Touring around Spain a few years ago could be a harrowing experience when it came to the business of overnight accommodation. In rural situations it was a fact that hotels were few and far between and... often very basic but even in those days I was neither offered nor tempted by the idea of ‘kipping underground’.
Today, it´s somewhat better with all sorts of enterprising folk setting up deluxe rustic B&Bs in competition with the ever-growing Parador chain.
During the past few years I have ducked under the earth’s crust to explore troglodyte housing in the Loire and the Cherbourg peninsular and visited volcanic caves in Lanzarote. Since then my ducking and diving has been dormant, until, en route to Alpujarra, I discovered Galera and its rentable cave homes. Sleeping in a grotto was something I had never experienced, so I decided to give it a go. Overnight, I became a troglodyte, I slept in a cave dwelling in the rock-face overlooking Pueblo Galera and to describe it as different would certainly be an understatement.
There is no shortage of living cave dwellings in this area, which extends approximately from Cullar on the N342 to Guadix. I have travelled this route many times and noticed the ‘living’ caves, so when I discovered that it was possible to rent a cave with self-catering facilities or stay in a luxury cave hotel there was no stopping me. Despite the fact that I wanted to be an all-mod-cons troglodyte, I opted for individuality and rented a simple cave rather than a hotel orientated one.
Thanks to the autovia system, Galera, in the foothills of the Cazorla mountain range, 175km south of Murcia, is not much more than a couple of hours drive from home. Turning off at Cullar, the first of the cave dwelling villages I had noticed, I headed inland towards a verdant valley surrounded by hills punctuated by white chimneys jutting from rocks and a landscape chequered with pristine-white painted cave facades.
Casas Cueva, Galera´s underground accommodation specialists had their reception centre in the bar of Meson La Zalona, a restaurant in the village. Having registered I was ushered to my hole-in-the-ground by achap driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle. We circumnavigated the pueblo before tacking a tortuous and precipitous ascent up the rugged hillside. We halted in a tiny plaza flanked by a half-a-dozen cottage-fronted caves. Reception and accommodation were about a couple of kilometres apart.
The land we had gingerly negotiated, actually went right over the top of the cave I had rented. There was nothing at all around to indicate that this was part of a rental complex and this was borne out by the fact that several local residents watched with some interest as we arrived. That we had come ‘on wheels’ took away some of the magic. One of the facilities offered to guests is the offer of transport by donkey. I had demurred.
Our guide ceremoniously led me and companion into our cave residence. Although door-holes were ‘duck or grouse’ size, the cavern itself was spacious and airy. We stepped into a grotto vestibule off which there were several low ceiling rooms. To the left was the master bedroom with a colourfully blanketed double bed. Ahead was a kitchen and to the right, a pleasant lounge with armchairs, a table and couch. The decor was delightfully rustic. Through the lounge were a further double bedroom and bathroom. I immediately amended my ideas about subterranean dwellings. If this was how folk lived in caves, it could hardly be a claustrophobic experience... even for a family.
Outside the temperature was hitting the high 30s, inside it was a chilling 17 degrees. The need for heaps of bed blankets and eiderdowns became instantly apparent and they were supplied in abundance. I was told that the in-cave temperature was unvarying, feeling pleasantly warm in winter and refreshingly cool in summer. Local folk continue to live in this environment because of the ambience and the fact that their cave homes are totally damp proof. The rentable cases-cueva vary in size from one to four bedrooms, with prices starting at around 35 euros per night for two people.
Having settled in, we gingerly drove back down to rception to sample the local gastronomic specialities and the home-made wine for which La Zalona is quite noted. I should add that a major part of any of my voyages of discovery is gastronomic. At Galera´s Meson I was not disappointed. We tackled a selection of local specialities beginning with spinach with almonds and chilled, peeled roasted red peppers reminiscent of espencat. The locally-produced wine was claret style in appearance but rather potent. In Galera wine is produced by rustic methods, it is barefoot trodden and matured in earthenware jars rather than barrels.
We had roast quail and suckling pig chops for the main course but also available was freshwater lobster, gypsy stew, rabbit with wild mushrooms or the local Lata al horno de pierna de cordero, a tasty, herb-enhanced lamp and potato dish. Afterwards we might have rounded off with wine and butter buns or wine and biscuits but we were sated and anxious to retire to our warren whilst I was capable of finding it.
Going for a cave holiday at Galera is more than just a burrowing experience. The surrounding area abound with historic ruins and relics dating back to Roman times. It’s within a short drive of wonderfully forested mountains, which even boast the only stand of Sequoia trees (giant redwoods) this side of California. For short distance sightseeing, bikes can be hired and there are donkey treks organised over a variety of different routes. Galera is a great holiday base for people who enjuoy the quiet pleasures of rustic tourism with a difference, that difference being the experience of cave dwelling.
