Andalusia's fairytale Castles

For homeowners residing in one of Marbella's luxury new apartment complexes in Elvira or Cabopino may seem hard to believe that within just a couple of hours drive historic Spain begins to unfold in all its medieval splendour. Andalusia boasts five fairytale castles that make an ideal day trip destination, for they are exceptionally well preserved and have been restored to a high standard. From Marbella it easy to reach at least four of the castles located in Cordoba, Cadiz and Jaén.

The castles of Baños de la Encina  and Lopera are both situated near Jaén, a 2.5 hour drive via the A-44 route. Tarifa Castle in Cadiz is also a two hour drive away, taking the AP-7 and A-381 this time to cover the 180.2 km distance from Marbella.

Castle Almodóvar del Río in Cordoba can be reached via the A-45 route - a 213 km or 2 hour drive from Marbella. Niebla Castle at Huelva is better for a weekend trip, as the return journey would take up more than 6.5 hours.

Castillo de Almodóvar in Cordoba Province

Also known as the Castillo de la Floresta, this fairytale castle was constructed on the remains of an ancient Roman fortress. Later alterations where carried out by the Moors, who fashioned the fortress in their own style. It was then altered again by the Christians. The castillo has only been open to the general public since 2002, when parts of it, including its fortified gates, chambers and towers, were made available to tourists. Another part of the castillo serves as banqueting halls for special events. Cordoba's best preserved castle boasts its very own ghost which, according to legend, is the spirit of Princess Zaida, who haunts the battlements every 28th March in search of her husband, Prince Fath al-Mamun, who perished on that day in 1091 and never returned to see his faithful Zaida.

Castillo Baños de la Encina  in Jaén

As one of the best preserved Moorish fortresses from the reign of Al-Hakam II, the castillo has served many purposes throughout its long history, from a shelter for medieval warriors to a royal residence and even a parish cemetery. Sporting an impressive set of fortified walls that are the envy of Europe and the finest example of military architecture in the whole of Andalusia, the castillo is also one of the best preserved, truly ancient monuments in the region, having been completed in 970. The "fortress of the seven kings" sits on an elevated spot in the foothills of the Sierra Morena Mountains, some 52 km from the city of Jaén. This imposing reddish-brown castle complex still boasts all its elliptically shaped battlements and 14 square-built turrets as well as an imposing keep.
 
Castillo Lopera in Jaén

This 13th century Christian-built gem once belonged to the Military Order of Calatrava and boasts un unusual, irregular pentagon shape that has puzzled historians ever since. It was clearly redesigned and rebuilt to suit the tastes of different rulers, but its original design would have been Moorish, stemming from the Al-Andalus era.

The castillo has a twin defensive enclosure. Boasting five turrets in total, three of which are cylindrical and two of which are square-built, the castillo also has two imposing square towers in the middle of its bailey, San Miguel and Santa Maria, which are encircled by a walled courtyard. The main gate is flanked by two towers and opens under a double rounded archway. Parts of the sun-baked walls are covered in ivy, transforming this into the most enchanted of Andalusia's fairytale castles.

Tarifa Castle in Cadiz

From the towers of this pale grey fortress visitors can enjoy stunning views of the coast and mountains of neighbouring Morocco. Often referred to as Castle of the Guzmáns, after Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, the founder of the bloodline from which the Dukes of Medina Sidonia descended, the castillo sits at the heart of Tarifa, a busy coastal town.

Built in 960 by the Caliph of Cordoba, Abd-ar-Rahman III, the castle later fell into the hands of King Sancho IV, when the Christians began to reclaim Moorish occupied lands in 1292. Today the castle is open to the public. The Ministry of Defence owns it though and it is still used for a variety of military purposes, so watch your step!