For the enjoyment of nature in its purest state, there are few places as worthwhile as Cuevas del Campo, a beautiful village located between the nature parks of Baza and Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. This tiny municipality of La Hoya de Baza-Altiplano has many lookout points which are well worthwhile visiting, one of the best being in the Museo area, where the sunsets are truly magnificent. Another favourite is from the Cuartones lookout point, which offers wonderful views over the Baza and Sierra Nevada mountains and the Negratín reservoir. In fact, the entire landscape of this part of the province of Granada is wild and beautiful.

A visit to the lookout points brings the visitor through an area known in the village as Majasviejas, located on high ground where the people of Zújar first began to build caves in the mountains which they used while cultivating the land. Many wells (‘aljibes’ in Spanish) were also dug in this region in the past, and this gave rise to the full name of the village, which is Cueva del Campo de los Aljibes. The best lookout point in this area is that known as El Vía Crucis, from where one can have a magnificent view of the Holy Week celebrations and which also offers unforgettable views of the surrounding landscape and the Sierra de Cazorla and El Pozo mountains.

Many of the 2,100 inhabitants of the village are small farmers, and much of the cuisine of the area reflects this. As in all other parts of the province of Granada, the eating of tapas is an important aspect of the lifestyle, and the bars here are as good as anywhere else in the province.

Places to rest in

Food is served in the bar in the square, named La Verja, and in the La Taberna and Avenidas, while full meals are available in the restaurant at the Negratín reservoir. The best of the local cuisine is based on pork products, and delicious pastries are made locally.

But this is, above all, an area for rambling in, and one of the best routes to be made is that leading to the nudist beach at the reservoir, especially during the summertime, when one can strip naked and refresh oneself in the cool waters of the reservoir. Another popular place for rambling is in the Barranco de la Coronica area, although it is recommended that one travels in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, due to the poor state of the road and the steep inclines. There is a recreational area here too.

In the past, the inhabitants of Zújar and Pozo Alcón used to come to this municipality to tend to their fruit and vegetable gardens. These days, many visitors come to see the beautiful architecture of the village, of which the parish church is a good example, and the archaeological site where remains were found dating back to Roman times. Cuevas del Campo did not become an independent municipality until 1981, having previously belonged to the municipality of Zújar. The result is that both places more or less share the same history. The land in the region is very productive, and the Moors took full advantage of this to develop agriculture. The Moorish population was very high after the fall of Granada, and many local residents took part in the Morisco rebellion of the second half of the 16th century. The rebellion was put down and the Moriscos expelled, leaving the area practically abandoned. It was later re-populated with farmers from other regions, although it is believed that many of those expelled sneaked back afterwards to live in the caves.

As in many parts of Andalucía, the Moorish legacy can be seen in the architecture, customs and gastronomy of the area. Excellent wines are made locally, the best place to sample them being in the local bars and restaurants.