Castillo de San Marcos

About Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San Marcos stands in the centre of El Puerto de Santa María, near the mouth of the Guadalete. Its core is the mosque of the Moorish village of Al-Qanatir, from around the 10th century. After the Castilian conquest Alfonso X turned it into a fortified church of the Virgin, and the miracles he recorded there appear in his Cantigas de Santa María. A national monument since 1920, it has belonged to the Luis Caballero wine company since 1955.

Outside, the castle shows battlemented walls and square towers. Inside, the church keeps the mihrab and qibla wall of the old mosque with Islamic inscriptions, alongside later Christian work. Guides and the audio commentary trace its layers from mosque to fortress-church, and some tours end in the bodega with a tasting.

Audio-guided visits cost €10, or €5 for children; guided tours are €12, or €20 with wine tasting. Under-5s go free, and students, pensioners and disabled visitors get €4 off. Entry is free on Mondays from 10:00 to 11:00. Book guided tours online or by phone; they run Tuesday to Saturday at 11:00 in English and 13:00 in Spanish. Allow about an hour, and ask about access for reduced mobility.

Audio-guided visits run Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00 and Sundays from 11:00, subject to availability. A weekday morning is quietest.

Castillo de San Marcos in pictures

What you’ll find

• Audio guideAudio guide (€5–€10, 10:00–16:00)Buy
• Free entryFree visit (10:00–11:00)Free
• Guided tourGuided tour (€5–€20, 11:00–13:00)Book
• Monument visitSelf-guided visit (€5–€10, 10:00–16:00)Ticket

Nearby places to visit

The town beaches are close: Playa de Valdelagrana (2 km), Playa de la Puntilla (2.1 km) and Playa de la Muralla (3.9 km) all lie within a short drive, and the Real Club de Golf Vista Hermosa (3.2 km) is on the western edge of town. Ferries and catamarans cross the bay to Cádiz, where Cádiz Cathedral (9.7 km) and the Roman Theatre of Cádiz (9.6 km) stand side by side. Inland, the Alcázar of Jerez (12 km) makes an easy half-day trip, and El Puerto's own sherry bodegas line the streets around the castle.