The Spanish White Towns: Setenil de las Bodegas

NX mini | 1/250 | f7.1 | ISO 160 | 27mm

 

While you may think of living in caves as something Neolithic, it might come as a nice surprise that one small town in Spain has taken cave-living to a whole new level. The unique town of Setenil de las Bodegas is located in the Andalucía region of Spain and part of Los Pueblos Blancos–a famous group of villages known for stark white buildings that spray along mountainsides. Many people venture on road trips along the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos, hopping from village to village to soak in small town charms.

 

Setenil, while a bit off the route, is definitely one of the top towns to visit, since it stands as one of the most unusual. Set in a gorge, its houses are built straight into the rock overhangs above the Trejo River. These types of houses in the area date back to prehistoric times, and since villagers would only need to build a modern facade, it would have been an easy way to stay insulated during the winter and summer months.

 

NX mini | 1/160 | f5.6 | ISO 160 | 9mm

 

 

Walking through Setenil with my Samsung NX mini, was a fun experience. The abandoned streets during siesta really made you feel as if you were transported to an ancient time when these houses were first constructed. The only sound that echoed through the alleyways was the small trickling of water from the river that lie below.

 

In the peacefulness it was hard to remember that people actually lived within these hybrid cave-houses. I chose to shoot some of the photos in black and white to capture the silence and sense of abandonment the town had in that moment. In contrast the color photos reveal little pops of color, reminders of Setenil’s modern inhabitants.

 

NX mini | 1/400 | f8 | ISO 160 | 18mm
NX mini | 1/500 | f9 | ISO 160 | 9mm
NX mini | 1/160 | f6.3 | ISO 160 | 15mm
NX mini | 1/100 | f5 | ISO 160 | 9mm
NX mini | 1/200 | f7.1 | ISO 160 | 9mm
NX mini | 1/500 | f9 | ISO 160 | 16mm
NX mini | 1/200 | f8 | ISO 250 | 15mm
NX mini | 1/60 | f4 | ISO 160 | 9mm
NX mini | 1/250 | f7.1 | ISO 160 | 9mm

 

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For permissions to use this photo contact Alessandra Roqueta at roqueta2@gmail.com.