Malpica de Tajo

A 14th-century Mudéjar castle above the Tagus, just 10 minutes from the estate. The shortest outing of them all, perfect for a spare hour before lunch.

Photo: Jose Luis Filpo Cabana · CC BY 3.0

Distance: 10 km
By car: 10 min
Official website: Official website of Malpica de Tajo

Malpica de Tajo is the nearest village with a monument of its own: barely 10 minutes, about 10 km, to see a castle with over a thousand years of history on the left bank of the Tagus. It's the ideal plan when the group only has an hour to spare between the pool and lunch.

The Malpica castle

Built over an old 10th-century Arab fortress, it is documented as belonging to the Gómez de Toledo family from 1307.
It took its current form in the 13th and 14th centuries, built in brick in the Mudéjar style, with a square plan and corner towers.
From 1599 it belonged to the Perafán de Ribera family, Marshals of Castile and Marquises of Malpica.
It is private property and cannot be visited inside, but it can be admired perfectly from its perimeter, beside the river.

A ten-minute plan

No booking or planning needed: you arrive, walk around the castle, take a few photos by the Tagus, and head back to the estate in time for whatever is next that day. It is also the first stop on the scenic route to Puy du Fou: Malpica castle, La Puebla de Montalbán, the CM-4001 local road and a detour to the Barrancas de Burujón, instead of the fast road.

Distance from the estate: 10 km
Drive time: 10 minutes
Castle origin: 10th-century Arab fortress, current form from the 14th century

The village of Malpica has bars and a square to stop for a drink before heading back.
The riverbank by the castle is a good spot for a short stop with children, no swimming required.
Being so close, it works well as a last-minute outing if the day's plan turns out shorter than expected.
It also works as a stop on the way to La Puebla de Montalbán if the group wants to chain the two plans together.

A quiet village by the river

Malpica de Tajo is, above all, a farming village on the Tagus floodplain, with no tourist ambitions beyond its castle. That makes it a pleasant stop for anyone who wants to see the real, everyday life of the area, away from the province's busier routes. The contrast between the castle, with over seven hundred documented years of history, and the quiet life of today's village is part of what makes such a short visit worthwhile, and one of the ones guests remember fondly precisely because it asks so little of them.

FAQ

Can we visit the inside of the castle?

No, it is an inhabited private property; it can only be seen from outside, by the river.

How long does it take from the estate?

Only 10 minutes, about 10 km: the shortest outing in the area.

Do we need to book anything to go?

No, it is a free, unscheduled visit: you can go at any time of day.

Coming as a group

If you are planning the visit to Malpica de Tajo with a large group, the estate is right there: the whole house for 12 to 16 people, six en-suite bedrooms and a saltwater pool shared with no one.