This municipality has two town: Gualchos, which is inland, and Castell de Ferro, on the Mediterranean coast. It has a beach that is 2 kilometres long with parts that have coarse and parts that have finer sand. Fishing is one of the main attractions of this area, since the 5.5 kilometres of cliffs are an ideal place to practise this activity.
The main attraction of Gualchos is its southern part, where the calm sea and mild and temperate breezes envelop this lovely part of the Mediterranean coast.
Gualchos extends from the foot of the Sierra de Lújar to the Costa Tropical. It is famous for its mild subtropical climate, its beaches that are never overcrowded and its tranquil atmosphere. The Cala de Rijana cove is located here, an ideal place for scuba diving. Another local attraction is the castle of Castell de Ferro.
Gualchos celebrates a festival in honour of San Miguel (St Michael the Archangel) in late September, and the Fiestas del Turista on 24th August, a tourist fair that is a must-see for holidaymakers in the area.
Remains suggesting human settlements dating back to Phoenician times have been found here. However, the current municipality is of Muslim origin, in a time when both towns were two small villages. The area gained some importance during this period thanks to its successful agriculture. In the Christian era it suffered from the rebellion of the Moors, their repression and expulsion. Later it was repopulated with Christians from other regions, especially from Catalonia, which explains the name of Castell de Ferro. Until the mid-18th century it was under the jurisdiction of Motril.
Like other towns along the Granada coast, Gualchos has vestiges of the prominent role it played in trade during the development of early civilizations that lived near the Mediterranean Sea. You can also see traces of the splendid heritage of the Arab culture. Many defensive fortresses had to be built here to fend off threats from pirates.
During the last third of the 20th century, the area has seen great economic prosperity thanks to the development of subtropical agriculture and tourism.
Moragas de sardinas are a local speciality. The area produces good pork, legumes, vegetables and fish stews, for which they cook the fish for a long time, without it losing its distinctive taste.
