Acusa Seca Caves

Doorways and windows open straight out of the rock, and from the ground in front of them the mountains of Gran Canaria's interior spread out below. These were the homes of the indigenous Canarians centuries before the Castilian conquest: rooms cut into the hillside, cool inside, with the whole landscape as a front step.

Nothing on site explains it for you. There is no guide and almost nothing to read, so the visit runs on imagination — you stand where the first islanders stood and look at what they looked at. Some caves are still homes today, which keeps the hamlet quiet and lived-in. Stay after dark on a clear night and the sky over the caves fills with stars.

• There are no toilets at the caves and none nearby, and no drinking water — bring what you need.
• There is no guide and very little information on site; read up on the indigenous Canarians before you come.
• Some of the caves are private homes or let to overnight guests.
• The drive up is mountain driving, and drivers not used to it find it hard going.
• The site is not wheelchair accessible.

You arrive by car, and the last part of the drive is mountain driving that people unused to this kind of terrain find demanding. Take it slowly. There are two car parks, about 124 m and 473 m away in a straight line, and from either one the rest is on foot.

The nearest bus stop, Las Moradas, is about 3.4 km away in a straight line, and further by road, so arriving by public transport adds a long walk to the ride. With no toilets or water at the caves, stop for both before the final stretch.

Best: a clear day, from late afternoon into the evening, staying on after dark for the stars. Avoid: days when cloud sits on the mountains, and wet weather. The views are the reason to come, and the island's high interior can disappear into cloud while the rest of the day looks fine; a clear night, away from town lights, brings out the sky.

Acusa Seca is a lived-in hamlet as well as a site of the indigenous Canarians. Some caves are private homes or holiday lets: treat their doors, terraces and yards as private and do not walk in uninvited.

Archaeological remains in the Canary Islands are protected by law. Do not climb on, scratch or carve the rock, and take nothing away from the caves.