It is a town of 2,621 inhabitants located 84 km to the Southeast of Granada. The towns of Gualchos and Castell de Ferro form this district which has a 2 kilometres beach, with diverse types of sand, fine and heavy. The fishing is one of the main attractive points of the area, since the 5.5 kilometres of cliffs offer an attractive landscape to practice this sport.
Without a doubt the main attractive point of Gualchos is the South end of its district, where the sea is calmed and the smooth and tempered breezes give a very special touch to this part of the Mediterranean coast.
Gualchos goes from the base of the Lújar Mountain range to the Tropical Coast. It is formed by two population centres, Gualchos and Castell de Ferro. This last one of great beauty, due to its tempered subtropical weather, its deserted beaches and the quietness of its atmosphere. Among its beaches it has the cove of La Rijana, an ideal place for the practice of scuba diving. Another of its attractive points for the tourism is the castle of Castell de Ferro.
Gualchos celebrates its religious celebrations in honour to San Miguel Arcángel that are celebrated at the end of September, and the Celebrations of the Tourist which are celebrated each 24 of August, forced meeting place for the visitors.
In the area that occupies its district vestiges have been found that suggest the human presence from Phoenician times. However, the present settlement has a Muslim origin, when both urban cores were two small villages. It received certain importance during this time thanks to the effective use of agriculture. At the Christian period it suffered the consequences of the moriscs rebellion, its repression and expulsion. It would be repopulated later with Christians from other regions, especially from Catalonia, which explains the origin of the name Castell de Ferro. Until the mid XVIII century it depended on Motril.
Like other populations of the Granada coast, Gualchos has vestiges of an outstanding role in the commerce during the expansion of the first civilizations that settled in the Mediterranean Sea shores, as well as moments of maximum splendour in the centuries of the Arab-andalusi culture. This town was also forced to build defensive bastions to face the threat of the berberiscs pirates.
During the last third of the XX century it has experienced a great economic prosperity thanks to the development of subtropical agriculture and to the tourism.
The moragas of sardines stand out. The pork, the legumes, the vegetables and the stews, as the ones which keep the cooked fish fresh longer, without losing its authentic flavour, can also be enjoyed.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
