The stunning village of Galera is on the high, dry, flat plains of the Altiplano Granada, surrounded by mountains of Sagra, Castril and Cazorla. It’s known as the cave village due to the many cave dwellings most of which were carved from the rock by immigrants during the 19th century, although some date back to the medieval period.

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Steeped in history a delight for historians and those interested in the evolution of mankind through ancient cultures. There are traces of life in this area going as far back as 2000 B.C.

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You can visit two important archaeological sites, one is from the Bronze Age, a village of the Archaic culture in El Castellón Alto. Many burials have been excavated and a human being has been discovered partially mummified in a grave known as the Galera Man. The other site is the Iberian Necropolis of Tútugi (on the Cerro del Real), the villagers started to dig and found numerous tombs on a hill just outside the village. In one tomb they found a 7th century BC alabaster figurine that originated in Syria, now dubbed ‘The Dama de Galera’. Tutugi, by the way, was the Ibero-Roman name for the town now called Galera.

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Galera has one of the most impressive museums in Granada province. The Archaeological Museum  preserves and exhibits objects that belong to virtually all periods of historical development in the region, the quality of the objects is quite exceptional.

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If you’re feeling hungry, hunt out a dish called ‘segurena’, lamb from Segura. The lambs are reared locally and they are protected by the IGP seal (an EU guarantee of quality). They are known for their delicious flavour. You will normally find the lamb roasted on a bed of potatoes, a traditional Andalucian feast.