Castillo de Olvera
Castillo de Olvera is a late 12th-century Nasrid castle on a rock 623 metres up, crowning the white town of Olvera in the Sierra de Cádiz and taken by Castile in 1327.
About Castillo de Olvera
Castillo de Olvera was built at the end of the 12th century as part of the defensive line of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. Castilian troops took it in 1327, and from then on it watched over the frontier between Christian and Muslim Spain from its rock, 623 metres above sea level. Later rebuilding gave it a largely Christian look. It has been a Bien de Interés Cultural since 1985.
The castle follows the shape of the rock, with a walled enclosure and a two-storey keep reached by stairs. From the top the views sweep over Olvera's white houses, olive groves and the hills once dotted with frontier castles. The ticket also covers the museum La Frontera y los Castillos in La Cilla, on life along the medieval Granada frontier.
The combined ticket costs €2 and is sold at the tourist office in La Cilla on Plaza de la Iglesia; no booking is needed. Allow an hour for both. The streets are steep and the castle has steps and narrow stairs, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs and small children need care. Park lower down and walk up.
It opens daily 10:00 to 19:00 in winter and 10:00 to 20:30 in summer. Late afternoon light is best for photographs. The Vía Verde de la Sierra greenway starts at the old station below the town.
Castillo de Olvera in pictures
What you’ll find
- ExhibitionExhibition visit (€2, 10:00–19:00)Ticket
- Monument visitSelf-guided visit (€2, 10:00–19:00)Ticket
- Tower climbTower climb (€2, 10:00–19:00)Ticket
- ViewpointSightseeingFree
- Visitor centreVisitor information (10:00–19:00)Free
Nearby places to visit
The Peñón de Zaframagón (11 km), a griffon vulture colony on a limestone crag, is reached along the Vía Verde de la Sierra from Olvera. Garganta Verde (18 km) near Zahara de la Sierra is a deep gorge walk that needs a free permit, and the El Tajo de Ronda (24 km) gorge splits the town of Ronda in two. In Ronda, the Unicaja Joaquín Peinado Museum (24 km) shows the work of the Ronda-born painter. Closer to home, Olvera's olive oil cooperatives sell the town's well-regarded local extra-virgin oil.
Castillo de Olvera at a glance
Location
Sierra de Cádiz, Cádiz
Town
Olvera
Address
Plaza de la Iglesia s/n (tickets at La Cilla), 11690 Olvera, Cádiz, Spain
Opening hours
Winter: daily 10:00–19:00. Summer: daily 10:00–20:30.
Prices
€2 combined ticket for castle and La Cilla museum; free for registered Olvera residents
Checked 1 Nov 2026 on the official website. Times and prices can change, so confirm before you go.
Website
turismoolvera.es
Phone
+34 665 940 087
More places nearby
Other places within 25 km of Castillo de Olvera, nearest first.
