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Guzmán el Bueno Castle

Guzmán el Bueno Castle rises on a headland by the sea, in the old town of Tarifa, with Calle Guzmán el Bueno as its approach. It takes its name from Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, who in 1294 refused to surrender the stronghold even though they threatened to kill his son, an episode that made the fortress famous. Its origin is Caliphal, from the 10th century, and it was remodelled in the 17th century against Barbary pirates and adapted to artillery in the 18th. Between 1811 and 1812, during the Peninsular War, it served as a barracks. It is municipal property and since 1989 it has been restored and studied archaeologically. The visit takes in the octagonal tower and the walls, and inside there is an interpretation centre on the Castilian-Nasrid period. From the top you can see the strait and, on clear days, the coast of Morocco.

Things to do at Guzmán el Bueno Castle: 3 missions

• Walk the walls with views of the straitWalk along the wall-walk and find the best view of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Moroccan coast.
• Find the castle's octagonal towerInside the enclosure, identify the octagonal tower and walk round it to see how it joins the walls.
• Visit the Castilian-Nasrid interpretation centreGo into the interpretation centre inside the castle and look for the section devoted to the Castilian-Nasrid period.

Near Guzmán el Bueno Castle

Source: Junta de Andalucía - Agenda cultural: visitas al Castillo de Guzmán el Bueno