases a level of non porous rock in order to prevent water seeping inside. Now, modern day dwellings are comfortably fitted with all the mod cons you would expect from a conventional house. Old caves are still present in their neglected form which, when entering makes you realise how much work has gone into digging these houses decades ago in the days when the best tool the Spaniard has was a good old fashioned pick and family manpower.

The reason why there are so many unreformed caves, especially in rural villages and outlying hamlets is that in the latter part of the last century caves still carried the stigma of poverty, gypsy culture and unclean living. The village of Orce for example in the eastern Granada province did not have mains electricity until the mid 70’s but when it did and the village began to develop, caves were abandoned and people began to migrate to what was seen at the time as more modern day living. During this period cave dwellings were gambled in card games, swapped for items of insignificant value and later when the French and English began to express interest in caves, sold as “buy one get one free” for perhaps only a few thousand pesetas.

The gypsy caves of Sacromonte in Granada are now a popular tourist attraction where visitors can spend the evening in true Spanish style and enjoy live flamenco shows. The town of Guadix which lies half way between Granada and the Almeria border is also well known for its caves. One thing about Spain is that it will always surprise you as after we visited our then new supplier of traditional ceramics in Guadix owner Juan Manuel took us across the road from his workshop where his Father proceeded to take us on a free tour of the families “cave museum” which was a very unique experience indeed.

So what is it like living in a cave?

some say it is like going back to the womb, a somewhat optimistic expression but when you retire to bed in a cave you experience complete silence, warmth and blackness – probably the best night’s sleep you will ever get. Rooms are smaller than that of conventional houses but there usually plenty of them with big thick walls and plenty of character as well as insulation a cave is very cosy indeed. Each cave is also unique, you will never find two the same such is the nature of these hand made dwellings. There is also a large degree of security to be experienced, a kind of back to nature affair where one would seek out surroundings for warmth and protection, a cave provides this and more being a modern day home with all facilities.

Much has been written about caves maintaining a “constant temperature of 18 degrees”, however having lived in a cave house since 2004 we have found this to be inaccurate, compared to a normal house caves do retain heat much better but during the winter months extra heat by way of wood burning stove is definatly required. There is no doubt that caves are cool in the summer, natural air conditioning from the nearby mountains, if it is 20 degrees indoors then it is cool compared to the 40+ degrees outside in the heat of summer!

For those wishing to discover a real Spanish way of life then the rural location of Andalucian cave dwellings fits the bill perfectly. Described as “real Spain” the Altiplano region boasts traditional white washed villages nestled at the foothills of the Sierras mountains. A land that time (almost) forgot especially considering that many prehistoric finds have been unearthed over the past few decades suggesting that villages such as Orce and surrounding Fuente Nueva have some of the most important and prolific archeological discoveries from the past century and continue to be found to this day.

Culture surrounding cave living is developing quickly with many an expat taking the plunge into rural cave life. The eco aspect also appeals as caves are relatively cheap to run and heat as well as being secure and in the main with spectacular views. Walk into any modern Spanish cave and you will find a bright, spacious and airy dwelling fitted complete with internet, wi-fi, tv and most other modern day facilities you can think of – New age living in stone age dwellings.

Gastronomy

Caves are rural so sacrifices have to be made such as fast food outlets, multiplex cinemas and shopping centers all of which will require travel to some degree. Food however for the enthusiastic cook will not be an issue as rural Spain delivers flavour on all levels, least not with cured hams, embutidos and local dishes. Pockets of Andalucia are also the only places where you will still find honest genuine and more pleasantly “free” tapas with every drink that you buy. Cave houses can also be found with an old bread oven which is always situated behind the fireplace, these ovens vary greatly in size from small holes carved into the rock to enormous ovens that you can almost crawl into, with wooden doors on the front you can just about see the layer of hot coals to the rear with fresh home made bread rising in the heat – in a cave that smell of freshly baked bread is heavenly!

Nothing wasted . . . although cave living is now an increasingly modern day reality for the adventurous expat, and indeed Spaniard, there are some old habits that will not (and nor should they) die out. Nothing is wasted in cave communities, especially food. Make too much and its round the neighbours to share, throwing away food would be sacrilege so generosity and as less waste as possible is something that, from hard times in the past still remains to this day and is very easy to become accustomed to and take part in. Fiestas and get togethers are also very common where neighbours will cook and contribute generously to a paella afternoon or evening tapas party. The same applies to collecting wood for the Spanish barbeque which is never made with charcoal – always pine wood or similar collected from the nearby forest. Fueling the fire is important for a good meal either inside or outside the cave so when the word is out from the Andalucian forestry commission its all hands on deck to collect the winter logs and fuel for outdoor eating in the summer, after all, two pairs of hand are better than one!

From a personal point of view we thoroughly enjoy living in a cave and would never consider returning to live in a conventional house. The whole culture surrounding cave living in Andalucia just grabbed us from the very beginning and we have never looked back. As a family of passionate foodies cave life for us continues to deliver our expectation of life in rural Andalucia both through gastronomy and all aspects of this regions culture.

Shop Spanish Food >>>

© Copyright 2011 Orce Serrano Hams - www.orceserranohams.com