Sacromonte: The Cave Neighborhood

Sacromonte is a mountain neighborhood in Granada, Spain. A walk, or in better terms, hike, through the village is a walk into the past. Gypsies have inhabited this area for years, living simple and unrefined lives. What makes this area so special? The people live like cavemen, i.e., they make their homes from mountain caves (see what I did there?). Many cave houses do not have electricity, and the inhabitants must use candles for light, collect their own water, and bath in natural water sources. Some people literally dig holes into the mountain, and live there for years illegally until the Spanish government discovers their literal “man cave”.

It is amazing to see how these gypsies still are living today, and Sacromonte is definitely worth a visit if you are travelling to Granada. A free tour is offered every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, which meets at Plaza Nueva at 6 P.M (just remember to tip the tour guide afterwards). You can also see Flamenco shows inside of the cave houses, and sometimes, homeowners will allow you to go inside of their cave-house for 1 euro.

Oh, and if couch surfing is your thing, there are  Sacromonte cave-houses listed on couchsurfering.com.