Castles of Spain
map viewSpain's castles reflect centuries of Moorish and Christian rule, and this page gathers the most remarkable of them. In Andalusia, the Alhambra in Granada, the Royal Alcázar of Seville and the Alcazaba of Almería show Moorish palace architecture at its finest. In Castile, the Alcázar of Segovia stands on a rock above two rivers, the Alcázar of Toledo dominates the city skyline, and the medieval walls of Ávila still enclose the whole old town. Belmonte, Peñafiel, Manzanares el Real, Olite in Navarre and Loarre in Aragon are among the best-preserved medieval castles in the country. Castell de Bellver in Mallorca is a rare circular castle, and the old town of Cuenca clings to the edge of a gorge. April, May and October are the best months.
Alhambra, Granada, Spain
The Nasrid palace-fortress above Granada, with the Court of the Lions, the Alcazaba and the Generalife gardens; timed tickets for the Nasrid Palaces often sell out weeks ahead.
Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
The oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, a dazzling Mudéjar masterpiece of tiled courtyards, carved stucco and lush gardens in the heart of Seville.
Alcázar of Segovia castle, Spain
A fairy-tale castle on a rocky spur above two rivers in Segovia, once a royal palace and artillery college, with the Tower of John II and views over the old town.
Alcázar of Toledo, Spain
The square Renaissance fortress on the highest point of Toledo, rebuilt after the 1936 siege, now home to the Army Museum; entry €5, free on Wednesdays.
Old Town and Walls of Ávila, Spain
A medieval city in central Spain famous for its complete and well-preserved ring of stone walls.
Tossa de Mar Castle, Spain
The only fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast, overlooking the sea at Tossa de Mar, Spain.
Olite Castle, Spain
A fairy-tale Gothic royal palace bristling with towers in the wine town of Olite, once the sumptuous court of the medieval Kings of Navarre.
Old Town of Cuenca, Spain
A dramatic medieval hill town in Castilla-La Mancha, famous for its cliff-edge Hanging Houses perched above a deep river gorge.
Belmonte Castle, La Mancha, Spain
A beautifully preserved 15th-century castle-palace on a hill in La Mancha, its unusual star-shaped plan blending Gothic and Mudéjar art and later restored by the Empress Eugénie de Montijo.
Peñafiel Castle, Spain
A dramatic white medieval castle stretched like a stone ship along a narrow ridge above the Ribera del Duero wine country, now home to the Provincial Wine Museum.
Loarre Castle, Spain
The best-preserved Romanesque castle in Europe, an 11th-century fortress-monastery perched on a rocky spur above the plains of Aragon.
New Castle of Manzanares el Real, Spain
A 15th-century castle of the Mendoza family below the granite rocks of La Pedriza, 50 km north of Madrid; the interior has been closed to visitors since January 2025.
Alcazaba of Almería, Spain
One of the largest and most impressive Moorish fortresses in Spain, a vast 10th-century citadel of walls, towers and gardens rising over the city of Almería and the sea.
Roman Walls of Lugo, Spain
The only Roman city walls in the world that are still complete, surrounding the old town of Lugo in Spain.
Old Town of Morella, Spain
A walled medieval town on a hill in eastern Spain, crowned by a castle on a high rock.
Castell de Bellver, Mallorca
A rare circular Gothic castle from the early 14th century on a pine-covered hill above Palma, with the city history museum and wide views over the Bay of Palma.
Castles in Spain on the map
Numbers match the ranking above. Click a pin to open the place.
Best time to visit castles in Spain
When sightseeing is most pleasant: comfortable 18–26 °C daytime temperatures and more dry days. Averaged over the places on this page.
ERA5 climate data 2015–2024 (Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), averaged for the places on this page.
Tickets: what it costs to visit castles in Spain
Adult entrance prices, cheapest first. What the ticket includes and what you can see for free.
| Place | Region | Adult ticket | Ticket includes | Free without a ticket | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcazaba of Almería | Andalusia | €1.50 | Alcazaba | — | Free for EU citizens |
| Olite Castle | Navarre | €4–5 | Castle | — | |
| Castell de Bellver | Balearic Islands | €4 | Castle and City History Museum | — | Free on Sundays and for children under 14; closed on Mondays |
| Alcázar of Toledo | Castilla-La Mancha | €5 | Army Museum | — | Free on Wednesdays, under 18 and for pensioners; closed on Mondays |
| Peñafiel Castle | Castile and León | €6 | Castle and Wine Museum | — | Guided visit |
| Loarre Castle | Aragon | €6 | Castle (self-guided) | — | Guided tour €8 |
| Alcázar of Segovia castle | Segovia | €7–10 | Palace and museum; Tower of John II with the full ticket | — | €7 palace and museum, €10 with the Tower of John II; free for under-6s and for EU citizens on Tuesdays 14:00–16:00 |
| Belmonte Castle | Castilla-La Mancha | €10 | Castle with audio guide | — | With trebuchet park €15 |
| Royal Alcázar of Seville | Andalusia | €14.50 | Palace | — | EU reduced €3; Cuarto Real Alto extra |
| Alhambra | Granada | €21 | Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife | — | €21 at the ticket office, about €22.27 online with the booking fee; timed entry to the Nasrid Palaces; under 12 free |
| Old Town of Cuenca | Castilla-La Mancha | Free | — | Old town | |
| New Castle of Manzanares el Real | Madrid | Free | — | Exterior of the castle and the walk around the walls | Interior closed to visitors since January 2025 until the owners obtain a licence |
Prices checked: 10.2026. Always check the official website before you go.
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