The six castles that watch over Granada's Costa Tropical

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From La Herradura to Carchuna, these forts tell the story of corsairs, invasions and centuries of vigilance over the Mediterranean coast

Cristina Ramos

Granada

Thursday, 19 March 2026, 12:01

Granada province does not only look at the Sierra Nevada mountains; it also looks out over the Mediterranean Sea.

Now the provincial authority, the Diputación de Granada has put the spotlight on 15 castles in the province, six of which are dotted along the coast.

Long before the Costa Tropical was synonymous with beach bars and parasols, it was a frontier. Each castle (castillo), tower and wall of these six coastal enclaves had a clear mission: to warn, to resist, to protect. The aim of the Diputación's new list is for residents and visitors alike to learn about their history.

Castillo de Baños

Built in the 18th century at the mouth of the river, this castle protected the Granada coastline from Moorish and Mediterranean pirate raids, guarding the access route to the Alpujarra. The defensive tower was built to house two cannons that never arrived and ultimately served as a watchpost linked to the watchtowers at Cambriles and Cautor. Having served as a headquarters for the Guardia Civil since 1839, it is now a chapel.

Castillo de los Ulloa

Ulloa castle stands on a small hill to the east of Vélez de Benaudalla, at an altitude of 215 metres and was built by Don Juan de Ulloa following the Castilian conquest in the late 15th century.

The second floor features brick vaults, staircases built into the wall and the 10.5-metre tower was restored in the 20th century using cement and concrete, altering the interior with metal staircases, but without archaeological studies to reveal any possible cisterns or earlier structures.

Castillo de San Miguel

Remains from the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Christians all coexist at Almuñécar's San Miguel castle. You can see everything from ancient concrete dating back to the Caliphate period to later stone walls.

Although it began as an Arab fortress, King Charles V transformed it almost entirely in the 16th century. Unlike other square castles, this one is triangular in shape to fit perfectly on the mountaintop. It has 11 towers and walls that stretched down to the sea to protect the entire town.

It has an interesting history: when it ceased to be of military use, it served as Almuñécar’s municipal cemetery for over 100 years (from 1851 to 1977), until it was restored for tourism.

Castillo de Salobreña

Strategically situated on a limestone crag, the medieval town grew up at its feet. Its irregular shape follows the contours of the land, creating a fortress designed to control both maritime navigation and land defences.

The castle is not merely a single building, but a complex system of three walled enclosures that protect one another. At the highest point stands the citadel defended by four main towers: the Keep, the New Tower, the Old Tower and the entrance gate. Here, too, lie the silos and dungeons from its past as a prison and military stronghold.

Its walls are an open book of architecture: they combine masonry, Arab rammed earth and brick from different periods, making it difficult to distinguish where the Muslim work ends and the Christian work begins.

Castillo de La Herradura

Built in 1771 on the orders of Charles III, La Herradura's castle's purpose was to keep watch over the bay and protect the mouth of the River Jate from attacks by privateers and pirates who prowled the coast.

It is designed for combat. It features a semicircular area for the cannons, a walled front to defend against land attacks and a central courtyard connecting the chapel, the living quarters and the dungeon.

Following a restoration that brought its moat and drawbridge back to life, it is now a cultural centre and houses an exhibition on the great shipwreck of the Spanish Armada in 1562, which occurred off its coast.

Fuerte de Carchuna

Carchuna fort stands facing the sea right on Motril beach, built in the 18th century to defend the Granada coast from raids by Barbary pirates.

In 1938, the fort, which had been converted into a prison during the Civil War, was the scene of a spectacular operation: four Asturian prisoners escaped and alerted the Republican side. Around thirty soldiers, led by Lieutenant William Alto, rescued more than 300 prisoners.

Today, Carchuna fort houses the town’s visitor centre, where you can view images and artefacts that tell the story of this coastal area and its transformation over the centuries.