Here are 10 of the most beautiful and fascinating cave homes around the world, blending natural wonder with human creativity:
1. Matmata, Tunisia
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Style: Underground troglodyte homes
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Highlights: Berber families have lived in these homes for centuries; some were featured in Star Wars as Luke Skywalker’s childhood home.
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Why it’s special: The homes are carved into the ground with a central pit and surrounding rooms, providing natural insulation in the desert.
2. Santorini Cave Houses, Greece
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Style: Whitewashed cave dwellings
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Highlights: Built into the cliffs of volcanic rock, these homes offer breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea.
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Why it’s special: Cool interiors in summer, warm in winter, with iconic Cycladic architecture.
3. Cappadocia Cave Homes, Turkey
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Style: Fairy chimneys and soft volcanic rock dwellings
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Highlights: Homes, churches, and even hotels carved into surreal rock formations.
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Why it’s special: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also home to underground cities and cave hotels.
4. Guadix, Spain
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Style: Hillside cave homes
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Highlights: Over 2,000 inhabited caves, with chimneys poking out of the earth.
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Why it’s special: A thriving community with modern amenities inside ancient caves.
5. Matera, Italy
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Style: Sassi cave dwellings
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Highlights: One of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, with homes, chapels, and streets carved from limestone.
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Why it’s special: Revitalized in recent decades and now a European cultural hotspot.
6. Coober Pedy, Australia
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Style: Dugouts (underground homes)
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Highlights: In the scorching Outback, residents live underground to escape extreme heat.
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Why it’s special: Homes are often connected to opal mines, and the town includes underground shops and churches.
7. Bamiyan Caves, Afghanistan
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Style: Cliffside Buddhist caves
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Highlights: Once part of a vast monastic complex carved into sandstone cliffs.
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Why it’s special: Though the giant Buddhas were destroyed, many smaller caves remain and are historically rich.
8. Loess Plateau Cave Homes, China
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Style: Yaodongs (earth-sheltered homes)
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Highlights: Over 30 million people live in these traditional homes carved into loess soil.
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Why it’s special: Eco-friendly and temperature-stable, with some dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
9. Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain
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Style: Homes built under massive rock overhangs
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Highlights: Streets and homes appear to be tucked beneath giant boulders.
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Why it’s special: A blend of cave and traditional architecture in a dramatic setting.
10. Troo Cave Homes, France
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Style: Troglodyte village
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Highlights: Located in the Loire Valley, many homes are built into the limestone cliffs.
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Why it’s special: Charming, historic, and often covered in vines and flowers—some even function as cozy B&Bs.
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