Cave Village Artenara

Museo Etnográfico Casas Cuevas de Artenara

Useful Information

Location:	C. Párroco Domingo Báez, 13, 35350 Artenara. (28.019296, -15.645871)
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Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
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Address:	Museo Etnográfico Casas Cuevas de Artenara, C. Párroco Domingo Báez, 13, 35350 Artenara, Las Palmas, Tel: +34-928-66-61-02.
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History

Description

Artenara is the highest village of Gran Canaria at 1,251 m asl. Most of the village is built underground, into the soft volcanic rock. From the road the houses look rather normal, the facades are like all other facades on the island. But many of the houses end after a few meters at the cliff, and the house goes on into the rock.

The main tourist site is of course the Santuario de la Virgen de la Cuevita, also called La Ermita de la Cuevita. This cave church uses a very old cave, said to have been made by the native Guanche very long ago. It was then transformed into a church by the Spanish at the time of the conquest. The Guanche built this cave at this place, as the cave entrance faces towards Roque Bentayga, which was an important place of spirituality to them.

Another underground site is the restaurant Méson la Silla. It is entered through a long tunnel, which leads to a cavernous terrace, which was also carved out of the rock. Even the ceiling is a natural rock wall. This restaurant offers substantial local dishes and magnificent views on Roque Bentayga and Roque Nublo.

Numerous private houses are cave houses too, and several offer bed and breakfast. It is really impressive to stay in a cave house for one night, and you should probably try it, even if you already have a bed in the tourist bunkers at Playa del Ingles.

And then there is the Museo Etnográfico Casas Cuevas de Artenara (Ethnographic Museum Cave Houses of Artenara).