Carramaiza is a small rural village with a unique architecture of approximately 80 cave houses and 72 inhabitants (in 2008), with exceptional views across olive and almond groves and the Cerro Jabalcón mountain. It is located in the province of Granada which is part of Andalucia in the south of Spain.

The inhabitants of Carramaiza are honest friendly people, the majority of whom work on the land farming and raising stock (don't be suprised if you encounter a herd of goats!).
Despite this apparent isolation, it is only 10 minutes drive to the nearest town - Cortes de Baza - where you can find basic services such as bars, restaurants, shops, doctors, a new municipal pool and a market on Saturdays. A little further on you reach the larger town of Baza, which is a larger Moorish-style town surrounded by open countryside and natural parks (here you can find the Ghetto Baths, considered to be the oldest surviving baths from the muslim period). Further on is the market town of Huescar, which has a large natural swimming pool - complete with fish!

Carramaiza is part of the town Zújar which used to be linked by a road and a bridge over the river Guadiana Menor, but since the construction of the Negratin Reservoir the bridge no longer exists. To visit Zújar people must now drive the 40km around the Cerro Jabalcón mountain that divides the towns.

Carramaiza is on the edge of a high climbing plateau and that means cool breezes come up from the reservoir below in the summer. These moderate the high summer temperatures, and in terms of climate for the south of Spain, it is incredibly favourable. The sky is expansive and blue, with fantastic sunsets, and in winter, temperatures can fall below freezing and blankets of snow fall over the olive and almond groves. Of course, being inside a cave means you have an all year round temperature of about 16 degrees C, so it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Other towns surrounding Carramaiza

Castril

A picturesque white washed town in a valley with pretty walks through the town into the national park of Castril and along the river through the gorge walk. There is also a newly built swimming pool. Some pictures of Castril here

Cúllar

Reputed to have the best festivals in the area, Cúllar is a town of rich tradition.

Orce

Has a castle, museum and archaeological site and a wonderful natural spring swimming pool - also with fish in it! There is a bar next to the pool.

Further away...

Gaudix

The cathedral town of Gaudix is a large bustling country town with a strong history dating back to Phoenician and Roman times. It is known for its cave district, "Barrio Troglodyte", which nearly half the inhabitants live in. There is also the impressive Castle of the Calahorra, just a few miles out to the East towards Almeria.

Granada

Historic Granada is one of Spain’s greatest cities, it sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (which has a ski resort) and has stunning views of the Moorish Alhambra palace. There is a Moorish quarter with narrow winding streets and alleyways, Moroccan tea-rooms and cous-cous restaurants. Around Granada you can find excellent shopping, superb cuisine and a buzzing nightlife.
When there you can go to the Moorish Zoco near the main square and try traditional Arab tea and sweetmeats, or you can visit the El Sacromente gypsy cave disctrict and see locals performing Flamenco. There is also a cathedral to visit and a state of the art interactive Science Museum. In July Granada hosts an International festival.

Coast of Almeria and Calida

In just over 1 hour you can reach the coast of Almeria and the Costa Calida, which are very undeveloped in comparison with much of the Spanish coastline. There are some lovely relaxed resorts, mainly Mojacar and Aguillas, plus enticing, untouched bays, within a couple of hours drive.

Cabo de Gata Nature Park

A coastal Nature reserve with untouched sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Take a walk along the wild peninsula with its secluded coves and stunning volcanic rock formations. More information here

Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada and its ski resorts are approximately 2 hours away and are unique in Europe in that they enjoy sunshine every day throughout the winter. You can also go there to see the exceptional scenery - there are cable cars and mountain trails to follow.