Castillo de Águilas
Perched on a volcanic headland that juts straight into the Mediterranean, this 18th-century coastal castle offers one of the most dramatic silhouettes on the Murcia coastline. Walk up through the old town and the reward is a 360-degree panorama that stretches from the Cabo Cope cliffs to the hazy outline of the Almería coast.
History written in stone
Built on the orders of King Carlos III in 1765 to defend the newly re-founded town from Barbary pirates, the castle is compact but beautifully preserved, with thick limestone walls and a single square tower that glows amber at sunset.
Inside the small perimeter you can read interpretive panels tracing Águilas' history from its Roman predecessor Urci through to the 19th-century esparto-grass export boom that made the town briefly prosperous.
Making the most of your visit
The path up from Plaza de España takes about ten minutes on foot and passes a lookout terrace where locals gather every evening with cold beers from the kiosk below — join them.
Come back after dark on summer weekends when the castle walls are illuminated and the harbour lights below create a mirror image in the calm water of the bay.
Castillo de Águilas on video
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