Alicante Plaza BeachApartment · Alicante City Centre
Book our apartment
Alicante Plaza BeachApartment · Alicante City Centre
Book our apartment
At 166 metres above sea level, Santa Bárbara Castle is the first thing you see when you arrive in Alicante — and it should be the first thing you visit. One of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain, free to enter, with panoramic views over the Mediterranean that stop people in their tracks. Here is everything you need to know, from someone who lives 300 metres from its base.
Santa Bárbara Castle rising above Alicante — one of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain, and free to enter.
Before you even visit the castle, there is something to do just steps from our apartment. Stand on Calle Villavieja and look up at Monte Benacantil. The rock face reveals the profile of a Moorish face looking skyward — a nose, a brow, closed eyes — carved by centuries of erosion into the limestone. Locals call it the Cara del Moro (the Moor's Face) and it is one of those things that, once you see it, you cannot un-see.
This geological curiosity is one of the most talked-about details of Alicante among visitors who discover it — yet it appears in almost no English-language guide. The best viewpoint is from Calle Villavieja, around the corner from our apartment at Plaza Virgen del Remedio. It takes about 30 seconds to walk there.
The Cara del Moro — the Moorish face in the rock of Monte Benacantil, visible from Calle Villavieja, steps from our apartment.
When you check in, step out of the apartment and turn right into Calle Villavieja. Look up at the mountain. The Cara del Moro is right there — the face looking up at the sky. It takes 30 seconds and it is the first thing we recommend to every guest. The castle itself is only 10 minutes walk away.
It is easy to walk past castles on a Mediterranean holiday and feel like you have seen them before. Santa Bárbara is different for three reasons: the scale is genuinely impressive (it occupies the entire summit of the mountain), the views are spectacular in every direction, and it is completely free to enter. There is no catch — the only cost is the optional lift (€2.70), and you can walk up for free.
The castle has been continuously occupied since the 9th century — first by the Moors, then by the Castilians after 1248, then by various Spanish military forces through the 20th century. During the Spanish Civil War it served as a prison. The layers of history are visible in the architecture: Moorish walls sit alongside 16th-century Spanish fortifications and 18th-century modifications.
| Period | Castle hours | Last lift up |
|---|---|---|
| July & August | 10:00 – 22:00 | 19:20 |
| April, May, June & September | 10:00 – 22:00 | 19:20 |
| 5 Sep – 14 Nov (current) | 10:00 – 20:00 | 19:20 |
| October – March | 10:00 – 20:00 | 19:20 |
This is where staying at Plaza Virgen del Remedio gives you a real advantage. Every access route to the castle starts practically from our front door.
The lift entrance is on Avenida Juan Bautista Lafora, directly opposite Postiguet beach — a 3-minute walk from our apartment. Two lifts cut through the inside of the mountain and emerge at the castle. Ride up, walk around the castle, and you can descend the same way for free.
Price: €2.70 per person upward · Descent free · Under 5 free · Pensioners free
Book online to avoid queuing in summer: castillosantabarbara.com
Distance from apartment: 3 minutes on foot
This is the route our guests use most — and the most rewarding. From the apartment, walk to Calle Maldonado (immediately behind our building — the stairs are visible from the apartment's living room window). Climb the steps up through the old town, entering Parque de la Ereta — a terraced Mediterranean garden with views over the city and the bay at every turn. Continue through the park and up to the castle entrance. The entire walk takes approximately 25–30 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Cost: Free
Distance from apartment: Steps visible from the living room
Difficulty: Moderate — sustained uphill, some steep sections
An alternative walking route goes through the Barrio de Santa Cruz — the old Moorish quarter of whitewashed houses and flower-filled streets — climbing gradually to the castle entrance. This route is slightly longer but scenically superior to any other approach. Allow 35–40 minutes from the apartment.
The Barrio de Santa Cruz — colourful streets and staircases leading up toward Santa Bárbara Castle, 5 minutes from our apartment.
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Moderate — steady climb through narrow streets
The castle is divided into three main levels, each with a different character and different views. Allow 2–3 hours to explore it properly.
The first area you reach contains the oldest parts of the fortress — the original Moorish walls and the remnants of the medieval town that once existed inside the castle. The MUSA (Museo de la Ciudad de Alicante) is here, with exhibits tracing the history of the castle and the city from prehistoric times to the 20th century. Entry to MUSA is free.
The middle section has the most dramatic views of the city below — the port, the Explanada, the cathedral and the old town laid out beneath you. The restored walls, towers and cisterns of the 16th-century Spanish fortification are here. There is a café and terrace at this level — a good spot to rest and take in the views.
The summit of Monte Benacantil at 166 metres. The views from here are genuinely breath-taking — you can see south along the coast toward Santa Pola and Tabarca, north toward Benidorm and the Peñón de Ifach, inland toward the mountains, and west across the city. On clear days, the horizon seems impossibly far. This is the photograph that every visitor to Alicante wants to take.
The views from the upper level of Santa Bárbara Castle — looking out over the Mediterranean from 166 metres.
The castle is open year-round, but the experience varies significantly by season and time of day.
This is how we suggest our guests do it — tested and refined over two years of hosting families and groups:
Total time: 3.5–4 hours. No car, no taxi, no queues. Everything starting and ending at the apartment door.
Alicante Plaza Beach is at Plaza Virgen del Remedio 6 — the Cara del Moro is around the corner, the stairs to Parque de la Ereta are visible from the living room, and the lift entrance is 3 minutes walk. Our 145 m² apartment sleeps up to 8 across 3 double bedrooms. Minimum stay 4 nights. Book direct for the best price.
Check availability & book direct →