Medieval Revellers take over Fuengirola's Castillo Sohail

Since the inauguration of the Medieval Market at Fuengirola's imposing Castillo Sohail a few years ago, this event has won more and more fans. Last year ca. 90,000 medieval revellers attended the market, held throughout August at the Costa del Sol resort. This year even more visitors are expected. For those who live in Fuengirola, Benehavis and Marbella the market is a firm favourite on the social calendar.

Going back in Time

This week around 100 food, handicraft and activity stalls will form the centrepiece of the medieval market. Open to the general public from 7 pm to 2 am every day throughout August, the market serves to bring the castle's impressive past to life and for people who thought history is boring, the market provides a real-life experience that nothing could be further from the truth.

Sohail Castle's tempestuous history began in 956 AD, when the Moorish ruler Abd-ar-Rahman III ordered the castle to be built to strengthen the coastal defences along this stretch of the Costa del Sol. During renovation works in 2000 archaeologists discovered that earlier Roman invaders had already used the site in 300 BC.

Over the intervening centuries the castle was destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions. Now serving as the instantly recognisable emblem of Fuengirola, Sohail Castle's square towers attract thousands of tourists every year. The fortress is also used as a fantastic open-air auditorium for festivals and music events.

A museum inside the castle grounds provides visitors with just enough information about the historic background to understand the layout of the place and significance of the fortress for the resort and the Costa del Sol through the ages.

It's easy to reach the castle, which sits near the mouth of the Fuengirola River along the A-7 motorway.

A great Family Day out

The medieval market takes visitors back in time, not just via dressed-up vendors in medieval garb but also through culinary experiences, for many stalls serve food stuffs that were common in the Middle Ages. There are various guilds whose stands allow visitors to get involved in every-day medieval activities like basket weaving or making a horse's shoe.

Bards and musicians perform ancient music on authentic instruments and toy makers, jewellers, carpenters, tanners and bakers showcase how medieval people traded and made things for their stalls.

Children will love the jugglers and street artists dresssed up like witches, medieval storytellers, fortune tellers and town criers. Kids can enjoy donkey rides, activities like archery or face-painting or participate in street plays.

Going back home to Marbella at the end of the day will seem positively "futuristic" in comparison, but it's good to count one's blessings once in a while - there was no such thing as a power-shower, heated swimming pool or electric BBQ in medieval times, and most people would have lived in a smelly hovel, not a luxury villa or apartment with sea or mountain views.

Modern Resort with medieval Trimmings

Fuengirola, which boasts more than 8 km of sandy beaches, is a modern resort with high-rise hotels lining the shore. The Moorish castle is the resort's main tourist attraction, apart from its subtropical weather, where average temperatures soar to more than 30 degrees C during summer and even winter temperatures remain at a pleasant 18 degrees C.

Perched on a forested hill high above the town, the castle's original city limits included farmland and small villages, where the Moorish rulers grazed their camels and various Arab officials worked to upkeep their vast administrative empire that ruled over Spain.

Modern Fuengirola is a considerable town with more than 72,000 permanent residents and a huge influx of tourists every year. It's a favourite destination for British winter tourists and foreign holiday home buyers, as it boasts a large English speaking community.

The largest modern attraction is nearby Bioparc Fuengirola, a family amusement park and zoo, which boasts several unique habitats, tropical rain forest among them, and a chimpanzee group as well as a breeding programme for various endangered species. Fuengirola's ancient port is also a great place to visit, especially during the early evening, when a cool sea breeze blows and the first bars open their doors.