We Explored Águilas' Moorish Castle on a Quiet July Day Trip

Águilas doesn't get talked about much beyond Murcia's borders, which is exactly why we picked a random Tuesday in July to drive down before the coach parties worked out it was a good day too. The Castillo de San Juan de las Águilas sits on a rocky hill between the town's two bays, and it's one of those places that photographs well but tells you more once you've actually climbed up and read the boards.

Get there before 10am or don't bother

The drive from Roda Golf takes about an hour via the AP-7 past Mazarrón, or a bit longer if you fancy the coast road through Puerto de Mazarrón and stop for a coffee. Either way, arrive early. There's no shade on the climb up to the castle, and by midday in July the stone paths radiate heat straight back at you. We left the villa at 8.30am, parked near the harbour by 9.40am, and had the ramparts to ourselves before the heat properly kicked in.

Parking is free along Paseo de Parra near the port, five to ten minutes on foot from the base of the hill depending on fitness. Wear proper shoes, not sandals. The paths inside the fort are uneven stone with a fair bit of loose gravel underfoot.

What's actually left of the old fortress

Locals call it the Moorish castle, and the hill has carried some form of lookout or fortification since Islamic times, given how exposed this stretch of coast was to raids for centuries. What you walk around today, though, is mostly the star-shaped fort built in the late 1700s under Carlos III, once Águilas' port had become important enough for shipping esparto grass and minerals out of the Lorca and Almagrera mines to need proper defending.

The layout is compact: a pentagon of thick walls, a dry moat you can walk down into, gun positions facing the sea, and a small chapel inside dedicated to San Juan. None of it is dressed up for tourists with cafes or gift shops, which we liked. It's a working ruin you're free to wander, not a managed attraction with a queue.

Entry and opening times

It's free to get in and, as of this summer, open mornings and evenings with a midday closure, which suits the July heat pattern. Check the current hours at the tourist office by the port before you climb up, since Águilas town hall shifts the schedule slightly between seasons and we've been caught out by that before.

The view is the actual reason to go

From the top, Águilas is laid out either side of you: Playa de la Colonia and the marina to one side, Playa de Poniente curving away to the other, with old watchtowers dotted along the headlands further out. On a clear morning you can pick out the hills on the Almería side of the border. It's a properly different coastline to what we're used to around the Mar Menor, rockier and more dramatic, without the flat lagoon calm we get near Roda.

If you're staying at one of the holiday rentals near Roda Golf and only know the Mar Menor side of the region, Águilas is worth the drive just to see how different Murcia looks an hour south. It's a solid contrast trip once you've done the obvious beach days and fancy something with a bit more history attached.

Cool off after: where we went next

Once the heat pushed us back down the hill, we headed straight for Playa de la Colonia, the beach right below the castle, and were in the water within twenty minutes of leaving the fort. A couple of chiringuitos along the front do decent grilled sardines and cold Estrella, which is about all you need after a climb in July.

For lunch we ended up in the old town at a no-frills place doing arroz caldoso, Águilas' answer to the rice dishes you'd find closer to home around San Javier and Los Alcázares. Book ahead in peak season. It's a small town and the good places fill up fast once the day trippers arrive from Murcia city.

Treat the whole thing as a full morning out rather than a quick stop. Between the drive, the climb and cooling off after, you're looking at four or five hours minimum, so it's not something to squeeze in between two rounds at the golf courses around Roda. It's more one for a rest day, when the course is baking anyway and you'd rather be somewhere with a sea breeze and a bit of shade at the top.

For more ideas like this on days when golf isn't on the cards, our sightseeing guides cover most of the castles and towns worth the drive from the resort. Get in touch via our contact page if you'd like recommendations tailored to where you're staying.