Castellar - Costa De La Luz

Castellar de la Frontera

A lot of people are unaware of the importance of the many white washed villages in Andalucia but the majority, have their place in history as the sites of many battles that were held to regain control from the Moors. Castellar de la Frontera is a prime example of this. It’s high up strategic position overlooking the Guadarranque reservoir was much sought after and Castellar even dates back to prehistoric times with cave drawings to prove it!

About 10 kilometres from the Coast, Castellar is within the province of Cadiz – and approximately a 15 minute drive from Sotogrande, one of the most luxurious urbanizations in Southern Europe.

The town was possessed by the Moors in year 711, who built up the old medieval town and castle, only for Castellar to be reclaimed after many combats, centuries later by Juan Arias de Saavedra. Since then it has subsisted mainly by agriculture and livestock due to the rich wildlife and cotton, wheat, sunflowers and honey are harvested year after year to mention but a few products.

The trip up to the old castle is a delight in itself, with views of the reservoir and of the coast that take your breath away. A few decades ago the town was a renown hippy settlement but the building of New Castellar in order to re-house inhabitants of the old town due to dilapidated constructions,  has somewhat dampened the free spirit which had taken over the town.

Despite the blooming hotel and restaurant trade a few miles down the road on the Costa, Castellar is fairly limited when it comes to accommodation and food, but this is precisely what makes it retain its charm.

Whichever way you look at Castellar, one thing is clear – this fascinating place, a stones throw from Gibraltar and Africa that has survived since the Bronze age certainly deserves the label given to it oh so many centuries ago by the man who fought to recover it Juan II “such a wonderful, strong town”.

We recommend to check La Jarandilla for some information on activities around Castellar de la Frontera, Cadiz.