Castle of Doña Blanca

Castle of Doña Blanca is a fortified site in El Puerto de Santa María that combines medieval watchtowers with extensive archaeological remains. The grounds contain ancient housing structures, defensive walls, and underground deposits spanning multiple periods.

The settlement began in the 8th century BC under Phoenician merchants and was later inhabited by other peoples. The watchtower itself was constructed in the 15th century, long after the site had become an established harbor and trading post.

The site served as a major trading center for Phoenician and later communities, visible in the remains of workshops and storage facilities scattered across the grounds. These structures reveal how commerce and craftsmanship shaped daily life here.

The site is easily accessible and has information available on-site to help understand the ruins and their history. A thorough visit should take several hours to properly explore the different layers and areas.

Beneath the ruins were discovered remains of early fermentation vessels showing that wine production took place here in ancient times. This find suggests that inhabitants then operated with methods surprisingly similar to modern production and storage practices.