The Barrio del Sacromonte sits on the hillside opposite Granada's Alhambra, a neighborhood that feels worlds away from the typical Andalusian experience. This isn't your usual collection of whitewashed houses - people here lived in caves carved directly into the mountainside until as recently as 1963.

The heart of understanding this place is the Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte, where eleven original caves have been preserved to show how families actually lived. Each cave is themed around different traditional crafts - pottery, blacksmithing, basket weaving, textile work. Walking through them, you get a real sense of how ingenious these dwellings were. The caves stay naturally cool year-round, and the thick earth walls provided excellent insulation.

What strikes me most is how this wasn't just about shelter. The Sacromonte became the birthplace of flamenco, where gitano communities, Moorish refugees, and other marginalized groups created something extraordinary from their shared experiences. The museum does a good job explaining these cultural roots without romanticizing what was often a harsh existence.

The climb up to the museum is steep - several visitors mention this in their reviews, and they're right. But the effort pays off with spectacular views over the Darro valley and directly across to the Alhambra. On a clear day, the perspective is remarkable.

Inside the caves, you'll find information panels in both Spanish and English, plus there's a free audio guide available through QR codes if you want to dig deeper into the stories. The videos they project showing the caves when they were still inhabited add another layer - you can almost hear the everyday sounds that once filled these spaces.

The museum also covers the broader phenomenon of cave dwelling, which existed in many parts of the world. But Sacromonte's story feels particularly poignant because it ended so recently. Some of the people who lived in these caves are probably still alive today.

Don't expect a quick visit. Most people spend at least two hours here, and the walk back down gives you time to process what you've seen. There's also a small bar on site, which comes in handy after all that climbing and cave exploring.

The flamenco shows they organize on certain evenings bring the cultural story full circle, though I'd recommend visiting the museum first to understand the context.