El Castillo, Golden sand beach in El Cotillo, Fuerteventura, Spain.
El Castillo stretches 190 meters along the coastline with 35 meters of width, featuring soft golden sand and calm protected waters perfect for swimming and sunbathing throughout the year.
The beach derives its name from an 18th-century defensive fortress that once protected the fishing village of El Cotillo from maritime threats and pirate attacks during colonial times.
El Castillo is a recognised nudist beach, so naturism is the norm along its sand and shingle. Its name comes from the nearby 18th-century fortress, not from any structure on the beach itself. Visitors share the shore with local anglers who fish from the rocks at either end.
This is an unserviced natural beach with no showers, toilets, sunbed rentals or lifeguards; visitors bring their own water, shade and supplies. Access is by a rough dirt track from El Cotillo, so a short walk over sand and shingle is needed. Strong currents and Atlantic swells make swimming unsafe on many days, and the beach is also used by naturists, so expect nude bathers.
Natural rock formations at both ends of the beach create small tidal pools during low tide, providing protected swimming areas for children and opportunities to observe marine life.
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