This is no ordinary old-timey village. Its historic center sits 150 meters above the Guadalete River valley on a steep limestone ridge. Welcome to Arcos de la Frontera.
The first settlements here date back to the Neolithic period. Since then, its nearly impregnable location and abundance of water have made it a strategically important spot. During the Reconquista, it became a key stronghold on the frontier (“de la Frontera”) between Christian Castile and the Muslim Kingdom of Granada. This status shaped its military and civil architecture for centuries.
Its unique location finally put Arcos on the tourist map. The town’s Moorish heritage is evident in its maze of narrow, cobbled streets. Today, Arcos is a popular stop on the Route of the White Villages, a collection of Andalusian towns known for their picturesque settings and whitewashed houses. In 1962, the Spanish government declared Arcos a Historic-Artistic Monument.
