Santa Bárbara Castle

Santa Bárbara Castle occupies the craggy summit of Mount Benacantil, 166 metres above central Alicante, and holds protected status as a bien de interés cultural. Its origins lie in 9th-century Moorish fortifications; after the Reconquista the Castilian crown expanded the complex into one of the largest medieval fortresses on Spain's eastern coast. The mountain's silhouette conceals a local secret: the rocky profile is said to resemble the face of a sleeping Moor — the so-called «cara del moro» — clearly visible from the beach and harbour below. A free elevator shaft cut directly through the rock connects the Postiguet beach to the castle, making access straightforward and wheelchair-friendly. From the upper ramparts, the views sweep across Alicante's port, the old town, and the open Mediterranean.