Granada · Andalucía
Guadix
- Province
- Granada
- Declared
- 1969
- Status
- Conjunto Histórico
- Population
- 18800
- Elevation
- 949 m
Guadix is a heritage town in the province of Granada, Andalucía, Spain. It was designated a Conjunto Histórico (Spain's national heritage designation for historic ensembles) in 1969. Population 18800 (2020), elevation 949m.
Guadix is the cave city of Andalucía: an estimated 2,000 families still live in cave houses hollowed from the soft tufa hills below the town's Moorish alcazaba, in a troglodyte neighbourhood that has been continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age and remains fully residential today.
Key facts
- Province
- Granada
- Heritage status
- Conjunto Histórico (declared 1969)
- Population
- 18800 (2020)
- Elevation
- 949 m
History of Guadix
Guadix is one of the oldest cities in Spain. Its claim to be the first city to receive Christianity in the Iberian Peninsula is legendary rather than documented, but there is firm archaeological evidence of continuous occupation from the Chalcolithic period. Under Rome it was Julia Gemella Acci, capital of a conventus juridicus (judicial district) and an important city on the road between Castulo and Iliberri (Granada).
The Moors called it Wadi Ash and built the alcazaba that still overlooks the town. Ferdinand and Isabella took Guadix in 1489 as part of the final campaign against Granada. The cave-dwelling tradition likely dates to this period, when Moorish families expelled from their houses in the town were forced to excavate shelter in the soft tuff hills.
The cave neighbourhoods grew over the following centuries and remain inhabited today.
Heritage & Monuments
The Barrio de las Cuevas (cave quarter) is the unique sight: a hillside of rounded chimneys and whitewashed façades, each one the ventilation and front door of a cave house behind. Cave houses range from simple two-room dwellings to multi-room homes with modern kitchens and televisions. Several cave houses are open to visitors; the Cave Museum (Cueva Museo) demonstrates traditional cave-dwelling life.
Above the cave quarter, the Alcazaba of Guadix, a Moorish fortress, offers commanding views over the Altiplano. The Cathedral of Guadix, a large Gothic-Renaissance structure begun in the 16th century, has an impressive baroque façade by Gaspar Cayón. The old town between the cathedral and the alcazaba preserves Moorish street patterns and several fine palaces.
Practical Travel Info
Guadix is 55 km east of Granada on the A-92 motorway. There are regular buses from Granada (1 hour). The cave quarter is a 10-minute walk from the town centre; follow signs to Barrio de las Cuevas.
The Cave Museum is signposted. Several families rent cave accommodation. The Alcazaba is free to visit.
A half-day from Granada is feasible; an overnight in a cave is a memorable experience.
Where to eat in Guadix
Ratings & restaurant data from Google.
Regional food & drink
Andalucía is known for Gazpacho, Salmorejo and Pescaíto frito, among 5 regional specialities.
Watch: Sherry (Jerez)
Fiestas in Guadix
Dates recur annually but can shift by a few days — confirm with the ayuntamiento before planning a trip around one.
- Virgen de la Pazthird Sunday of August
- San Sebastián20 January
- San Bernabé13 June
- Virgen del Carmen6–16 July
- San Francisco14 August
- San Miguel29 September
Location
Quick answers
Is Guadix worth visiting?▾
Guadix is the cave city of Andalucía: an estimated 2,000 families still live in cave houses hollowed from the soft tufa hills below the town's Moorish alcazaba, in a troglodyte neighbourhood that has been continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age and remains fully residential today.
Why is Guadix a heritage town?▾
Guadix is officially designated a Conjunto Histórico, declared in 1969 — Spain's national protection for historic town ensembles (Conjuntos Históricos).
What is the traditional food in Andalucía?▾
Andalucía is known for Gazpacho, Salmorejo, Pescaíto frito and Jamón ibérico. You'll find these regional specialities in and around Guadix.
When are the fiestas in Guadix?▾
Guadix celebrates Virgen de la Paz (third Sunday of August), San Sebastián (20 January) and San Bernabé (13 June). Dates recur annually but can shift by a few days.
Which heritage towns are near Guadix?▾
Nearby heritage towns include Baza, Pampaneira and Bubión.
Where is Guadix?▾
Guadix lies in the Guadix-Marquesado comarca, in the province of Granada, Andalucía, Spain.
Nearby heritage towns
Baza was the capital of an ancient Iberian kingdom whose most famous citizen — the Lady of Baza, a magnificent 4th-century BCE stone figure — now presides over the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid, though replicas and the excavated site itself tell a compelling story of the pre-Roman south in the town that produced her.
A Moorish mountain village in the Alpujarras of Granada, whose very name predates the Spanish conquest and carries the traces of a people who held on to their language and faith long after the fall of the Kingdom of Granada.
A high mountain village in Granada's Alpujarra, once the seat of an ancient Moorish district and the flashpoint of a morisco uprising that shook the Kingdom of Granada.
Visiting from a nearby city?
Guadix makes a great day trip from:
Last updated 20 June 2026.