Historic · Málaga City

Gibralfaro Castle

Gibralfaro Castle is a 14th-century Nasrid fortress on a 130-metre hill above Málaga, where visitors walk the ramparts for wide views over the port, the bullring and the bay.

About Gibralfaro Castle

Gibralfaro Castle crowns a 130-metre hill east of Málaga's old town. Its name comes from Jbel-Faro, 'mountain of the lighthouse', after a Phoenician beacon on the summit. The Nasrid king Yusuf I built the fortress in 1340 to guard the Alcazaba, which it joins by the zigzag Coracha walls. It withstood the Catholic Monarchs' siege of 1487 and became a national monument in 1931.

Two rings of walls survive, and the wall-walk follows much of the outer circuit past towers such as the 17-metre Torre Mayor. The old powder store holds an exhibition on military life at the castle, with a scale model of the complex. Views take in the port, the cathedral and La Malagueta bullring.

Tickets cost €7, or €10 with the Alcazaba (reduced €3/€5; under-6s free); entry is free on Sundays from 14:00, and no timed booking is needed. Hours are 09:00–18:00 from November to March and until 20:00 from April to October. Bus 35 runs up from the Alameda Principal; the steep path beside the Coracha takes 20–30 minutes, and roadside parking is limited. Allow an hour. Steps and low parapets make it unsuitable for wheelchairs; watch small children.

Late afternoon light suits photographs. In summer ride up and walk down, and carry water. The free Mirador de Gibralfaro just below gives a similar view without a ticket.

Gibralfaro Castle in pictures

Gibralfaro Castle on its wooded hilltop under a blue sky, seen from the city centre, Málaga

Panoramic view over the city and port from the walls of Gibralfaro Castle, Málaga

What you’ll find

ExhibitionExhibition visit (€3–€10, 09:00–18:00)Ticket
Free entryFree visit (14:00–18:00)Free
Monument visitSelf-guided visit (€3–€10, 09:00–18:00)Ticket
Ramparts walkWall walk (€3–€10, 09:00–18:00)Ticket
ViewpointSightseeingFree

Nearby places to visit

The Alcazaba of Málaga (600 m) sits directly below and is linked to the castle by the Coracha walls; a combined ticket covers both. Down in the centre, the Roman Theatre of Málaga (600 m) and the Málaga Museum (700 m) stand side by side on Calle Alcazabilla, and Málaga Cathedral (900 m) is a short walk further west. Playa La Malagueta (700 m) and its promenade lie at the foot of the hill to the south, beside La Malagueta bullring that the walls overlook. The Parador next to the castle has a terrace with the same views.